Fisher Hot Springs — a hot spring in Baker County, Oregon at about 1,148 m (3,766 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Baker City, about 28 km (17 mi) away (Fisher Hot Springs lies NW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fisher 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 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:06 AM | 55° NE | 8:43 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 123° ESE | 4:14 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:14 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:37 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 4:50 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:28 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 35m |
| July | 4:45 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 16m |
| August | 5:23 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:02 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:35 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:25 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:13 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:12 PM | 4:46 PM | 8h 48m |
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 Fisher Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:56 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:55 AM – 4:15 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:53 AM – 3:03 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:14 PM – 2:24 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 1:07 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 11:05 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 9:05 PM | 0.3 | 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: 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 ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 27% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 54 | 55 | 71 | 80 | 90 | 98 | 104 | 99 | 98 | 88 | 66 | 55 |
| Low °F | -12 | -2 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 28 | 36 | 34 | 26 | 10 | 0 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
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
- 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.
- A polarizer brings out the colors of mineral terraces and microbial mats.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Fisher Hot Springs, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Anthony Lake Guard Station14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Mud Lake Campground14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Anthony Lake14.9 km (9.3 mi) · reservable
- Peavy Cabin18.8 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- North Fork John Day Campground (Or)29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fisher Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Fisher Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fisher Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fisher Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fisher Hot Springs?
How far is Fisher Hot Springs from Baker City?
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.