Indian Hot Springs — a hot spring in Hudspeth County, Texas at about 1,008 m (3,307 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 53 km (33 mi) WSW of Van Horn.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Indian Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 62° ENE | 8:08 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:56 AM | 117° ESE | 6:05 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 09m |
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 | 7:34 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:36 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:48 PM | 10h 22m |
| February | 7:18 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:16 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 43m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 08m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 17m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 7:26 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:29 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 10m |
Local time (America/Chihuahua), 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 Indian Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 6:20 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:33 AM – 5:03 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:31 PM – 4:31 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:44 PM – 4:14 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:41 PM – 2:51 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:11 PM – 12:51 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:29 PM – 10:49 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:51 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 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 ≈ 21.91 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 August as the cloudiest (54%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 80 | 87 | 91 | 96 | 102 | 107 | 107 | 105 | 99 | 93 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 19 | 8 | 20 | 29 | 36 | 57 | 61 | 57 | 48 | 28 | 18 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Indian Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Indian Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Indian Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Indian Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Indian Hot Springs?
How far is Indian Hot Springs from Van Horn?
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.