Antelope Spring

Cochise County, Arizona · Near Tombstone
31.6730°N, 109.9020°W · 4,716 ft
79°F 60°F air · Good soaking weather 4,716 ft Short Walk Camping nearby (18.2 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Antelope Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Antelope Spring
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Antelope Spring is a warm seep in Cochise County, about eleven miles from Tombstone, and that is close to everything known about it. The water is tepid, below body heat, the sort of temperature that feels pleasant in January and pointless in July. Nobody has recorded who owns the land. Access is not on record either. There is no chemistry on file and no picture.

Location
25 miles from Sierra Vista, AZ

High desert, not far short of a mile up, dry enough that snow is a rare event and rain totals stay in single digits. Three quarters of a mile, a bit less, separates the spring from the closest road, which the record classes as a short walk, and that road is nameless in the record. Shaw House is the nearest listed camp, roughly eighteen miles away. Land ownership is unrecorded.

Deep winter is what the record picks, December through February. The walk in from an unnamed road is short. For camping there is Shaw House, a long way out. Neither a fee nor an access status shows up anywhere, which means ownership is worth confirming before you set foot on it. Water this cool needs no heat warning.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Antelope Spring.

Setting
Hillside
The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the northwest.
Highest ground nearby
78 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
91 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 32% of the springs on this site.

Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
45°
Jan
48°
Feb
54°
Mar
61°
Apr
69°
May
79°
Jun
78°
Jul
77°
Aug
73°
Sep
64°
Oct
53°
Nov
44°
Dec
Annual Precip: 8.9 in Annual Snow: 1.3 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 44°F · Water 79°F · +35° contrast
January Air 45°F · Water 79°F · +34° contrast
February Air 48°F · Water 79°F · +31° contrast
December offers 34°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
60°F
WNW 7.2 mph 94% Good soaking weather
Today 83° Low 64° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 45% precip
Wednesday 81° Low 63° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 62% precip
Thursday 84° Low 64° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 22% precip
Friday 87° Low 63° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 22% precip
Saturday 86° Low 63° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 16% precip
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Shaw House 18.2 mi away

Overview Is a cabin rental the right fit for your group? Shaw House is a stone masonry cabin located in East Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains of the Coronado National Forest. The house is nestled in a dramatic landscape of canyons and rock formations offering guests to the area a unique lodging experience. Nearby trails provide excellent hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding opportunities. An air conditioner/heating climate control unit makes Shaw House a year-round destina...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
79°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 79°F (26°C)
Avg Air Temp 62°F
Above Ambient +17°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.7 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Antelope Spring?
Antelope Spring has a water temperature of 79°F (26°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Antelope Spring located?
Antelope Spring is located in Cochise County, Arizona at 4,716 feet elevation, near Tombstone. Coordinates: 31.6730°N, 109.9020°W.
How do I get to Antelope Spring?
Antelope Spring has Short Walk road access (0.7 mi from the road).
Can I camp near Antelope Spring?
Yes, Shaw House is located nearby (18.2 miles away).
Sources: Wikipedia