Located in Teton County, Wyoming, Clepsydra Geyser is a hot spring. It lies in or next to Yellowstone National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is West Yellowstone, about 26 km (16 mi) away (Clepsydra Geyser lies ESE of town).
Clepsydra Geyser is a geyser in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Clepsydra plays nearly continuously to heights of 45 feet (14 m). It was named by T. B. Comstock during the 1878 Captain Jones expedition, with its nomenclature derived from the Greek word for water clock. Prior to the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake, it erupted regularly every three minutes.From the Wikipedia article “Clepsydra Geyser”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
This nearly constant performer splashes from several vents and its steam can be seen throughout the Lower Geyser Basin. Its name is Greek for water clock, and was given because the geyser used to erupt regularly every three minutes. Since the 1959 Hebgen Lae Earthquake, however, Clepsydra erupts almost without pause. Sometimes it quits during Fountain Geyser's eruption. Geysers Geysers have constrictions in their plumbing systems that prevent water from moving freely to the surface where heat would escape. Water beneath the constrictions creates a buildup of steam. Eventually the steam pushes water past the constrictions and the geyser erupts. Fountain Paint Pot Area Hydrothermal features can be grouped into two general categories: those with a great deal of water (hot springs and geysers) and those with limited water (mudpots and fumaroles). Despite their structural similarities, no two features are exactly alike. All of these features occur in the Fountain Paint Pot area. Thermus aquaticus , the thermophile that revolutionized DNA replication processes, was discovered in this area. Lower Geyser Basin The Lower Geyser Basin sits on unstable glacial gravel on top of solid rock. The jarring energy of an earthquake can make the gravel vibrate and shift position, and compact or fracture. All these changes affect water supplies to hot springs. They might force muddy water to the surface, clouding existing pools or creating new ones. They might divert water from a pool, causing it to dry up. Water temperatures might also increase or decrease due to these subsurface changes. In the days after the Hebgen Lake earthquake of 1959, all of these changes were observed in various springs of the Firehole River geyser basins. The epicenter (point of origin) of the quake was determined to be about 31 air miles (50 km) northwest of the Fountain Paint Pots area. Great Fountain Geyser, on the Firehole Lake Drive (closed to vehicles), is the only geyser outside of the Old Faithful area with eruption forecasts. Use Caution in Hydrothermal Areas Stay on boardwalks and designated trails. Hydrothermal water can severely burn you. Never run, push, or shove. Supervise children at all times. Do not scratch hydrothermal mats. You are responsible for your safety. Think safety, act safely. Yellowstone is a dangerous place.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clepsydra Geyser the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 55° NE | 9:13 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:58 AM | 123° ESE | 4:47 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 7:25 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 32m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:19 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:18 PM | 8h 51m |
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 Clepsydra Geyser, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:17 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:44 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:21 AM – 3:41 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:39 PM – 3:09 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:24 PM – 1:44 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:23 PM – 11:43 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:15 PM – 9:45 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 39% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (77%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 33 | 32 | 51 | 64 | 73 | 80 | 90 | 90 | 82 | 72 | 53 | 33 |
| Low °F | -32 | -34 | -21 | -10 | 6 | 22 | 29 | 28 | 18 | -9 | -23 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
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
- 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.
- Respect bathers' privacy: ask before including people at soaking pools.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Clepsydra Geyser, closest first.
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Hot Spring
Hot SpringCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clepsydra Geyser?
What time is golden hour at Clepsydra Geyser?
Where does the sun rise and set at Clepsydra Geyser?
Can you see the Milky Way from Clepsydra Geyser?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Clepsydra Geyser?
How far is Clepsydra Geyser from West Yellowstone?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, Wikipedia. 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.