Kelley Hot Spring — a hot spring in Modoc County, California at about 1,327 m (4,354 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Alturas, about 25 km (15 mi) away (Kelley Hot Spring lies W of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kelley Hot Spring the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 57° ENE | 8:41 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 121° ESE | 4:37 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 10m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 31m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 31m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 10m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 12m |
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 Kelley Hot Spring, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:32 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 4:33 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 3:41 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 3:19 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:39 PM – 1:49 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 9:48 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 7:55 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 22% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 64 | 74 | 80 | 90 | 98 | 102 | 99 | 98 | 88 | 74 | 59 |
| Low °F | -10 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 21 | 29 | 39 | 38 | 28 | 19 | 4 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.5 |
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.
- 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 Kelley Hot Spring, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kelley Hot Spring?
What time is golden hour at Kelley Hot Spring?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kelley Hot Spring?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kelley Hot Spring?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kelley Hot Spring?
How far is Kelley Hot Spring from Alturas?
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.