Booker Hot Spring

Mineral County, Nevada · Near Hawthorne
38.4890°N, 118.9680°W · 5,493 ft
110°F 55°F air · Good soaking weather 5,493 ft Open Short Walk US Forest Service
Aerial view of the ground around Booker Hot Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Booker Hot 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.

In the Toiyabe National Forest of Mineral County, Nevada, a bit under twenty miles from Hawthorne, Booker Hot Spring runs at the top edge of what most people can soak in, hot enough that you would want to ease in slowly. Public access is open on Forest Service ground. No USGS site number or water chemistry is filed, so the temperature stands alone.

Location

A tenth of a mile from the road, a short walk. The spring sits in national forest at middling elevation, and winters here put down close to three feet of snow. Summer is dry. No designation beyond national forest, and no fee in the record. The spring itself goes undescribed.

December through February are the listed months, and they are also the snowy ones, so the road may be the limiting factor. Hot enough that a long soak can overheat you; get out when you feel light-headed. No campground is listed. The temperature has no sample date attached, so treat it as approximate and test before you get 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 Booker Hot Spring.

Setting
Hillside
The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the northeast.
Highest ground nearby
266 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northeast
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from north to south, 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 51% 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
34°
Jan
35°
Feb
41°
Mar
49°
Apr
57°
May
70°
Jun
77°
Jul
76°
Aug
68°
Sep
56°
Oct
43°
Nov
33°
Dec
Annual Precip: 10.4 in Annual Snow: 34.0 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 33°F · Water 110°F · +77° contrast
January Air 34°F · Water 110°F · +76° contrast
February Air 35°F · Water 110°F · +75° contrast
December offers 44°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
55°F
Clear SW 16.9 mph 38% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 79° Low 48° Sunny
Spring is +31° warmer
Wednesday 77° Low 48° Sunny
Spring is +33° warmer
Thursday 74° Low 47° Sunny
Spring is +36° warmer
Friday 74° Low 47° Sunny
Spring is +36° warmer
Saturday 78° Low 49° Sunny 2% precip
Spring is +32° warmer
Mile-High Advisory 5,493 ft

Booker Hot Spring sits at 5,493 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 22% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.

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Temperature
110°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 110°F (43°C)
Avg Air Temp 53°F
Above Ambient +57°F
Good soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.1 mi
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency US Forest Service
Designation National Forest
Unit Toiyabe National Forest
Manager US Forest Service
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Booker Hot Spring?
Booker Hot Spring has a water temperature of 110°F (43°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is Booker Hot Spring located?
Booker Hot Spring is located in Mineral County, Nevada at 5,493 feet elevation, near Hawthorne. Coordinates: 38.4890°N, 118.9680°W.
How do I get to Booker Hot Spring?
Booker Hot Spring has Short Walk road access (0.1 mi from the road).
Is Booker Hot Spring free to visit?
Booker Hot Spring has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.