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29.1835° N103.0004° W601 mBortle 1Chicago

Boquillas Hot Springs Photography Guide

Hot Spring in Brewster County, Texas · 601 m (1,972 ft)

  • Bortle 1 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 244°–298°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Boquillas Hot Springs is a hot spring in Brewster County, Texas at about 601 m (1,972 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 145 km (90 mi) SSE of Alpine.

Elevation
601 m
1,972 ft
Nearest town
Alpine
145 km (90 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 1
Excellent dark-sky site
Clearest month
October
29% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:51 PM
sunset 7:23 PM

Light at Boquillas Hot Springs

Live
Sunrise
7:57 AM
Sunset
7:18 PM
Golden hour AM
7:42 AM – 8:29 AM
Golden hour PM
6:46 PM – 7:32 PM
Blue hour AM
7:33 AM – 7:42 AM
Blue hour PM
7:32 PM – 7:42 PM
Full darkness
8:37 PM – 6:38 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:05 PM / 2:31 AM
Day length
11h 21m
Sunrise azimuth
101°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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 Boquillas Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:57 AM90° E8:04 PM271° W61°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:54 AM63° ENE8:55 PM298° WNW84°14h 01m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:41 AM89° E7:50 PM271° W61°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:43 AM117° ESE5:59 PM244° WSW37°10h 16m

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
January7:22 AM7:48 AM8:22 AM5:42 PM6:16 PM6:42 PM10h 29m
February7:08 AM7:32 AM8:04 AM6:10 PM6:42 PM7:07 PM11h 10m
March7:39 AM8:03 AM8:34 AM7:30 PM8:01 PM8:25 PM11h 58m
April7:02 AM7:27 AM7:58 AM7:47 PM8:19 PM8:43 PM12h 52m
May6:35 AM7:01 AM7:34 AM8:04 PM8:37 PM9:03 PM13h 36m
June6:26 AM6:53 AM7:28 AM8:19 PM8:53 PM9:20 PM14h 00m
July6:37 AM7:03 AM7:38 AM8:20 PM8:54 PM9:20 PM13h 50m
August6:56 AM7:21 AM7:54 AM8:01 PM8:33 PM8:58 PM13h 12m
September7:14 AM7:38 AM8:09 AM7:27 PM7:59 PM8:22 PM12h 21m
October7:30 AM7:54 AM8:26 AM6:51 PM7:23 PM7:47 PM11h 29m
November6:51 AM7:17 AM7:51 AM5:25 PM5:59 PM6:24 PM10h 42m
December7:13 AM7:39 AM8:15 AM5:21 PM5:57 PM6:23 PM10h 17m

Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Boquillas Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° 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—2°—
February5:12 AM – 6:02 AM0.819°SE → SE
March4:20 AM – 6:40 AM2.329°SE → SSE
April2:21 AM – 6:01 AM3.732°SE → S
May12:17 AM – 5:27 AM5.232°SE → SSW
June10:29 PM – 5:09 AM6.732°SE → SW
July10:26 PM – 3:46 AM5.332°SSE → SW
August9:59 PM – 1:49 AM3.832°S → SW
September9:18 PM – 11:48 PM2.529°SSW → SW
October8:42 PM – 9:42 PM1.020°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-18°—

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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 29% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (46%). June is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F839396102108110109107104989183
Low °F201122353861626051302118
Precip. (in)0.50.40.40.51.11.41.91.91.81.00.60.5

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

  • 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.
  • Wind direction determines where steam drifts; shoot from the upwind side to see the pool.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 Boquillas Hot Springs, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Rio Grande Overlook3.2 km away · Brewster County · 604 m
Boquillas OverlookScenic Viewpoint
Boquillas Overlook7.5 km away · Brewster County
Scenic Viewpoint
Boquillas Canyon Overlook7.6 km away · Brewster County · 557 m
Boquillas CanyonCanyon
Boquillas Canyon12 km away · Brewster County
Glenn SpringsGhost Town
Glenn Springs15 km away · Brewster County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Boquillas Hot Springs?
October 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 Boquillas Hot Springs?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:51 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:23 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:26 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Boquillas Hot Springs?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 63° in June to 117° in December; sunset ranges from 298° to 244°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Boquillas Hot Springs?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Boquillas Hot Springs?
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 Boquillas Hot Springs from Alpine?
About 145 km (90 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.