Located in Teton County, Wyoming, Cliff 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 30 km (19 mi) away (Cliff Geyser lies SE of town).
From the National Park Service
Cliff Geyser is a clear pool in a geyserite ring that sits along the river bank. Round, bulbous geyserite fills the ring and forms the outer edge, but outside the ring pea-sized geyserite covers the surface. Hard sinter covers the further surrounding area. Some orange thermophiles exist in the area where Cliff Geyser drains. While Cliff Geyser has a varied history, recently it seems to be following a cycle of draining, then minor eruptions while the area fills, eventually resulting in a major eruption, the pool drains and remains quiet for a period before starting the cycle again. The interval between cycles can be up to 35 minutes. Cliff Geyser has an average temperate of 174.3°F (79.1°C), an average pH of 6.1, and an average conductivity of 2295 uS/cm. 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. 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.
Wikidata describes it as: “geyser in Yellowstone National Park”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cliff 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) | 5:40 AM | 55° NE | 9:12 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 123° ESE | 4:47 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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 | 4:24 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:15 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 31m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:19 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:19 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 Cliff 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
- 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.
- Condensation forms quickly on lenses; let gear acclimate and carry a cloth.
- 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.
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 Cliff 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 Cliff Geyser?
What time is golden hour at Cliff Geyser?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cliff Geyser?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cliff Geyser?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cliff Geyser?
How far is Cliff Geyser from West Yellowstone?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service. 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.