Located in Taos County, New Mexico, Manby Hot Springs is a hot spring at about 1,992 m (6,535 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Arroyo Seco, about 13.9 km (8.6 mi) away (Manby Hot Springs lies W of town).
Manby Hot Springs, also known as Stagecoach Hot Springs are thermal springs located near the town of Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico. The springs discharge into three rock pools with sandy bottoms located near the ruins of an old bathhouse and a historical stagecoach stop.From the Wikipedia article “Manby Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Manby 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 60° ENE | 8:25 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 119° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 25m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 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 Manby 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 4:05 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:14 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 12:20 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:24 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.84 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 58 | 58 | 70 | 77 | 91 | 95 | 96 | 90 | 90 | 80 | 69 | 56 |
| Low °F | -8 | -11 | 0 | 17 | 19 | 31 | 45 | 40 | 25 | 13 | 5 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 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.
- Keep to boardwalks and marked paths — crusts around thermal features can be thin and the water dangerously hot.
- 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 Manby Hot Springs, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Las Petacas Campground23 km (14 mi)
- La Sombra Campground27 km (17 mi)
- Columbine Campground (Nm)27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Aldo Leopold House27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Manby Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Manby Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Manby Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Manby Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Manby Hot Springs?
How far is Manby Hot Springs from Arroyo Seco?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.