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32.7530° N109.7080° WBortle 4Phoenix

Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring Photography Guide

Hot Spring in Graham County, Arizona

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–299°
  • Clearest: May
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring is a hot spring in Graham County, Arizona. The nearest town is Cactus Flat, about 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away (Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring lies SE of town).

Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring is a single geothermal mineral spring in Roper Lake State Park, Safford, Arizona.From the Wikipedia article “Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Cactus Flat
1.0 km (0.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
May
24% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:14 PM
sunset 5:47 PM

Light at Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring

Live
Sunrise
6:27 AM
Sunset
5:41 PM
Golden hour AM
6:12 AM – 7:01 AM
Golden hour PM
5:08 PM – 5:57 PM
Blue hour AM
6:02 AM – 6:12 AM
Blue hour PM
5:57 PM – 6:06 PM
Full darkness
7:04 PM – 5:06 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
2:38 PM / 12:54 AM
Day length
11h 14m
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 Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring 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 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:23 AM90° E6:31 PM271° W57°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:12 AM61° ENE7:31 PM299° WNW81°14h 19m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:08 AM89° E6:17 PM271° W58°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:18 AM118° ESE5:17 PM243° WSW34°9h 59m

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
January6:55 AM7:22 AM7:59 AM4:59 PM5:36 PM6:02 PM10h 14m
February6:38 AM7:03 AM7:37 AM5:31 PM6:05 PM6:30 PM11h 02m
March6:05 AM6:30 AM7:03 AM5:55 PM6:27 PM6:52 PM11h 57m
April5:24 AM5:50 AM6:23 AM6:16 PM6:49 PM7:14 PM12h 59m
May4:54 AM5:21 AM5:56 AM6:36 PM7:11 PM7:38 PM13h 50m
June4:43 AM5:11 AM5:48 AM6:53 PM7:29 PM7:58 PM14h 18m
July4:54 AM5:22 AM5:58 AM6:53 PM7:29 PM7:56 PM14h 06m
August5:17 AM5:43 AM6:17 AM6:32 PM7:05 PM7:31 PM13h 22m
September5:39 AM6:03 AM6:36 AM5:54 PM6:27 PM6:51 PM12h 23m
October5:59 AM6:23 AM6:57 AM5:14 PM5:47 PM6:12 PM11h 24m
November6:24 AM6:50 AM7:25 AM4:43 PM5:19 PM5:45 PM10h 29m
December6:47 AM7:15 AM7:52 AM4:38 PM5:15 PM5:42 PM10h 00m

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 Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring, 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:48 AM – 5:38 AM0.817°SE → SE
March2:59 AM – 4:59 AM2.025°SE → SSE
April12:55 AM – 4:15 AM3.328°SE → S
May10:56 PM – 3:36 AM4.728°SE → SSW
June9:11 PM – 3:21 AM6.228°SE → SW
July9:07 PM – 1:57 AM4.828°SSE → SW
August8:35 PM – 11:55 PM3.328°S → SW
September7:50 PM – 10:00 PM2.225°SSW → SW
October7:09 PM – 7:59 PM0.817°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 20.63 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). 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 °F74828796106109111106103968576
Low °F171121293548626146282019
Precip. (in)1.01.00.60.20.20.53.02.51.70.70.71.0

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 Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring, closest first.

Mount GrahamMountain Peak
Mount Graham16 km away · Graham County · 3,260 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Heliograph Peak Fire Lookout Tower17 km away · Graham County
Waterfall
Ash Creek Falls18 km away · Graham County · 2,412 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Fort Grant Vista Point20 km away · Graham County · 2,852 m
Fire Lookout
Webb Peak Lookout Tower21 km away · Graham County
Scenic Viewpoint
Webb Peak Fire Lookout Tower21 km away · Graham County
Waterfall
Grant Creek Falls21 km away · Graham County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring?
May 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 Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:14 PM and ends after sunset at about 5:47 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 6:57 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring?
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 Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring from Cactus Flat?
About 1.0 km (0.6 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.