Located in Utah County, Utah, Fifth Water Hot Springs is a hot spring. The nearest town is Mapleton, about 23 km (14 mi) away (Fifth Water Hot Springs lies ESE of town).
Wikidata describes it as: “hot springs in Utah, United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fifth Water Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:57 AM | 58° ENE | 8:59 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 121° ESE | 5:04 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 19m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:14 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 24m |
| June | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 45m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 20m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Fifth Water Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:32 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:42 AM – 6:02 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:40 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:44 AM – 4:14 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:59 PM – 3:49 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:51 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 12:25 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:17 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.24 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). July 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 | 50 | 56 | 67 | 74 | 84 | 90 | 96 | 92 | 88 | 79 | 65 | 49 |
| Low °F | -23 | -28 | -14 | -6 | 8 | 22 | 36 | 31 | 19 | 1 | -17 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.3 |
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 Fifth Water Hot Springs, closest first.
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Canyon
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Diamond9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
- Balsam (Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Ut)14.6 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Renegade Long Term14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Renegade14.7 km (9.1 mi) · reservable
- Strawberry Bay Long Term16.2 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fifth Water Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Fifth Water Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fifth Water Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fifth Water Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fifth Water Hot Springs?
How far is Fifth Water Hot Springs from Mapleton?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.