Willett Hot Springs — a hot spring in Ventura County, California at about 858 m (2,815 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Sespe Wilderness. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) NE of Ojai.
Willett Hot Springs is located in the Sespe Wilderness, North of Ojai, California. This natural hot spring has been augmented by a man made collection basin. The most popular approach to the hot spring is by an approximate 11 miles (18 km) hike from the Piedra Blanca trailhead in Los Padres National Forest. Nearby Sespe Hot Springs (about 3 miles (4.8 km)) has a reputation as one of the hottest springs in California.From the Wikipedia article “Willett Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Willett 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 300° (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) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 61° ENE | 8:13 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:00 AM | 118° ESE | 4:50 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 51m |
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 Willett 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:34 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:48 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:46 AM – 4:46 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 4:10 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:57 PM – 3:57 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 2:32 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:17 PM – 12:27 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:29 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:26 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: 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 ≈ 20.52 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (43%). 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 | 82 | 83 | 85 | 93 | 99 | 108 | 109 | 106 | 111 | 100 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 35 | 43 | 48 | 50 | 42 | 37 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 |
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.
- Respect bathers' privacy: ask before including people at soaking pools.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Willett Hot Springs, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Hot Spring
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Canyon
National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Middle Lion Campground10.9 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Rose Valley Campground12.9 km (8.0 mi) · reservable
- Wheeler Gorge22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Holiday Group Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Chuchupate Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Willett Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Willett Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Willett Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Willett Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Willett Hot Springs?
How far is Willett Hot Springs from Ojai?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.