Gila Hot Springs is a hot spring in Grant County, New Mexico at about 1,698 m (5,571 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Arenas Valley, about 45 km (28 mi) away (Gila Hot Springs lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gila Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:05 AM | 61° ENE | 8:26 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 118° ESE | 5:10 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:24 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:35 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 20m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Gila Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:54 AM – 5:54 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:51 AM – 5:11 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:52 PM – 4:32 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:07 PM – 4:17 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:03 PM – 2:53 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:50 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:44 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:53 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 29% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 65 | 69 | 76 | 82 | 94 | 98 | 100 | 95 | 92 | 84 | 74 | 67 |
| Low °F | -10 | -4 | 11 | 18 | 23 | 37 | 47 | 44 | 32 | 18 | 12 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Gila Hot Springs, closest first.
Hot Spring
Cave
Cave
Cave
Cave
Wilderness Area
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Forks Campground1.4 km (0.9 mi)
- Lower Scorpion Campground6.0 km (3.8 mi)
- Upper Scorpion Campground6.3 km (3.9 mi)
- Black Canyon Campground - Lower16.2 km (10.0 mi)
- Black Canyon Campground - Upper16.4 km (10.2 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gila Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Gila Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gila Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gila Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gila Hot Springs?
How far is Gila Hot Springs from Arenas Valley?
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.