Niland Geyser — a volcano in Imperial County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Niland, about 7.4 km (4.6 mi) away (Niland Geyser lies NW of town).
Niland Geyser (nicknamed the "Slow One" and formally designated W9) is a moving mudpot or mud spring outside Niland, California in the Salton Trough in an area of geological instability due to the San Andreas Fault, formed due to carbon dioxide being released underground. It is the only mudpot or mud volcano known to have moved so significantly. The geyser has required costly engineering works since 2018 as it has impinged on the Union Pacific Railroad, California State Route 111, and other infrastructure.From the Wikipedia article “Niland Geyser”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Niland Geyser the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:47 AM | 90° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 61° ENE | 7:56 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 AM | 89° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:43 AM | 118° ESE | 4:40 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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
Volcanic cones and lava fields have strong shapes that read well in side-light; dark basalt needs careful exposure.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:02 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:53 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:05 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:23 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:21 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:02 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:50 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:17 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Niland Geyser, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:11 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:23 AM – 5:23 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:20 AM – 4:40 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:21 PM – 4:01 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:36 PM – 3:46 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:32 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:59 PM – 12:19 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:13 PM – 10:13 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:32 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.51 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 15% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (39%). 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 | 86 | 87 | 95 | 101 | 110 | 118 | 120 | 115 | 116 | 104 | 92 | 81 |
| Low °F | 27 | 27 | 34 | 38 | 46 | 51 | 62 | 60 | 52 | 42 | 32 | 29 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 |
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 volcano
- Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
- Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
- Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
- Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Niland Geyser, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Niland Geyser?
What time is golden hour at Niland Geyser?
Where does the sun rise and set at Niland Geyser?
Can you see the Milky Way from Niland Geyser?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Niland Geyser?
How far is Niland Geyser from Niland?
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.