Urbita Hot Springs is a hot spring in San Bernardino County, California. It sits roughly 2.1 km (1.3 mi) ENE of Colton.
Urbita Hot Springs was a historic hot springs and amusement park in San Bernardino County, California, United States. Urbita Springs Park was located between E Street and Colton Street in San Bernardino where the Inland Center mall stands today.From the Wikipedia article “Urbita Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Urbita Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 61° ENE | 8:05 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:52 AM | 118° ESE | 4:44 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:08 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:13 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 54m |
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 Urbita Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:27 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:38 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:41 PM – 4:01 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 3:47 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:21 PM – 10:21 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:39 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.08 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (44%). 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 | 77 | 82 | 87 | 93 | 103 | 110 | 111 | 109 | 109 | 98 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 35 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 40 | 33 | 24 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Urbita Hot Springs, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Canyon
Hot Spring
Botanical Garden
Canyon
Mountain Peak
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dogwood 18.3 km (11.4 mi) · reservable
- North Shore (Ca)23 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Fishermans Group25 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Tent Peg Group27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Applewhite Campground27 km (17 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Urbita Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Urbita Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Urbita Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Urbita Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Urbita Hot Springs?
How far is Urbita Hot Springs from Colton?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.