Located in Snohomish County, Washington, Gamma Hot Springs is a hot spring at about 1,486 m (4,875 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 42 km (26 mi) ESE of Darrington.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Gamma Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 52° NE | 9:09 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 126° SE | 4:14 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 21m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:41 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:13 PM | 8h 48m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:23 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:53 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:48 PM | 16h 03m |
| July | 4:41 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:14 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 41m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:48 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:43 AM | 3:18 PM | 4:12 PM | 4:48 PM | 8h 23m |
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 Gamma Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:41 AM – 4:11 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:45 AM – 2:45 AM | 1.0 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:30 AM – 1:30 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 11:51 PM – 12:41 AM | 0.8 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:26 PM – 10:46 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| December | Below 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.62 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 42% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (76%). August 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 | 47 | 50 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 87 | 90 | 90 | 86 | 76 | 55 | 41 |
| Low °F | -20 | -17 | -12 | 1 | 16 | 28 | 34 | 35 | 24 | -2 | -17 | -20 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 7.2 | 10.7 | 9.1 |
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 Gamma Hot Springs, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Mountain Peak
Glacier
Fire Lookout
Glacier
Glacier
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
VolcanoCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sulphur Creek Campground14.4 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Alpine Meadows Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Suiattle Guard Station22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Nineteen Mile Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Nineteenmile Campground23 km (14 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Gamma Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Gamma Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Gamma Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Gamma Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Gamma Hot Springs?
How far is Gamma Hot Springs from Darrington?
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.