Clifton Hot Springs — a hot spring in Greenlee County, Arizona at about 1,075 m (3,527 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.3 km (0.8 mi) WNW of Clifton.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clifton Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:22 AM | 90° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:10 AM | 61° ENE | 7:30 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:06 AM | 89° E | 6:15 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 118° ESE | 5:15 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 58m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Steam is most visible on cold mornings; backlight from a low sun makes rising steam glow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:04 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:22 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:13 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:19 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:38 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:09 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 14h 19m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:20 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:56 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 5:37 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:34 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:50 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 5:57 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:55 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:10 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 59m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Clifton Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:58 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:54 AM – 4:14 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 10:55 PM – 3:35 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:10 PM – 3:20 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:06 PM – 1:56 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:34 PM – 11:54 PM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 7:48 PM – 9:48 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:07 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.66 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 68 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 97 | 101 | 103 | 98 | 96 | 86 | 76 | 69 |
| Low °F | -13 | 1 | 12 | 20 | 26 | 40 | 52 | 51 | 35 | 21 | 14 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this hot spring
- Wind direction determines where steam drifts; shoot from the upwind side to see the pool.
- Condensation forms quickly on lenses; let gear acclimate and carry a cloth.
- Keep to boardwalks and marked paths — crusts around thermal features can be thin and the water dangerously hot.
- A polarizer brings out the colors of mineral terraces and microbial mats.
- Respect bathers' privacy: ask before including people at soaking pools.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Winter gives the most dramatic steam; some primitive springs are only accessible in summer.
Suggested gear: Circular polarizer, Lens cloth, Telephoto for distant pools. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Clifton Hot Springs, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Owl Creek Campground10.0 km (6.2 mi)
- Black Jack Group Campground21 km (13 mi)
- Riverview Campground25 km (15 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clifton Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Clifton Hot Springs?
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Can you see the Milky Way from Clifton Hot Springs?
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Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.