Salt Grass Springs

Stanislaus County, California · Near Patterson
37.4320°N, 121.3080°W · 1,363 ft
73°F 1,363 ft Short Walk
Aerial view of the ground around Salt Grass Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Salt Grass 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.

Salt Grass Springs is a tepid spring off Del Puerto Canyon Road in Stanislaus County, nine miles or so from Patterson. Put a hand in and it feels warm, nothing beyond that. Owner and access are both missing from the record. No campground appears within range, and the name, with its salt grass, is the only hint the file gives about the ground.

Location

The spring sits in dry hills at a bit over thirteen hundred feet, half a mile from Del Puerto Canyon Road. The climate is dry, a little over a foot of rain in an average year, and snow does not happen here. No land unit is named and no designation applies. The road is the one solid reference point the record gives.

The season on record is winter. Access is not documented; look for posting along Del Puerto Canyon Road and ask before you go. Expect a lukewarm bath at best, and a half mile on foot to reach it. No fee and no nearby campground appear in the record; Patterson is the closest town the file gives.

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 Salt Grass Springs.

Setting
Canyon floor
Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
Highest ground nearby
367 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
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
94 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 38% 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
50°
Feb
54°
Mar
60°
Apr
66°
May
75°
Jun
80°
Jul
79°
Aug
74°
Sep
66°
Oct
55°
Nov
48°
Dec
Annual Precip: 14.8 in Annual Snow: 0.3 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 48°F · Water 73°F · +25° contrast
January Air 49°F · Water 73°F · +24° contrast
February Air 50°F · Water 73°F · +23° contrast
December offers 32°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
SSW 18.0 mph
Tuesday 80° Low 63° Sunny
Wednesday 76° Low 60° Sunny
Thursday 74° Low 57° Sunny 1% precip
Friday 79° Low 62° Sunny
Saturday 80° Low 65° Sunny
Where to Stay

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Temperature
73°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 73°F (23°C)
Avg Air Temp 63°F
Above Ambient +10°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Del Puerto Canyon Road
Distance to Road 0.5 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Salt Grass Springs?
Salt Grass Springs has a water temperature of 73°F (23°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Salt Grass Springs located?
Salt Grass Springs is located in Stanislaus County, California at 1,363 feet elevation, near Patterson. Coordinates: 37.4320°N, 121.3080°W.
How do I get to Salt Grass Springs?
Salt Grass Springs has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Del Puerto Canyon Road (0.5 mi from the road).