Located in Washoe County, Nevada, Reno Hot Springs is a hot spring at about 1,408 m (4,619 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 17.2 km (10.7 mi) S of Sparks.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Reno Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 58° ENE | 8:30 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 57m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 120° ESE | 4:39 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 56m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:14 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 25m |
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 Reno Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 3:46 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:30 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:02 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 11:57 PM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:00 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.42 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 70 | 71 | 78 | 86 | 95 | 101 | 106 | 101 | 100 | 89 | 74 | 63 |
| Low °F | 5 | 9 | 17 | 21 | 26 | 32 | 47 | 44 | 32 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.2 |
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 Reno Hot Springs, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
Waterfall
Ghost Town
Hot Spring
LakeHot Spring
Mountain Peak
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Mount Rose (Nv) 15.4 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Boca Spring29 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Boca Rest Campground30 km (19 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Reno Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Reno Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Reno Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Reno Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Reno Hot Springs?
How far is Reno Hot Springs from Sparks?
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.