Ash Creek Spring

Lincoln County, Nevada · Near Alamo
36.9420°N, 115.4250°W · 3,544 ft
72°F 65°F air · Good soaking weather 3,544 ft Closed Hike DESG
Aerial view of the ground around Ash Creek Spring

The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Ash Creek Spring is a warm spring inside the Nevada Test and Training Range in Lincoln County, Nevada, and it is closed to the public. That fact settles most questions. The water is tepid, around the warmth of a cool bath. Alamo, thirty-odd miles off, is the closest town. This entry exists for the record, as a thermal point on military ground. No one should plan a trip around it.

Location

The spring sits about a mile from the closest road on land run for military use. Low desert, hot in summer, almost no snow, and rain totals around five inches a year. The range boundary is what matters here; everything past it is off limits without authorization the file does not describe.

Do not go. The range is closed and the spring is on it. The best months, per the file, are the winter ones, which changes nothing about access. No chemistry, no campground, no fee, no USGS site number appear in the record, and there is no photograph.

Terrain

USGS hasn't flown a detailed laser scan here yet, so this view comes from aerial photos and older elevation data.

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
58 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
104 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
43°
Jan
47°
Feb
55°
Mar
63°
Apr
70°
May
84°
Jun
88°
Jul
86°
Aug
78°
Sep
65°
Oct
52°
Nov
41°
Dec
Annual Precip: 4.7 in Annual Snow: 4.1 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 41°F · Water 72°F · +31° contrast
January Air 43°F · Water 72°F · +29° contrast
February Air 47°F · Water 72°F · +25° contrast
December offers 47°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
65°F
Clear N 0.0 mph 16% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 91° Low 66° Sunny 3% precip
Wednesday 89° Low 68° Sunny 1% precip
Thursday 89° Low 67° Sunny
Friday 90° Low 63° Sunny
Saturday 92° Low 64° Sunny
Temperature
72°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 72°F (22°C)
Avg Air Temp 64°F
Above Ambient +8°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Closed
Road Access Hike
Distance to Road 1.1 mi
Land
Ownership DESG
Agency DESG
Designation MIL
Unit Nevada Test and Training Range
Manager Department of Defense
Protection 4 - No known protection
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Ash Creek Spring?
Ash Creek Spring has a water temperature of 72°F (22°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Ash Creek Spring located?
Ash Creek Spring is located in Lincoln County, Nevada at 3,544 feet elevation, near Alamo. Coordinates: 36.9420°N, 115.4250°W.
How do I get to Ash Creek Spring?
Ash Creek Spring has Hike road access (1.1 mi from the road).
Is Ash Creek Spring free to visit?
Ash Creek Spring has Closed access. It is managed by DESG.