Sulphur Spring

Lake County, California · Near Clearlake Oaks
39.0880°N, 122.5250°W · 1,454 ft
68°F 68°F air · Good soaking weather 1,454 ft Open Short Walk RWD Camping nearby (14.0 mi)

Sulphur Spring here is a barely warm seep inside the Indian Valley Wildlife Area, a state conservation area in Lake County, about eight miles from Clearlake Oaks. The water measured in the high sixties, cooler than most people's idea of a hot spring. Access is open. It is a wildlife area, so expect wildlife-area rules.

Location

Walker Ridge Road is the nearest road, and from it the spring is under half a mile on foot. Lower hills, around fifteen hundred feet. Rain totals twenty-three inches, snow a few inches. Yearly mean: low sixties.

January leads the recorded best months, with December and February behind it. Little Stony campground is the nearest on file at fourteen miles. No fee is noted. At sixty-eight degrees there is no heat to worry about, and little warmth to soak in either.

History of Sulphur Spring

The spring lies within the Indian Valley Wildlife Area, which carries a State Conservation Area designation.

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 Sulphur Spring.

Aerial view of the ground around Sulphur Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Sulphur 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
Hillside
The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the east.
Highest ground nearby
491 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the east
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
170 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 2½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 97% 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
49°
Feb
51°
Mar
58°
Apr
65°
May
75°
Jun
81°
Jul
80°
Aug
74°
Sep
65°
Oct
53°
Nov
47°
Dec
Annual Precip: 23.1 in Annual Snow: 5.9 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 48°F · Water 68°F · +21° contrast
December Air 47°F · Water 68°F · +21° contrast
February Air 49°F · Water 68°F · +19° contrast
January offers 34°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
68°F
NNW 7.2 mph 25% Good soaking weather
Today 88° Low 58° Sunny
Wednesday 79° Low 57° Sunny 9% precip
Thursday 80° Low 61° Sunny
Friday 88° Low 64° Sunny
Saturday 89° Low 64° Sunny
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Little Stony 14.0 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
68°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 68°F (20°C)
Avg Air Temp 62°F
Above Ambient +6°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Walker Ridge Road
Distance to Road 0.4 mi
Land
Ownership Regional/District
Agency RWD
Designation State Conservation Area
Unit Indian Valley Wildlife Area
Manager SFW
Protection 2 - Permanent protection, some use allowed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Sulphur Spring?
Sulphur Spring has a water temperature of 68°F (20°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Sulphur Spring located?
Sulphur Spring is located in Lake County, California at 1,454 feet elevation, near Clearlake Oaks. Coordinates: 39.0880°N, 122.5250°W.
How do I get to Sulphur Spring?
Sulphur Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Walker Ridge Road (0.4 mi from the road).
Is Sulphur Spring free to visit?
Sulphur Spring has Open access. It is managed by RWD.
Can I camp near Sulphur Spring?
Yes, Little Stony is located nearby (14.0 miles away).