Gregson Hot Springs is a hot spring in Silver Bow County, Montana. The nearest town is Anaconda, about 13.8 km (8.6 mi) away (Gregson Hot Springs lies SE of town).
Gregson Hot Springs also known as Fairmont Hot Springs, is a geothermal hot spring system located in Silver Bow County, Montana. Over the years the mineral-rich hot spring water was thought to relieve rheumatism and arthritis among other ailments.From the Wikipedia article “Gregson Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gregson Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 54° NE | 9:27 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:11 AM | 124° SE | 4:49 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 38m |
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 | 7:36 AM | 8:10 AM | 8:58 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 03m |
| February | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:17 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:14 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:32 PM | 14h 57m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:38 PM | 9:25 PM | 10:03 PM | 15h 44m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:35 PM | 9:20 PM | 9:57 PM | 15h 24m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:30 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:17 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 28m |
| December | 7:33 AM | 8:07 AM | 8:58 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:22 PM | 8h 40m |
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 Gregson Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:47 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:38 AM – 4:48 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:41 AM – 3:41 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:07 AM – 2:57 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:47 PM – 1:37 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:40 PM – 11:40 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:27 PM – 9:37 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.64 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 48 | 52 | 69 | 76 | 86 | 92 | 98 | 94 | 88 | 81 | 66 | 45 |
| Low °F | -25 | -28 | -28 | 7 | 15 | 26 | 34 | 31 | 20 | -4 | -25 | -31 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 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
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Gregson Hot Springs, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- High Rye Cabin5.6 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
- Fleecer Station22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Freedom Point Picnic Area29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Sheepshead Picnic Area29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gregson Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Gregson Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gregson Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gregson Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gregson Hot Springs?
How far is Gregson Hot Springs from Anaconda?
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.