Byron Hot Springs

Contra Costa County, California · Near Byron
37.8470°N, 121.6350°W · 48 ft
96°F 57°F air · Good soaking weather 48 ft Short Walk

Byron Hot Springs earned its name a century ago as a resort built over dozens of spring sources in eastern Contra Costa County, a couple of miles from the town of Byron. The recorded temperature is close to blood heat, a warm bath and no more. Whether anyone can get in today is something our records leave open, and so is who owns the ground.

Location

Low ground, barely above sea level, in the dry flat country east of the Bay. Winters bring rain and never snow. The closest road stops about half a mile short of the springs, so count on a walk across flat land to reach them. The landowner is blank in our records, and no campground shows up for this entry at all.

Winter is the pleasant stretch here, roughly December into February, when cool air makes warm water appealing. The walk from the road is short. No campground, no fee information. Before you go, learn whether the old resort property admits visitors. That answer is not in anything we hold.

History of Byron Hot Springs

Wikipedia counts 57 separate spring sources in the Byron system. The site was developed into a resort, and in its early 1900s heyday it drew movie stars and well known athletes.

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 Byron Hot Springs.

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

Setting
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the northeast.
Highest ground nearby
85 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
80 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 16% 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
49°
Jan
51°
Feb
55°
Mar
60°
Apr
65°
May
71°
Jun
74°
Jul
73°
Aug
72°
Sep
65°
Oct
55°
Nov
48°
Dec
Annual Precip: 16.0 in Annual Snow: 0.0 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 48°F · Water 96°F · +48° contrast
January Air 49°F · Water 96°F · +47° contrast
February Air 51°F · Water 96°F · +45° contrast
December offers 26°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
57°F
Clear N 0.0 mph 82% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 88° Low 57° Sunny
Spring is +8° warmer
Wednesday 82° Low 58° Sunny
Spring is +14° warmer
Thursday 84° Low 56° Sunny
Spring is +12° warmer
Friday 90° Low 58° Sunny
Spring is +6° warmer
Saturday 88° Low 59° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +8° warmer
Where to Stay

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Temperature
96°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 96°F (36°C)
Avg Air Temp 62°F
Above Ambient +35°F
Warm air, warm water September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.5 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Byron Hot Springs?
Byron Hot Springs has a water temperature of 96°F (36°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Byron Hot Springs located?
Byron Hot Springs is located in Contra Costa County, California at 48 feet elevation, near Byron. Coordinates: 37.8470°N, 121.6350°W.
How do I get to Byron Hot Springs?
Byron Hot Springs has Short Walk road access (0.5 mi from the road).
Sources: Wikipedia