Routt Hot Springs — a hot spring in Routt County, Colorado at about 2,268 m (7,441 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Steamboat Springs, about 8.4 km (5.2 mi) away (Routt Hot Springs lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Routt Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 58° ENE | 8:42 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 121° ESE | 4:44 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:08 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 17m |
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 Routt Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:24 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:35 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:34 AM – 4:44 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 3:49 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:45 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 2:06 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 11:59 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:00 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 7:59 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.38 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 37 | 34 | 60 | 67 | 81 | 87 | 88 | 85 | 82 | 73 | 58 | 45 |
| Low °F | -26 | -40 | -21 | -14 | 1 | 22 | 33 | 31 | 20 | -5 | -22 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Routt Hot Springs, closest first.
National Forest
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
Ghost Town
Mountain Pass
Mountain Peak
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Dry Lake Campground (Co)6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Teal Lake Group Campsite21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Hinman Campground (Co)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Grizzly Creek Guard Station22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Meadows Campground (Co)23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Routt Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Routt Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Routt Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Routt Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Routt Hot Springs?
How far is Routt Hot Springs from Steamboat Springs?
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.