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33.2843° N116.6313° W955 mBortle 4Los Angeles

Warner Hot Spring Photography Guide

Hot Spring in San Diego County, California · 955 m (3,133 ft)

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–299°
  • Clearest: June
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Warner Hot Spring is a hot spring in San Diego County, California at about 955 m (3,133 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) N of Julian.

Elevation
955 m
3,133 ft
Nearest town
Julian
23 km (14 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
June
15% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:41 PM
sunset 6:14 PM

Light at Warner Hot Spring

Live
Sunrise
6:56 AM
Sunset
6:08 PM
Golden hour AM
6:40 AM – 7:29 AM
Golden hour PM
5:35 PM – 6:24 PM
Blue hour AM
6:30 AM – 6:40 AM
Blue hour PM
6:24 PM – 6:33 PM
Full darkness
7:31 PM – 5:33 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:06 PM / 1:21 AM
Day length
11h 13m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Warner Hot Spring 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 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:51 AM90° E6:59 PM271° W57°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:38 AM61° ENE8:00 PM299° WNW80°14h 21m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:35 AM89° E6:45 PM271° W57°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)6:47 AM118° ESE4:44 PM242° WSW33°9h 57m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:24 AM6:51 AM7:28 AM4:25 PM5:02 PM5:29 PM10h 12m
February6:06 AM6:31 AM7:05 AM4:58 PM5:32 PM5:57 PM11h 01m
March6:33 AM6:58 AM7:31 AM6:22 PM6:55 PM7:20 PM11h 57m
April5:51 AM6:17 AM6:50 AM6:44 PM7:17 PM7:43 PM13h 00m
May5:20 AM5:47 AM6:22 AM7:05 PM7:40 PM8:07 PM13h 53m
June5:09 AM5:38 AM6:14 AM7:22 PM7:58 PM8:27 PM14h 21m
July5:21 AM5:49 AM6:25 AM7:22 PM7:57 PM8:26 PM14h 09m
August5:44 AM6:10 AM6:44 AM7:00 PM7:34 PM8:00 PM13h 24m
September6:06 AM6:31 AM7:04 AM6:22 PM6:54 PM7:19 PM12h 24m
October6:27 AM6:52 AM7:25 AM5:41 PM6:14 PM6:39 PM11h 23m
November5:52 AM6:19 AM6:54 AM4:10 PM4:46 PM5:12 PM10h 27m
December6:16 AM6:44 AM7:22 AM4:04 PM4:41 PM5:09 PM9h 58m

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 Warner Hot Spring, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:16 AM – 5:06 AM0.817°SE → SE
March3:28 AM – 5:28 AM2.024°SE → SSE
April1:25 AM – 4:45 AM3.328°SE → S
May11:26 PM – 4:06 AM4.728°SE → SSW
June9:41 PM – 3:51 AM6.228°SE → SW
July9:37 PM – 2:27 AM4.828°SSE → SW
August9:04 PM – 12:24 AM3.328°S → SW
September8:18 PM – 10:18 PM2.025°SSW → SW
October7:37 PM – 8:27 PM0.817°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 20.77 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (41%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F8490941001091171181151151049282
Low °F262833374248595648403028
Precip. (in)1.31.70.70.50.10.00.20.20.20.50.61.3

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 Warner Hot Spring, closest first.

Mountain Pass
Teofulio Summit9.2 km away · San Diego County
Cleveland National ForestNational Forest
Cleveland National Forest16 km away · San Diego County
Waterfall
Maidenhair Falls18 km away · San Diego County · 534 m
Waterfall
Washtub Falls19 km away · San Diego County · 892 m
Anza-Borrego Desert State ParkDark Sky Place
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park22 km away · San Diego County
Borrego SpringsDark Sky Place
Borrego Springs24 km away · San Diego County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Warner Hot Spring?
June has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Winter gives the most dramatic steam; some primitive springs are only accessible in summer.
What time is golden hour at Warner Hot Spring?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:41 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:14 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:25 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Warner Hot Spring?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 299° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Warner Hot Spring?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Warner Hot Spring?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Warner Hot Spring from Julian?
About 23 km (14 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.