Thomas Flats Warm Spring

Owyhee County, Idaho · Near Murphy
43.1610°N, 116.3320°W · 2,364 ft
75°F 41°F air · Good soaking weather 2,364 ft Open Short Walk Bureau of Land Management Camping nearby (22.4 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Thomas Flats Warm Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Thomas Flats Warm 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.

Thomas Flats Warm Spring is a tepid spring, mid seventies, on BLM ground in Owyhee County about eleven miles from Murphy. The Four Rivers Field Office manages it and access is open. Figure on about 500 yards of walking from the road. The water is too cool for a hot soak. The USGS numbered the spring as a site but logged no chemistry.

Location

Desert floor at around 2,400 feet, and very dry: eleven inches of snow and nine of precipitation in an average year, with the thermometer averaging upper fifties. The Bureau of Land Management holds the ground, and it is open to the public. The walk in is short and there is no road name recorded. No designation beyond public BLM.

Winter gets the nod as best season, and in this climate winters are mild. Silver City Campground is the nearest camping at about 22 miles. No water chemistry is recorded and the temperature has no sample date. No fee is noted. At that temperature the water is lukewarm. The access class is short walk.

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 Thomas Flats Warm Spring.

Setting
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the northeast.
Highest ground nearby
276 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northeast
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
83 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 20% 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
33°
Jan
38°
Feb
47°
Mar
54°
Apr
64°
May
73°
Jun
84°
Jul
82°
Aug
71°
Sep
56°
Oct
43°
Nov
33°
Dec
Annual Precip: 9.4 in Annual Snow: 10.9 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 33°F · Water 75°F · +42° contrast
December Air 33°F · Water 75°F · +42° contrast
February Air 38°F · Water 75°F · +37° contrast
January offers 51°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
41°F
Clear ENE 33.0 mph 67% Good soaking weather
Today 76° Low 48° Sunny
Wednesday 78° Low 52° Sunny
Thursday 76° Low 49° Chance Rain Showers 42% precip
Friday 77° Low 48° Sunny 10% precip
Saturday 79° Low 49° Sunny 3% precip
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Silver City Campground 22.4 mi away

This small campground is located in a partially restored 19th-century mining town. Please plan to bring your own water. Don't use the water running through the campground from Jordan Creek because it may contain mercury from prior mining activity in the area.

Stay limit 14 Days
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
75°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 75°F (24°C)
Avg Air Temp 57°F
Above Ambient +19°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.3 mi
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency Bureau of Land Management
Designation PUB
Unit Four Rivers Field Office
Manager Bureau of Land Management
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Thomas Flats Warm Spring?
Thomas Flats Warm Spring has a water temperature of 75°F (24°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Thomas Flats Warm Spring located?
Thomas Flats Warm Spring is located in Owyhee County, Idaho at 2,364 feet elevation, near Murphy. Coordinates: 43.1610°N, 116.3320°W.
How do I get to Thomas Flats Warm Spring?
Thomas Flats Warm Spring has Short Walk road access (0.3 mi from the road).
Is Thomas Flats Warm Spring free to visit?
Thomas Flats Warm Spring has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.
Can I camp near Thomas Flats Warm Spring?
Yes, Silver City Campground is located nearby (22.4 miles away).
Sources: USGS NWIS