Sulphur Springs

Monterey County, California · Near King City
36.2950°N, 120.9850°W · 813 ft
73°F 53°F air · Good soaking weather 813 ft Roadside Camping nearby (15.9 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Sulphur Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Sulphur 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.

Sulphur Springs, Monterey County, ten miles from King City and a few paces from Lonoak Road. Tepid, low seventies. The landowner is not identified on the record and public access is not established. Those two blanks matter more than the temperature here.

Location

Seventy-odd feet from Lonoak Road, so roadside in every sense. About eight hundred feet up. Dry country, a dozen inches of rain most years. It never snows. Low sixties on average.

Best months on file run December through February. Pinnacles Campground is the nearest listed, about sixteen miles. Nothing to fear from the water temperature, and against a low-sixties yearly average the low-seventies water will feel mild. The record holds no second name and no water chemistry. Confirm the land is open before you step off the road; nothing on the record says it is.

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 Springs.

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
82 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northeast
Cross-section through the spring

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.

Heat Below
92 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 34% 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
50°
Jan
51°
Feb
55°
Mar
60°
Apr
65°
May
74°
Jun
78°
Jul
78°
Aug
75°
Sep
67°
Oct
56°
Nov
49°
Dec
Annual Precip: 11.5 in Annual Snow: 0.1 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 49°F · Water 73°F · +24° contrast
January Air 50°F · Water 73°F · +23° contrast
February Air 51°F · Water 73°F · +22° contrast
December offers 29°F more contrast than August
Current Conditions
53°F
SE 0.0 mph 58% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 87° Low 51° Sunny
Wednesday 82° Low 50° Patchy Fog then Sunny
Thursday 84° Low 48° Patchy Fog then Sunny
Friday 88° Low 51° Sunny
Saturday 90° Low 52° Sunny
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Pinnacles Campground 15.9 mi away

Overview Pinnacles Campground is located in the unique Pinnacles National Park, 32 miles south of Hollister, California. The park encompasses 26,000 acres of spectacular rock formations and remnants of an extinct 23 million-year old volcano. Hiking and rock climbing are very popular activities in Pinnacles, as is watching for the majestic California condor overhead. Pinnacles National Park is a nesting place for the endangered soaring bird, the largest in North America.Recreation Pinnacles N...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
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 Roadside
Nearest Road Lonoak Road
Distance to Road 73 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Sulphur Springs?
Sulphur Springs has a water temperature of 73°F (23°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Sulphur Springs located?
Sulphur Springs is located in Monterey County, California at 813 feet elevation, near King City. Coordinates: 36.2950°N, 120.9850°W.
How do I get to Sulphur Springs?
Sulphur Springs has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Lonoak Road (73 ft from the road).
Can I camp near Sulphur Springs?
Yes, Pinnacles Campground is located nearby (15.9 miles away).