Grover Hot Springs State Park — a state park in Alpine County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 22 km (14 mi) SSW of Gardnerville Ranchos.
Grover Hot Springs State Park is a state park of California, United States, containing natural hot springs on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. Park amenities include a swimming pool fed by the hot springs, a campground, picnic area, and hiking trails. The park was established in 1959. It was named after Alvin Merrill Grover, who owned a share of the land in 1878 and built a bathhouse and a fence around the springs.From the Wikipedia article “Grover Hot Springs State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grover Hot Springs State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 59° ENE | 8:28 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:42 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 27m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 37m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Grover Hot Springs State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:41 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 3:52 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:24 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.2 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:10 PM | 0.3 | 12° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.52 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 20% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 61 | 66 | 71 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 98 | 93 | 92 | 83 | 71 | 62 |
| Low °F | -3 | -6 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 |
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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Grover Hot Springs State Park, closest first.
Hot Spring
Canyon
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassHot Spring
Mountain Pass
Mountain Pass
Wilderness Area
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Silver Lake East- Eldorado5.1 km (3.2 mi) · reservable
- Markleeville5.4 km (3.4 mi) · reservable
- Indian Creek Campground (Ca)7.0 km (4.3 mi) · reservable
- Crystal Springs7.0 km (4.4 mi) · reservable
- Kit Carson Campground9.7 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grover Hot Springs State Park?
What time is golden hour at Grover Hot Springs State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grover Hot Springs State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grover Hot Springs State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grover Hot Springs State Park?
How far is Grover Hot Springs State Park from Gardnerville Ranchos?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.