Grover Hot Springs — a hot spring in Alpine County, California at about 1,807 m (5,928 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) SSW of Gardnerville Ranchos.
Wikidata describes it as: “spring in Alpine County, California, United States of America”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grover Hot Springs 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:28 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Grover Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 3:52 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:24 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.53 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 61 | 66 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 98 | 93 | 92 | 83 | 71 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | -6 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
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.
- 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 Grover Hot Springs, closest first.
State Park
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Hot Spring
Mountain Pass
Wilderness Area
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Silver Lake East- Eldorado4.4 km (2.8 mi) · reservable
- Markleeville5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Crystal Springs7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Indian Creek Campground (Ca)7.7 km (4.8 mi) · reservable
- Kit Carson Campground10.1 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grover Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Grover Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grover Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grover Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grover Hot Springs?
How far is Grover Hot Springs from Gardnerville Ranchos?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.