Warm Spring

Graham County, Arizona · Near Bylas
33.0680°N, 109.9750°W · 2,770 ft
90°F 72°F air · Good soaking weather 2,770 ft Open Short Walk Bureau of Land Management Camping nearby (24.9 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Warm Spring

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

Warm Spring near Bylas, about nine miles off in Graham County, is BLM public land run out of Safford, open to anyone. The water is at soaking warmth, right at the edge of body heat. River Road is on file as the approach; the spring sits a fifth of a mile beyond.

Location

Below three thousand feet. Rain runs to eleven inches and snow hardly registers. Summers will be hot; the yearly mean sits near seventy. The walk is short. Public land with no special designation. The nearest campground listed is Riggs Lake, and it is twenty-five miles away, which puts overnight stays at some remove.

Best months: the winter ones. Open land, short walk. Camping is a long drive at Riggs Lake, twenty-five miles. A USGS site number is attached, but no chemistry, and with the temperature sitting right at body heat, the water will feel warmest on a cold morning.

Terrain

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

Setting
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the northeast.
Highest ground nearby
84 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northeast
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
96 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 41% 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
48°
Jan
53°
Feb
61°
Mar
69°
Apr
76°
May
88°
Jun
88°
Jul
87°
Aug
80°
Sep
71°
Oct
58°
Nov
48°
Dec
Annual Precip: 10.5 in Annual Snow: 2.3 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 48°F · Water 90°F · +42° contrast
December Air 48°F · Water 90°F · +42° contrast
February Air 53°F · Water 90°F · +37° contrast
January offers 40°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
72°F
SE 14.4 mph 80% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 91° Low 73° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 39% precip
Wednesday 88° Low 72° Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 78% precip
Spring is +2° warmer
Thursday 90° Low 70° Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 55% precip
Friday 92° Low 70° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 14% precip
Saturday 93° Low 70° Sunny 8% precip
Where to Stay

Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Nearby Camping
Riggs Lake 24.9 mi away

Overview Riggs Flat Lake is located at the end of Swift Trail, a road that winds along the top of the Pinaleno Mountains. It is a small picturesque lake, 11 acres in size, set in alpine forest and meadow. Its cold waters are stocked during the summer with rainbow, brown and brook trout, and anglers report that the fishing is usually good. Best baits for the rainbows are corn, cheese, garlic cheese, salmon eggs, and worms. The brown and brook trout are taken on artificial lures and flies as we...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
90°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 90°F (32°C)
Avg Air Temp 69°F
Above Ambient +21°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road River Road
Distance to Road 0.2 mi
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency Bureau of Land Management
Designation PUB
Unit Safford Field Office
Manager Bureau of Land Management
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Warm Spring?
Warm Spring has a water temperature of 90°F (32°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Warm Spring located?
Warm Spring is located in Graham County, Arizona at 2,770 feet elevation, near Bylas. Coordinates: 33.0680°N, 109.9750°W.
How do I get to Warm Spring?
Warm Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being River Road (0.2 mi from the road).
Is Warm Spring free to visit?
Warm Spring has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.
Can I camp near Warm Spring?
Yes, Riggs Lake is located nearby (24.9 miles away).
Sources: USGS NWIS, Wikipedia