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35.9994° N114.7425° WBortle 5Phoenix

Gold Strike Hot Springs Photography Guide

Hot Spring in Mohave County, Arizona

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–300°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Mohave County, Arizona, Gold Strike Hot Springs is a hot spring. It sits roughly 8.4 km (5.2 mi) ENE of Boulder City.

Gold Strike Hot Springs, also known as Goldstrike Hot Springs, Nevada Hot Springs and Gold Strike Canyon Hot Springs are a group of hot springs near Hoover Dam on the Arizona/Nevada border near historic Boulder City. They are in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.From the Wikipedia article “Gold Strike Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Boulder City
8.4 km (5.2 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
June
17% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:30 PM
sunset 6:04 PM

Light at Gold Strike Hot Springs

Live
Sunrise
6:51 AM
Sunset
5:58 PM
Golden hour AM
6:35 AM – 7:26 AM
Golden hour PM
5:23 PM – 6:14 PM
Blue hour AM
6:25 AM – 6:35 AM
Blue hour PM
6:14 PM – 6:24 PM
Full darkness
7:23 PM – 5:26 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:02 PM / 1:08 AM
Day length
11h 07m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Phoenix. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Gold Strike Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:43 AM90° E6:51 PM271° W54°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:23 AM60° ENE8:00 PM300° WNW77°14h 36m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:28 AM89° E6:37 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:47 AM119° ESE5:29 PM241° WSW31°9h 43m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:22 AM7:49 AM8:28 AM5:10 PM5:48 PM6:16 PM9h 59m
February7:01 AM7:27 AM8:03 AM5:45 PM6:21 PM6:47 PM10h 54m
March6:25 AM6:51 AM7:25 AM6:13 PM6:47 PM7:12 PM11h 56m
April5:40 AM6:06 AM6:41 AM6:38 PM7:13 PM7:39 PM13h 06m
May5:06 AM5:34 AM6:10 AM7:02 PM7:38 PM8:07 PM14h 04m
June4:52 AM5:23 AM6:01 AM7:20 PM7:58 PM8:28 PM14h 35m
July5:05 AM5:34 AM6:12 AM7:19 PM7:57 PM8:26 PM14h 22m
August5:31 AM5:58 AM6:33 AM6:55 PM7:30 PM7:58 PM13h 32m
September5:57 AM6:22 AM6:56 AM6:14 PM6:48 PM7:14 PM12h 26m
October6:21 AM6:46 AM7:21 AM5:30 PM6:04 PM6:30 PM11h 18m
November6:49 AM7:16 AM7:54 AM4:55 PM5:33 PM6:00 PM10h 16m
December7:15 AM7:43 AM8:23 AM4:47 PM5:27 PM5:55 PM9h 44m

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 Gold Strike Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:27 AM – 5:57 AM0.515°SE → SE
March3:32 AM – 5:22 AM1.822°SE → SSE
April1:33 AM – 4:33 AM3.025°SE → S
May11:39 PM – 3:49 AM4.225°SE → SSW
June9:48 PM – 3:28 AM5.725°SE → SW
July9:42 PM – 2:02 AM4.325°SSE → SW
August9:05 PM – 12:05 AM3.025°S → SW
September8:14 PM – 9:54 PM1.722°SSW → SW
October7:30 PM – 8:00 PM0.515°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-19°—

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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.35 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (43%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F797991981071151161121111008976
Low °F192126323951645947282321
Precip. (in)0.81.20.60.50.10.11.01.00.60.60.60.8

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

  • A polarizer brings out the colors of mineral terraces and microbial mats.
  • Respect bathers' privacy: ask before including people at soaking pools.
  • 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.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

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 Gold Strike Hot Springs, closest first.

Hot Spring
Lost Man Hot Spring1.5 km away · Mohave County
Hot Spring
Two Mile Hot Spring1.9 km away · Clark County
Hot Spring
Hot Springs1.9 km away · Clark County
Scenic Viewpoint
Lookout Point (historical)2.1 km away · Clark County · 420 m
Natural Arch
Liberty Bell Arch3.2 km away · Mohave County
Hot Spring
Hot Spring3.8 km away · Clark County
Hot Spring
Nevada Hot Spring4.2 km away · Mohave County
Hot Spring
Arizona (Ringbolt) Hot Springs4.6 km away · Mohave County
Alan Bible Visitor CenterBotanical Garden
Alan Bible Visitor Center5.0 km away · Clark County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Gold Strike Hot Springs?
June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Winter gives the most dramatic steam; some primitive springs are only accessible in summer.
What time is golden hour at Gold Strike Hot Springs?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:30 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:04 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:21 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Gold Strike Hot Springs?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Gold Strike Hot Springs?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gold Strike Hot Springs?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Gold Strike Hot Springs from Boulder City?
About 8.4 km (5.2 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.