Geyser Warm Spring is a hot spring in Dolores County, Colorado. The nearest town is Mountain Village, about 31 km (19 mi) away (Geyser Warm Spring lies SW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Geyser Warm Spring the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:52 AM | 59° ENE | 8:38 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 120° ESE | 4:58 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 34m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Geyser Warm Spring, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 4:10 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:24 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 63 | 62 | 77 | 81 | 94 | 99 | 100 | 97 | 94 | 83 | 73 | 57 |
| Low °F | -11 | -3 | 1 | 17 | 22 | 31 | 45 | 45 | 29 | 11 | 3 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.6 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Geyser Warm Spring, closest first.
Waterfall
Hot Spring
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Burro Bridge6.2 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Cayton Campground12.6 km (7.8 mi) · reservable
- Woods Lake16.4 km (10.2 mi) · reservable
- Lone Cone Cabin16.7 km (10.3 mi) · reservable
- West Dolores Campground17.0 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Geyser Warm Spring?
What time is golden hour at Geyser Warm Spring?
Where does the sun rise and set at Geyser Warm Spring?
Can you see the Milky Way from Geyser Warm Spring?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Geyser Warm Spring?
How far is Geyser Warm Spring from Mountain Village?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.