Located in Klamath County, Oregon, Big Hot Spring is a hot spring at about 1,249 m (4,098 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Altamont, about 11.0 km (6.8 mi) away (Big Hot Spring lies SSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Hot Spring the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 57° ENE | 8:47 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 AM | 122° ESE | 4:39 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:17 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:20 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:15 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 07m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Big Hot Spring, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:39 AM – 4:39 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:38 AM – 3:48 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 10:57 PM – 3:17 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:47 PM – 1:57 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 11:55 PM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 9:53 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.25 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 59 | 60 | 72 | 78 | 87 | 96 | 100 | 96 | 94 | 86 | 71 | 54 |
| Low °F | -12 | -10 | 4 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 38 | 35 | 26 | 17 | -6 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 4.4 |
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
- 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 Big Hot Spring, closest first.
State Park
Lake
National Wildlife Refuge
Waterfall
Lake
Lake
Hot Spring
Lake
National Wildlife RefugeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Hot Spring?
What time is golden hour at Big Hot Spring?
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Hot Spring?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Hot Spring?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Hot Spring?
How far is Big Hot Spring from Altamont?
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.