Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring is a hot spring in Grant County, New Mexico at about 1,770 m (5,807 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Arenas Valley, about 44 km (27 mi) away (Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring 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 | 7:16 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 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 | 8:23 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 | 7:45 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 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 Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring, 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
- 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 Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring, closest first.
Hot Spring
Scenic Viewpoint
Cave
Cave
Cave
Cave
Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Forks Campground2.3 km (1.4 mi)
- Lower Scorpion Campground8.1 km (5.0 mi)
- Upper Scorpion Campground8.4 km (5.2 mi)
- Black Canyon Campground - Lower14.0 km (8.7 mi)
- Black Canyon Campground - Upper14.3 km (8.9 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring?
What time is golden hour at Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring?
How far is Lyons Hunting Lodge Hot Spring 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.