Pseudo Complexion Spring

Lake County, California · Near Clearlake Oaks
39.1980°N, 122.5050°W
81°F Open Short Walk Bureau of Land Management Camping nearby (7.2 mi)

Warm water on Bureau of Land Management ground in Lake County, with the Ukiah Field Office in charge and the public allowed in. Pseudo Complexion Spring is the name. Clearlake Oaks lies about fifteen miles off, the closest town. Warm is as far as the temperature goes. The approach is a walk of about three quarters of a mile, starting from a road nobody has named.

Location

Public land, short approach. The BLM's Ukiah office manages this stretch of Lake County, which gets a wet winter and some snow most years. No elevation is given for this spring. No fee is recorded either, and there is a photo on record, which is useful for knowing what you are walking toward.

Come in winter. Little Stony campground is the nearest on record, about seven miles off. Open access on public land, no fee listed. The temperature is mild enough that there is no burn risk. Expect the walk in to be under a mile each way, and allow for wet ground in the season the record recommends.

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 Pseudo Complexion Spring.

Aerial view of the ground around Pseudo Complexion Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Pseudo Complexion Spring
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
Canyon floor
Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
Highest ground nearby
265 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
149 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 2½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 93% 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
45°
Jan
47°
Feb
49°
Mar
56°
Apr
63°
May
73°
Jun
79°
Jul
78°
Aug
72°
Sep
63°
Oct
51°
Nov
45°
Dec
Annual Precip: 22.6 in Annual Snow: 6.9 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 45°F · Water 81°F · +36° contrast
December Air 45°F · Water 81°F · +36° contrast
February Air 47°F · Water 81°F · +34° contrast
January offers 34°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
W 0.0 mph
Today 86° Low 58° Sunny then Haze
Wednesday 77° Low 56° Sunny 9% precip
Spring is +4° warmer
Thursday 77° Low 59° Sunny
Spring is +4° warmer
Friday 86° Low 63° Sunny
Saturday 86° Low 62° Sunny
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Little Stony 7.2 mi away

Overview This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site.Once on-site, you are able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.In order to utilize Scan & Pay on site, you will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote area...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
81°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 81°F (27°C)
Avg Air Temp 60°F
Above Ambient +21°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.7 mi
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency Bureau of Land Management
Designation PUB
Unit Ukiah Field Office
Manager Bureau of Land Management
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Pseudo Complexion Spring?
Pseudo Complexion Spring has a water temperature of 81°F (27°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Pseudo Complexion Spring located?
Pseudo Complexion Spring is located in Lake County, California, near Clearlake Oaks. Coordinates: 39.1980°N, 122.5050°W.
How do I get to Pseudo Complexion Spring?
Pseudo Complexion Spring has Short Walk road access (0.7 mi from the road).
Is Pseudo Complexion Spring free to visit?
Pseudo Complexion Spring has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.
Can I camp near Pseudo Complexion Spring?
Yes, Little Stony is located nearby (7.2 miles away).