Located in Inyo County, California, Coso Hot Springs is a hot spring at about 1,104 m (3,622 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Inyokern, about 45 km (28 mi) away (Coso Hot Springs lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Coso 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 60° ENE | 8:12 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:59 AM | 119° ESE | 4:41 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 42m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:12 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 43m |
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 Coso 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:39 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 4:45 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:51 PM – 4:01 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 3:40 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:54 PM – 2:14 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:17 PM – 12:17 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:26 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:12 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.64 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 (48%). 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 | 76 | 78 | 86 | 93 | 103 | 111 | 110 | 110 | 105 | 96 | 82 | 72 |
| Low °F | 17 | 21 | 23 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 59 | 55 | 43 | 26 | 21 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
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 Coso Hot Springs, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Coso Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Coso Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Coso Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Coso Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Coso Hot Springs?
How far is Coso Hot Springs from Inyokern?
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.