Delonegha Hot Springs — a hot spring in Kern County, California at about 641 m (2,103 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Bodfish, about 11.4 km (7.1 mi) away (Delonegha Hot Springs lies WSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Delonegha 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 60° ENE | 8:14 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:01 AM | 119° ESE | 4:46 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 45m |
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 | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:21 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 33m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 20m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:29 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 46m |
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 Delonegha Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:42 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 4:47 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:52 PM – 4:02 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:55 PM – 2:25 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:18 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:29 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:15 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: 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 ≈ 21.15 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 13% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (52%). 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 | 83 | 82 | 89 | 96 | 108 | 112 | 112 | 111 | 111 | 101 | 90 | 80 |
| Low °F | 22 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 36 | 39 | 51 | 49 | 42 | 35 | 24 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 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
- 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.
- A polarizer brings out the colors of mineral terraces and microbial mats.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Delonegha Hot Springs, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sandy Flat7.7 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Hobo Campground7.8 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Hobo Campground7.8 km (4.9 mi)
- Oak Flat Lookout8.9 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Evans Flat Campground9.7 km (6.0 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Delonegha Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Delonegha Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Delonegha Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Delonegha Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Delonegha Hot Springs?
How far is Delonegha Hot Springs from Bodfish?
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.