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44.0022° N119.6505° W1,482 mBortle 1Los Angeles

Suplee Hot Spring Photography Guide

Hot Spring in Grant County, Oregon · 1,482 m (4,862 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 238°–305°
  • Clearest: July
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

Suplee Hot Spring — a hot spring in Grant County, Oregon at about 1,482 m (4,862 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Prineville, about 100 km (62 mi) away (Suplee Hot Spring lies ESE of town).

Elevation
1,482 m
4,862 ft
Nearest town
Prineville
100 km (62 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
July
24% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
3.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:37 PM
sunset 6:16 PM

Light at Suplee Hot Spring

Live
Sunrise
7:20 AM
Sunset
6:08 PM
Golden hour AM
7:02 AM – 8:00 AM
Golden hour PM
5:28 PM – 6:26 PM
Blue hour AM
6:51 AM – 7:02 AM
Blue hour PM
6:26 PM – 6:37 PM
Full darkness
7:44 PM – 5:45 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:37 PM / 1:11 AM
Day length
10h 48m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Suplee Hot Spring the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:03 AM90° E7:11 PM271° W46°12h 09m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:17 AM56° NE8:46 PM305° NW69°15h 29m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:47 AM89° E6:58 PM271° W46°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:31 AM123° ESE4:24 PM238° WSW23°8h 53m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:59 AM7:31 AM8:16 AM4:01 PM4:47 PM5:19 PM9h 16m
February6:29 AM6:59 AM7:39 AM4:48 PM5:29 PM5:58 PM10h 30m
March6:43 AM7:12 AM7:50 AM6:27 PM7:05 PM7:34 PM11h 53m
April5:46 AM6:16 AM6:55 AM7:04 PM7:43 PM8:13 PM13h 27m
May5:00 AM5:33 AM6:15 AM7:37 PM8:18 PM8:52 PM14h 45m
June4:40 AM5:16 AM6:00 AM8:00 PM8:44 PM9:20 PM15h 28m
July4:55 AM5:30 AM6:13 AM7:57 PM8:40 PM9:15 PM15h 10m
August5:32 AM6:03 AM6:43 AM7:25 PM8:05 PM8:36 PM14h 01m
September6:10 AM6:39 AM7:17 AM6:33 PM7:11 PM7:40 PM12h 32m
October6:45 AM7:14 AM7:53 AM5:37 PM6:16 PM6:45 PM11h 02m
November6:23 AM6:55 AM7:38 AM3:50 PM4:34 PM5:05 PM9h 39m
December6:54 AM7:27 AM8:15 AM3:35 PM4:22 PM4:55 PM8h 55m

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 Suplee Hot Spring, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-4°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
March4:52 AM – 5:32 AM0.714°SSE → SSE
April2:48 AM – 4:28 AM1.716°SSE → S
May12:53 AM – 3:23 AM2.517°SSE → S
June11:09 PM – 2:49 AM3.717°SSE → SSW
July10:55 PM – 1:25 AM2.517°S → SSW
August9:57 PM – 11:27 PM1.516°S → SSW
September8:50 PM – 9:20 PM0.513°SSW → SSW
OctoberBelow 10° in darkness—8°—
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
DecemberBelow 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 24% average cloud cover) and December 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F58607482929910310199876957
Low °F-10-212192430403728131-10
Precip. (in)2.01.71.91.92.01.40.40.50.71.41.92.6

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

  • 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 Suplee Hot Spring, closest first.

Waterfall
South Fork Falls23 km away · Grant County · 1,087 m

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Suplee Hot Spring?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Winter gives the most dramatic steam; some primitive springs are only accessible in summer.
What time is golden hour at Suplee Hot Spring?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:37 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:16 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:53 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Suplee Hot Spring?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 56° in June to 123° in December; sunset ranges from 305° to 238°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Suplee Hot Spring?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Suplee Hot Spring?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Suplee Hot Spring from Prineville?
About 100 km (62 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.