Shoshone Spring, October 21, 2012
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38.8578° N104.9210° WBortle 6Denver

Manitou Mineral Springs Photography Guide

Hot Spring in El Paso County, Colorado

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Milan Suvajac · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Manitou Mineral Springs — a hot spring in El Paso County, Colorado — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers.

Manitou Mineral Springs are natural mineral springs in Manitou Springs, Colorado and Cheyenne Spring House is on the National Register of Historic Places. The springs are located in one of the country's largest National Historic Districts.From the Wikipedia article “Manitou Mineral Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Manitou Springs
400 m
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
September
38% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:47 PM
sunset 6:23 PM

Light at Manitou Mineral Springs

Live
Sunrise
7:15 AM
Sunset
6:16 PM
Golden hour AM
6:58 AM – 7:51 AM
Golden hour PM
5:39 PM – 6:32 PM
Blue hour AM
6:48 AM – 6:58 AM
Blue hour PM
6:32 PM – 6:43 PM
Full darkness
7:44 PM – 5:47 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:28 PM / 1:21 AM
Day length
11h 01m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Denver. 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 Manitou Mineral Springs 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:04 AM90° E7:12 PM271° W51°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:35 AM59° ENE8:29 PM302° WNW75°14h 54m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:48 AM89° E6:58 PM271° W51°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:15 AM120° ESE4:42 PM240° WSW28°9h 26m

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
January6:48 AM7:17 AM7:58 AM4:22 PM5:02 PM5:31 PM9h 45m
February6:25 AM6:52 AM7:29 AM5:01 PM5:38 PM6:05 PM10h 46m
March6:45 AM7:12 AM7:47 AM6:32 PM7:07 PM7:34 PM11h 55m
April5:56 AM6:24 AM7:00 AM7:01 PM7:37 PM8:04 PM13h 13m
May5:18 AM5:48 AM6:26 AM7:28 PM8:06 PM8:36 PM14h 18m
June5:03 AM5:35 AM6:15 AM7:47 PM8:27 PM8:59 PM14h 53m
July5:16 AM5:47 AM6:26 AM7:46 PM8:25 PM8:56 PM14h 38m
August5:46 AM6:14 AM6:51 AM7:19 PM7:56 PM8:24 PM13h 42m
September6:15 AM6:42 AM7:17 AM6:35 PM7:10 PM7:36 PM12h 28m
October6:43 AM7:10 AM7:46 AM5:47 PM6:23 PM6:49 PM11h 13m
November6:15 AM6:43 AM7:22 AM4:08 PM4:47 PM5:16 PM10h 04m
December6:42 AM7:12 AM7:54 AM3:58 PM4:40 PM5:09 PM9h 28m

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 Manitou Mineral Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:07 AM – 5:17 AM0.212°SE → SE
March4:16 AM – 5:36 AM1.319°SE → SSE
April2:12 AM – 4:42 AM2.522°SE → S
May12:13 AM – 3:53 AM3.722°SE → S
June10:25 PM – 3:35 AM5.222°SE → SSW
July10:18 PM – 2:08 AM3.822°SSE → SW
August9:35 PM – 12:05 AM2.522°S → SW
September8:40 PM – 10:00 PM1.319°SSW → SW
October7:51 PM – 8:11 PM0.312°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (54%). 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 °F7076829010010610510399897870
Low °F3-671527385249301020
Precip. (in)0.40.60.81.41.81.32.52.21.10.80.40.4

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.
  • 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 Manitou Mineral Springs, closest first.

Rainbow FallsWaterfall
Rainbow Falls1.4 km away · El Paso County · 2,019 m
Cave of the WindsCave
Cave of the Winds1.7 km away · El Paso County
Natural Arch
Siamese Twins3.1 km away · El Paso County
Canyon
Englemann Canyon3.7 km away · El Paso County
Natural Arch
Pigs Eye3.9 km away · El Paso County
Natural Arch
Kissing Camels4.2 km away · El Paso County
Helen Hunt FallsWaterfall
Helen Hunt Falls7.9 km away · El Paso County · 2,206 m
Silver Cascade FallsWaterfall
Silver Cascade Falls8.0 km away · El Paso County · 2,313 m
Canyon
South Cheyenne Canon8.9 km away · El Paso County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Manitou Mineral Springs?
September 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 Manitou Mineral Springs?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:47 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:23 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:46 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Manitou Mineral Springs?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Manitou Mineral Springs?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Manitou Mineral 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 Manitou Mineral Springs from Manitou Springs?
About 400 m in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.