Summer Lake Hot Springs is a hot spring in Lake County, Oregon at about 1,300 m (4,265 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Altamont, about 106 km (66 mi) away (Summer Lake Hot Springs lies ENE of town).
Summer Lake Hot Springs are natural hot springs at the south end of Summer Lake in south-central Oregon. They are artesian mineral springs with four surface sources. The springs have complex water chemistry. The temperature of the main source is approximately 123 °F (51 °C) with a water flow of approximately 20 US gallons (76 L) per minute. Over the years, the site has been developed as a rustic family bathing and relaxation resort. The hot springs are 124 miles (200 km) southeast of Bend, Oregon, near the small town of Paisley, Oregon.From the Wikipedia article “Summer Lake Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Summer Lake Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (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) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 56° ENE | 8:45 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 122° ESE | 4:32 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 02m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 4:50 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 19m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:38 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:13 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 03m |
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 Summer Lake Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:47 AM – 4:37 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:49 AM – 3:39 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:00 PM – 3:00 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 1:38 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 11:45 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 9:41 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 22% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 60 | 71 | 77 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 97 | 94 | 86 | 70 | 54 |
| Low °F | -14 | -5 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 27 | 37 | 35 | 26 | 16 | -1 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 2.9 |
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 Summer Lake Hot Springs, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Marsters Spring Campground11.8 km (7.3 mi) · reservable
- Bald Butte Lookout (Fremont-Winema National Forest, Or)17.0 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Currier Guard Station21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Fremont Point Cabin22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Summer Lake Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Summer Lake Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Summer Lake Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Summer Lake Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Summer Lake Hot Springs?
How far is Summer Lake Hot Springs from Altamont?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.