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35.4321° N118.4823° W1,166 mBortle 4Los Angeles

Yates Hot Springs Photography Guide

Hot Spring in Kern County, California · 1,166 m (3,825 ft)

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Yates Hot Springs — a hot spring in Kern County, California at about 1,166 m (3,825 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 17.4 km (10.8 mi) S of Bodfish.

Elevation
1,166 m
3,825 ft
Nearest town
Bodfish
17.4 km (10.8 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
August
13% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:45 PM
sunset 6:20 PM

Light at Yates Hot Springs

Live
Sunrise
7:05 AM
Sunset
6:14 PM
Golden hour AM
6:49 AM – 7:40 AM
Golden hour PM
5:39 PM – 6:29 PM
Blue hour AM
6:39 AM – 6:49 AM
Blue hour PM
6:29 PM – 6:39 PM
Full darkness
7:38 PM – 5:41 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:17 PM / 1:25 AM
Day length
11h 08m
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 Yates Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:58 AM90° E7:06 PM271° W54°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:40 AM60° ENE8:13 PM300° WNW78°14h 33m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:43 AM89° E6:52 PM271° W55°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:00 AM119° ESE4:46 PM242° WSW31°9h 46m

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
January6:35 AM7:03 AM7:41 AM4:27 PM5:05 PM5:32 PM10h 02m
February6:15 AM6:41 AM7:17 AM5:01 PM5:37 PM6:03 PM10h 55m
March6:40 AM7:05 AM7:39 AM6:28 PM7:02 PM7:27 PM11h 56m
April5:56 AM6:22 AM6:56 AM6:53 PM7:27 PM7:53 PM13h 05m
May5:22 AM5:50 AM6:26 AM7:16 PM7:52 PM8:20 PM14h 02m
June5:09 AM5:39 AM6:17 AM7:34 PM8:11 PM8:41 PM14h 32m
July5:22 AM5:51 AM6:28 AM7:33 PM8:10 PM8:39 PM14h 19m
August5:47 AM6:14 AM6:49 AM7:10 PM7:44 PM8:11 PM13h 30m
September6:12 AM6:38 AM7:11 AM6:29 PM7:03 PM7:28 PM12h 25m
October6:35 AM7:01 AM7:35 AM5:45 PM6:20 PM6:45 PM11h 19m
November6:03 AM6:30 AM7:07 AM4:12 PM4:49 PM5:16 PM10h 19m
December6:28 AM6:57 AM7:36 AM4:04 PM4:43 PM5:12 PM9h 47m

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 Yates Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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°—
February4:42 AM – 5:12 AM0.515°SE → SE
March3:47 AM – 5:37 AM1.822°SE → SSE
April1:47 AM – 4:47 AM3.025°SE → S
May11:52 PM – 4:02 AM4.226°SE → SSW
June10:00 PM – 3:50 AM5.826°SE → SW
July9:55 PM – 2:25 AM4.526°SSE → SW
August9:18 PM – 12:18 AM3.025°S → SW
September8:29 PM – 10:19 PM1.822°SSW → SW
October7:45 PM – 8:15 PM0.515°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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: 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 ≈ 21.17 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 13% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (52%). 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 °F838289961081121121111111019080
Low °F222427303639514942352423
Precip. (in)1.41.41.20.80.40.00.10.00.10.40.71.6

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.
  • A polarizer brings out the colors of mineral terraces and microbial mats.
  • 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 Yates Hot Springs, closest first.

Hot Spring
Delonegha Hot Springs18 km away · Kern County
Hot Spring
Scovern Hot Springs21 km away · Kern County
Bright Star WildernessWilderness Area
Bright Star Wilderness23 km away · Kern County
Cesar's Vista PointScenic Viewpoint
Cesar's Vista Point24 km away · Kern County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Yates Hot Springs?
August 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 Yates Hot Springs?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:45 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:20 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:35 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Yates Hot Springs?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Yates Hot Springs?
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 Yates Hot Springs?
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 Yates Hot Springs from Bodfish?
About 17.4 km (10.8 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.