Located in Marion County, Oregon, Breitenbush Hot Springs is a hot spring. The nearest town is Mill City, about 40 km (25 mi) away (Breitenbush Hot Springs lies E of town).
Breitenbush Hot Springs, also known as Breitenbusher Hot Springs, is a thermal mineral spring system along the Breitenbush River near the historic town of Breitenbush, Oregon, United States.From the Wikipedia article “Breitenbush Hot Springs (thermal mineral springs)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Breitenbush Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 55° NE | 8:58 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 123° ESE | 4:31 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 47m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:29 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 11m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 34m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 15m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:28 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:02 PM | 8h 49m |
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 Breitenbush Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:12 AM – 5:32 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:10 AM – 4:30 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:08 AM – 3:28 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:27 PM – 2:47 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:11 PM – 1:31 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 11:30 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 9:31 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.64 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 24% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 65 | 77 | 84 | 94 | 100 | 103 | 102 | 98 | 88 | 72 | 58 |
| Low °F | -8 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 26 | 33 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 17 | 3 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 3.8 |
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 Breitenbush Hot Springs, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Wilderness Area
Rock Formation
Wilderness Area
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Wilderness Area
Ghost Town
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Breitenbush Campground1.1 km (0.7 mi) · reservable
- Cleator Bend1.8 km (1.1 mi) · reservable
- Fox Creek Group Camp5.7 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
- Humbug Campground8.0 km (5.0 mi) · reservable
- Gold Butte Lookout8.7 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Breitenbush Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Breitenbush Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Breitenbush Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Breitenbush Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Breitenbush Hot Springs?
How far is Breitenbush Hot Springs from Mill City?
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.