Caliche Spring

Mohave County, Arizona · Near Golden Valley
34.9250°N, 114.2210°W · 2,188 ft
79°F 86°F air 2,188 ft Open Roadside Bureau of Land Management Camping nearby (22.1 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Caliche Spring

The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Caliche Spring, a tepid spring in Mohave County, Arizona, is on BLM land under the Kingman Field Office, about 19 miles from Golden Valley. Access is open. The water reading is warmish on the skin and nothing to soak in. A USGS site record exists, with a single dissolved-solids figure from a 1979 visit and nothing else in the chemistry.

Location

Roadside, about 150 feet off the road, on BLM ground that carries no designation beyond public. The elevation is moderate. The climate row is desert, with a warm yearly average and very little rain. Wild Cow Springs Campground, around 22 miles away, is the only camping in the record.

Winter is when the record says to go. Open BLM ground means you can walk up to it. The only water measurement is one number from 1979, so treat the chemistry as a footnote. No fee is listed. The campground is far enough away that it is a separate stop.

Terrain

USGS hasn't flown a detailed laser scan here yet, so this view comes from aerial photos and older elevation data.

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

A slice through the ground from southwest to northeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
90 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 31% 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
50°
Jan
54°
Feb
62°
Mar
70°
Apr
77°
May
89°
Jun
92°
Jul
91°
Aug
84°
Sep
72°
Oct
60°
Nov
49°
Dec
Annual Precip: 8.1 in Annual Snow: 1.0 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 49°F · Water 79°F · +30° contrast
January Air 50°F · Water 79°F · +29° contrast
February Air 54°F · Water 79°F · +25° contrast
December offers 43°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
86°F
N 0.0 mph 27%
Tuesday 98° Low 77° Sunny 9% precip
Wednesday 96° Low 74° Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 16% precip
Thursday 97° Low 74° Sunny 2% precip
Friday 100° Low 73° Sunny
Saturday 101° Low 72° Sunny
Water Chemistry Sampled 1979-10-24

The water at Caliche Spring contains 272 mg/L total dissolved solids.

Higher mineral concentration for therapeutic soaking
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Wild Cow Springs Campground 22.1 mi away

Wild Cow Springs Campground is situated in a grove of oak and large ponderosa pines within the Hualapai Mountains, at an elevation of 6,200 ft. This site becomes especially attractive during the summer months, with temperatures here averaging 20 degrees cooler than the nearby desert valleys located over 3,000 feet below. The site has an accessible campsite and vault toilet and most camping and picnic areas have fire rings, grills, trash cans, and picnic tables.All sites are filled on a firs...

Stay limit 14 days
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
79°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 79°F (26°C)
Avg Air Temp 71°F
Above Ambient +8°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 158 ft
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency Bureau of Land Management
Designation PUB
Unit Kingman Field Office
Manager Bureau of Land Management
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Caliche Spring?
Caliche Spring has a water temperature of 79°F (26°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Caliche Spring located?
Caliche Spring is located in Mohave County, Arizona at 2,188 feet elevation, near Golden Valley. Coordinates: 34.9250°N, 114.2210°W.
How do I get to Caliche Spring?
Caliche Spring has Roadside road access (158 ft from the road).
Is Caliche Spring free to visit?
Caliche Spring has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.
Can I camp near Caliche Spring?
Yes, Wild Cow Springs Campground is located nearby (22.1 miles away).
What minerals are in the water at Caliche Spring?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of Total Dissolved Solids. Total dissolved solids measure 272 mg/L.
Sources: USGS NWIS