Radium Hot Springs

Yuma County, Arizona · Near Wellton
32.7410°N, 114.0680°W · 242 ft
140°F 85°F air 242 ft Short Walk
Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution

At 140°F, the source water at Radium Hot Springs is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

Aerial view of the ground around Radium Hot Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Radium Hot Springs
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.

Radium Hot Springs in Yuma County shares its name with a resort town in British Columbia, and the Wikipedia page attached to this record is about the Canadian one, so ignore it. The Arizona spring is a very hot one, right at the line where hot becomes scalding, eleven miles from Wellton on the low desert floor, barely above sea level. Land owner and public access are both blank in the record.

Location

The nearest road is a tenth of a mile away and has no name on record, and the elevation is only a couple hundred feet. This is about as dry as Arizona gets, four inches of rain most years and no snow whatsoever. The annual average temperature sits in the high seventies. No land unit is listed and no campground. Nothing about a fee.

Winter, meaning December through February, is the only sane window at this elevation in Yuma County. Hot enough to scald, this water should not be touched without testing the edge first. Who owns the ground is not on file, and neither is any statement that the public may enter. No campground is listed. Treat this as unverified until you have done your own checking.

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 Radium Hot Springs.

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
21 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the west
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from west to east, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
83 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 21% 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
58°
Jan
62°
Feb
70°
Mar
77°
Apr
82°
May
92°
Jun
96°
Jul
96°
Aug
89°
Sep
79°
Oct
66°
Nov
56°
Dec
Annual Precip: 4.1 in Annual Snow: 0.0 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 56°F · Water 140°F · +84° contrast
January Air 58°F · Water 140°F · +82° contrast
February Air 62°F · Water 140°F · +78° contrast
December offers 40°F more contrast than August
Current Conditions
85°F
SSW 7.2 mph 51%
Tuesday 102° Low 79° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +38° warmer
Wednesday 101° Low 78° Sunny 5% precip
Spring is +39° warmer
Thursday 103° Low 75° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +37° warmer
Friday 106° Low 76° Sunny
Spring is +34° warmer
Saturday 107° Low 78° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +33° warmer
Where to Stay

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Temperature
140°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 140°F (60°C)
Avg Air Temp 77°F
Above Ambient +63°F
Great soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.1 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Radium Hot Springs?
Radium Hot Springs has a water temperature of 140°F (60°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is Radium Hot Springs located?
Radium Hot Springs is located in Yuma County, Arizona at 242 feet elevation, near Wellton. Coordinates: 32.7410°N, 114.0680°W.
How do I get to Radium Hot Springs?
Radium Hot Springs has Short Walk road access (0.1 mi from the road).
Is it safe to soak at Radium Hot Springs?
With care. At 140°F Radium Hot Springs is hot enough to need short sessions, fifteen to twenty minutes, and plenty of water. Enter slowly and get out if you feel light-headed.
Sources: Wikipedia