Tuakay Hot Springs — a hot spring in Maricopa County, Arizona at about 677 m (2,221 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Tonto National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Tonto Basin, about 22 km (13 mi) away (Tuakay Hot Springs lies SSE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tuakay 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 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:37 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 61° ENE | 7:39 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:14 AM | 89° E | 6:23 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 118° ESE | 5:21 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 55m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 10m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:06 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 4:58 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:05 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 56m |
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 Tuakay Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:14 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:16 PM – 3:46 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:22 PM – 3:22 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:18 PM – 1:58 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:44 PM – 11:54 PM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 7:57 PM – 9:57 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 7:55 PM | 0.7 | 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 ≈ 21.23 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (49%). 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 | 81 | 82 | 93 | 98 | 107 | 114 | 112 | 110 | 109 | 101 | 91 | 79 |
| Low °F | 16 | 19 | 25 | 31 | 39 | 53 | 65 | 64 | 50 | 33 | 23 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
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
- 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.
- Wind direction determines where steam drifts; shoot from the upwind side to see the pool.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Tuakay Hot Springs, closest first.
Lake
Dark Sky Place
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Cave
Scenic Viewpoint
National ForestCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Frazier Horse Campground3.4 km (2.1 mi) · reservable
- Frazier Group Campground3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Burnt Corral Campground5.9 km (3.7 mi) · reservable
- Windy Hill Campground7.3 km (4.5 mi) · reservable
- Cholla Campground7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tuakay Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Tuakay Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tuakay Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tuakay Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tuakay Hot Springs?
How far is Tuakay Hot Springs from Tonto Basin?
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.