Jackson Hot Springs — a hot spring in Jackson County, Oregon at about 512 m (1,680 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 4.1 km (2.5 mi) NW of Ashland.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jackson Hot Springs 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 304° (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) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 57° ENE | 8:52 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 122° ESE | 4:43 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 05m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:35 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 58m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:19 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:12 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 Jackson Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:53 AM – 3:43 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:04 PM – 3:14 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:53 PM – 1:53 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 11:51 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 9:48 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.66 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 19% 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 | 60 | 61 | 69 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 102 | 104 | 101 | 90 | 76 | 57 |
| Low °F | -2 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 37 | 35 | 29 | 23 | 4 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 6.5 |
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
- 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.
- Respect bathers' privacy: ask before including people at soaking pools.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Jackson Hot Springs, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Pass
Ghost Town
Mountain Pass
Covered Bridge
Fire Lookout
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Hyatt Lake Recreation Area24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Beaver Sulphur Group Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Acorn Woman Peak Lookout28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Mckee Bridge Community Kitchen29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jackson Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Jackson Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jackson Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jackson Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jackson Hot Springs?
How far is Jackson Hot Springs from Ashland?
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.