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36.5308° N105.7122° WBortle 2Denver

Black Rock Hot Springs Photography Guide

Hot Spring in Taos County, New Mexico

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Taos County, New Mexico, Black Rock Hot Springs is a hot spring. It sits roughly 12.9 km (8.0 mi) W of Arroyo Seco.

Black Rock Hot Springs are a small system of thermal springs west of the town of Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico.From the Wikipedia article “Black Rock Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Arroyo Seco
12.9 km (8.0 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
October
35% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:53 PM
sunset 6:28 PM

Light at Black Rock Hot Springs

Live
Sunrise
7:15 AM
Sunset
6:21 PM
Golden hour AM
6:59 AM – 7:50 AM
Golden hour PM
5:46 PM – 6:37 PM
Blue hour AM
6:49 AM – 6:59 AM
Blue hour PM
6:37 PM – 6:48 PM
Full darkness
7:47 PM – 5:50 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:27 PM / 1:29 AM
Day length
11h 06m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
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 Black Rock Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:07 AM90° E7:15 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:46 AM60° ENE8:25 PM301° WNW77°14h 39m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:51 AM89° E7:01 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:12 AM119° ESE4:52 PM241° WSW30°9h 40m

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
January6:47 AM7:15 AM7:54 AM4:32 PM5:11 PM5:39 PM9h 56m
February6:25 AM6:52 AM7:28 AM5:08 PM5:44 PM6:10 PM10h 52m
March6:49 AM7:15 AM7:49 AM6:36 PM7:11 PM7:36 PM11h 56m
April6:03 AM6:30 AM7:04 AM7:03 PM7:37 PM8:04 PM13h 07m
May5:28 AM5:57 AM6:33 AM7:27 PM8:03 PM8:32 PM14h 07m
June5:14 AM5:45 AM6:23 AM7:45 PM8:23 PM8:54 PM14h 39m
July5:27 AM5:57 AM6:34 AM7:44 PM8:22 PM8:52 PM14h 25m
August5:54 AM6:21 AM6:57 AM7:20 PM7:55 PM8:23 PM13h 34m
September6:20 AM6:46 AM7:20 AM6:38 PM7:12 PM7:38 PM12h 26m
October6:45 AM7:11 AM7:46 AM5:53 PM6:28 PM6:54 PM11h 17m
November6:14 AM6:41 AM7:19 AM4:18 PM4:55 PM5:23 PM10h 14m
December6:40 AM7:08 AM7:48 AM4:09 PM4:49 PM5:18 PM9h 41m

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 Black Rock Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February4:51 AM – 5:21 AM0.514°SE → SE
March4:07 AM – 5:47 AM1.721°SE → SSE
April1:58 AM – 4:48 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:05 AM – 4:05 AM4.025°SE → SSW
June10:14 PM – 3:44 AM5.525°SE → SW
July10:09 PM – 2:29 AM4.325°SSE → SW
August9:30 PM – 12:20 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:39 PM – 10:19 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October7:54 PM – 8:24 PM0.514°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (55%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F585870779195969090806956
Low °F-8-110171931454025135-8
Precip. (in)1.01.11.11.21.21.12.82.21.81.21.01.2

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

  • 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 Black Rock Hot Springs, closest first.

Hot Spring
Manby Hot Springs2.7 km away · Taos County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Black Rock Hot Springs?
October 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 Black Rock Hot Springs?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:53 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:28 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 Black Rock Hot Springs?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Black Rock Hot Springs?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Black Rock Hot 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 Black Rock Hot Springs from Arroyo Seco?
About 12.9 km (8.0 mi) 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.