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37.6464° N118.9160° WBortle 4Los Angeles

Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California Photography Guide

Hot Spring in Mono County, California

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California is a hot spring in Mono County, California. It sits roughly 4.9 km (3.0 mi) E of Mammoth Lakes.

Wikidata describes it as: “locale in California, United States”.

Nearest town
Mammoth Lakes
4.9 km (3.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
21% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.3 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:44 PM
sunset 6:20 PM

Light at Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California

Live
Sunrise
7:09 AM
Sunset
6:13 PM
Golden hour AM
6:53 AM – 7:45 AM
Golden hour PM
5:37 PM – 6:29 PM
Blue hour AM
6:42 AM – 6:53 AM
Blue hour PM
6:29 PM – 6:39 PM
Full darkness
7:40 PM – 5:43 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:22 PM / 1:22 AM
Day length
11h 04m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. 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 Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:00 AM90° E7:08 PM271° W52°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:35 AM59° ENE8:21 PM301° WNW76°14h 46m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:44 AM89° E6:54 PM271° W53°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:08 AM120° ESE4:41 PM241° WSW29°9h 33m

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
January6:42 AM7:10 AM7:50 AM4:22 PM5:01 PM5:30 PM9h 51m
February6:19 AM6:46 AM7:22 AM4:59 PM5:35 PM6:02 PM10h 49m
March6:42 AM7:08 AM7:42 AM6:29 PM7:03 PM7:29 PM11h 56m
April5:54 AM6:21 AM6:56 AM6:56 PM7:31 PM7:58 PM13h 10m
May5:18 AM5:47 AM6:24 AM7:22 PM7:59 PM8:28 PM14h 12m
June5:03 AM5:34 AM6:14 AM7:41 PM8:20 PM8:51 PM14h 45m
July5:16 AM5:47 AM6:25 AM7:40 PM8:18 PM8:48 PM14h 31m
August5:44 AM6:12 AM6:48 AM7:14 PM7:50 PM8:18 PM13h 38m
September6:12 AM6:38 AM7:13 AM6:31 PM7:05 PM7:31 PM12h 27m
October6:38 AM7:05 AM7:40 AM5:44 PM6:20 PM6:46 PM11h 15m
November6:09 AM6:37 AM7:15 AM4:07 PM4:46 PM5:14 PM10h 09m
December6:35 AM7:04 AM7:45 AM3:58 PM4:39 PM5:08 PM9h 35m

Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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°—
February4:54 AM – 5:14 AM0.313°SE → SE
March4:01 AM – 5:31 AM1.520°SE → SSE
April2:05 AM – 4:45 AM2.723°SE → S
May12:04 AM – 3:54 AM3.823°SE → S
June10:15 PM – 3:35 AM5.323°SE → SW
July10:08 PM – 2:08 AM4.023°SSE → SW
August9:28 PM – 12:08 AM2.723°S → SW
September8:34 PM – 10:04 PM1.520°SSW → SW
October7:47 PM – 8:07 PM0.313°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
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: 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 ≈ 20.94 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (54%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F536063727986908885786855
Low °F-14-12-14-312203531209-7-16
Precip. (in)3.83.83.02.01.20.40.40.20.21.32.03.9

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 Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California, closest first.

Laurel MountainMountain Peak
Laurel Mountain7.7 km away · Mono County · 3,604 m
Convict LakeLake
Convict Lake8.2 km away · Mono County · 2,311 m
Volcano
Long Valley Caldera8.3 km away · Mono County
Natural Arch
Bottomless Pit8.9 km away · Mono County
Lake MaryLake
Lake Mary9.1 km away · Mono County · 2,733 m
Waterfall
Twin Falls9.1 km away · Mono County · 2,693 m
Mammoth MountainMountain Peak
Mammoth Mountain10 km away · Mono County · 3,355 m
Mount MorrisonMountain Peak
Mount Morrison11 km away · Mono County · 3,731 m
Hot Spring
Hilltop Hot Springs12 km away · Mono County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California?
September 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 Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:44 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:20 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:40 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California?
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 Casa Diablo Hot Springs, California from Mammoth Lakes?
About 4.9 km (3.0 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata. 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.