Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa is a hot spring in Taos County, New Mexico. The nearest town is Ohkay Owingeh, about 29 km (18 mi) away (Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa lies N of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ojo Caliente Hot Springs (Tewa: P’osí P’ohpee) is a group of thermal springs located in Taos County, New Mexico, United States. They are also known as the Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs. These hot springs were used by native New Mexicans for many years. In the late 19th century the springs began to be developed for alleged therapeutic use for several ailments, including tuberculosis.From the Wikipedia article “Ojo Caliente Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa 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 300° (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) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 60° ENE | 8:26 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 119° ESE | 4:54 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 41m |
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 | 7:54 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 37m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 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 | 4:52 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 4:15 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:14 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:28 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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 ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 56 | 58 | 72 | 77 | 92 | 96 | 95 | 92 | 90 | 80 | 70 | 56 |
| Low °F | -17 | -11 | 0 | 16 | 20 | 31 | 44 | 41 | 23 | 13 | 4 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
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 Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa?
What time is golden hour at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa?
How far is Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa from Ohkay Owingeh?
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.