Trudau Warm Springs

Madison County, Montana · Near Virginia City
45.2350°N, 112.1350°W · 5,679 ft
73°F 30°F air · Good soaking weather 5,679 ft Short Walk Camping nearby (12.8 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Trudau Warm Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Trudau Warm 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.

Trudau Warm Springs comes up tepid in Madison County, Montana, around ten miles from Virginia City. Warm to the touch, nowhere near soaking heat. Owner and chemistry are empty fields here, and access goes unmentioned. What it has is a name, a temperature and a position less than a mile from a road, which is enough to put it on the map and not much more.

Location
39 miles from Virginia City, MT

Garden Creek Road, seven tenths of a mile off, is the road you start from. Middling elevation. Snow comes to four feet and a bit in a normal winter, with a dry year otherwise. Axolotl Cabin, about thirteen miles away, is all the record lists for camping. Neither land unit nor trail appears.

The window given is midwinter. Axolotl Cabin is the camping on record, and it is not close. Nothing is recorded for a fee, and the temperature comes with no sample date attached. Find out who owns the ground before you set out. Water this cool is not something anyone soaks in.

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 Trudau Warm Springs.

Setting
Hillside
The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the northwest.
Highest ground nearby
232 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
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
103 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 52% 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
19°
Jan
20°
Feb
29°
Mar
36°
Apr
47°
May
57°
Jun
67°
Jul
65°
Aug
55°
Sep
40°
Oct
27°
Nov
17°
Dec
Annual Precip: 16.3 in Annual Snow: 53.4 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 17°F · Water 73°F · +56° contrast
January Air 19°F · Water 73°F · +54° contrast
February Air 20°F · Water 73°F · +53° contrast
December offers 49°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
30°F
W 7.2 mph 88% Good soaking weather
Today 69° Low 35° Sunny
Spring is +4° warmer
Wednesday 69° Low 40° Sunny 3% precip
Spring is +4° warmer
Thursday 73° Low 44° Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 64% precip
Friday 66° Low 40° Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 58% precip
Spring is +7° warmer
Saturday 69° Low 41° Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain 16% precip
Spring is +4° warmer
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Axolotl Cabin 12.8 mi away

Overview The Dillon Field Office is unable to make reservations for you. Please call Recreation.gov (877-444-6777) to book a reservation or book online. Axolotl Cabin is located approximately 14 miles southwest of Ennis, Montana, in the foothills of the Gravelly Range. The cabin provides access to a variety of outdoor recreational activities and breathtaking views as it peers over the Madison Valley. The cabin is at an elevation of about 7,000 feet and is adjacent to Axolotl Lakes Wildernes...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Mile-High Advisory 5,679 ft

Trudau Warm Springs sits at 5,679 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 23% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.

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Temperature
73°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 73°F (23°C)
Avg Air Temp 40°F
Above Ambient +33°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Garden Creek Road
Distance to Road 0.7 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Trudau Warm Springs?
Trudau Warm Springs has a water temperature of 73°F (23°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Trudau Warm Springs located?
Trudau Warm Springs is located in Madison County, Montana at 5,679 feet elevation, near Virginia City. Coordinates: 45.2350°N, 112.1350°W.
How do I get to Trudau Warm Springs?
Trudau Warm Springs has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Garden Creek Road (0.7 mi from the road).
Can I camp near Trudau Warm Springs?
Yes, Axolotl Cabin is located nearby (12.8 miles away).