Cedar Spring

Esmeralda County, Nevada · Near Goldfield
37.7510°N, 116.2740°W · 6,540 ft
77°F 48°F air · Good soaking weather 6,540 ft Closed Roadside DESG
Aerial view of the ground around Cedar Spring

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

Cedar Spring lies inside the Nevada Test and Training Range in Esmeralda County, about fifty-three miles from Goldfield, and it is closed to the public. The record is plain on that. The water is tepid, mid-seventies, which would hardly matter even if you could reach it. Military ground, no entry. The USGS counts it among its thermal points.

Location

On paper it is roadside, a hundred and twenty feet or so from a nameless road, but the road is inside the range. Elevation is around sixty-five hundred feet, high desert where seven inches of precipitation is the annual norm and winter snow stays under two feet. Land designation is military.

Do not plan a visit. Access is listed as closed and the land is an active military range. The best-months entry on the record is a climate calculation only.

Terrain

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

Setting
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the northwest.
Highest ground nearby
83 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from west to east, 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
30°
Jan
33°
Feb
41°
Mar
49°
Apr
57°
May
70°
Jun
75°
Jul
74°
Aug
66°
Sep
53°
Oct
41°
Nov
30°
Dec
Annual Precip: 7.3 in Annual Snow: 20.7 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 30°F · Water 77°F · +47° contrast
December Air 30°F · Water 77°F · +47° contrast
February Air 33°F · Water 77°F · +44° contrast
January offers 45°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
48°F
NW 1.8 mph 26% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 76° Low 53° Sunny
Spring is +1° warmer
Wednesday 74° Low 54° Sunny
Spring is +3° warmer
Thursday 73° Low 52° Sunny
Spring is +4° warmer
Friday 77° Low 49° Sunny
Saturday 76° Low 50° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +1° warmer
Mile-High Advisory 6,540 ft

Cedar Spring sits at 6,540 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 26% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.

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Temperature
77°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 77°F (25°C)
Avg Air Temp 52°F
Above Ambient +25°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Closed
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 119 ft
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 Cedar Spring?
Cedar Spring has a water temperature of 77°F (25°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Cedar Spring located?
Cedar Spring is located in Esmeralda County, Nevada at 6,540 feet elevation, near Goldfield. Coordinates: 37.7510°N, 116.2740°W.
How do I get to Cedar Spring?
Cedar Spring has Roadside road access (119 ft from the road).
Is Cedar Spring free to visit?
Cedar Spring has Closed access. It is managed by DESG.
Sources: USGS NWIS