Drakesbad
Drakesbad is a thermal area in the Warner Valley corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park, in Plumas County about thirteen miles from Chester. The source water comes out scalding, so the interest is in the ground itself and the park around it. Access is open. Warner Valley Campground is less than a mile away, which makes this an easy place to base from.
High mountain valley at the end of Chester-Warner Valley Road, with the spring roughly a thousand feet from the road. Snow is the defining fact. Seventeen feet of it in an average winter, and the overall precipitation is heavy too. Warner Valley Campground is close, and the whole valley is National Park Service ground.
The record names midwinter as the best time, which is hard to square with seventeen feet of snow. Plan around the snowfall figure. This is national park land with open access. Camp at Warner Valley. The spring water is scalding, so do not touch the source. The chemistry reading is from 1981.
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 Drakesbad.
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
- Hillside
- The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the north.
- Highest ground nearby
- 599 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the north
A slice through the ground from south to north, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 58% 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.
See every spring on the geothermal heat map →
Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.
The water at Drakesbad is slightly acidic (pH 6.7) with 49 mg/L total dissolved solids.
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Overview Warner Valley campground is a limited development facility in the south eastern area of the park. It has vault toilets and potable water spigots. Numerous trails can be accessed from the campground. Recreation Hiking trails accessible from the campground Facilities Vault toilets - seasonal Natural Features Lassen Volcanic national park is known for its volcanic history, as well as its diversity of plants and animals. It contains 300 active volcanic domes, as well as many hydrotherma...
Drakesbad sits at 5,710 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 23% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Drakesbad is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water is dangerously hot, so bring water shoes and test pools carefully.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Springs Near Drakesbad
More Springs Around 151°F
Slightly Acidic Springs (pH ~6.7)
Hike 6 waterfalls near Drakesbad
Looking for more outdoor adventures? Explore waterfall hikes near Drakesbad, California.