Crystal Pool

Nye County, Nevada · Near Pahrump
36.4210°N, 116.3220°W · 2,195 ft
91°F 67°F air · Good soaking weather 2,195 ft Restricted Short Walk US Fish and Wildlife Service

Crystal Pool sits on Ash Meadows, the national wildlife refuge out in Nye County, Nevada, twenty-two miles or so from Pahrump, and the water comes up a bit under body heat. Access is restricted. US Fish and Wildlife holds the refuge, so the rules are theirs. A 1998 sample found the water neutral, with a fair load of dissolved solids and some iron. There is a photograph on the entry.

Location

From Spring Meadows Road you walk around four hundred fifty feet. Low desert, almost no snow, four inches of rainfall per year, and summers that run hot. The land is a national wildlife refuge, which is the reason access is restricted, and what form the restriction takes is not spelled out.

The winter months are the ones on file. Access is restricted, so find out what the refuge allows before planning anything; soaking may not be among the permitted uses. No fee or campground is in the file. The water is warm, with no burn risk. Pahrump is the town to work from.

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 Crystal Pool.

Aerial view of the ground around Crystal Pool LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Crystal Pool
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.

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
20 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the east
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
95 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 39% 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
47°
Jan
52°
Feb
59°
Mar
67°
Apr
75°
May
87°
Jun
91°
Jul
90°
Aug
82°
Sep
68°
Oct
55°
Nov
45°
Dec
Annual Precip: 3.9 in Annual Snow: 0.5 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 45°F · Water 91°F · +46° contrast
January Air 47°F · Water 91°F · +44° contrast
February Air 52°F · Water 91°F · +40° contrast
December offers 46°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
67°F
N 0.0 mph 20% Good soaking weather
Today 96° Low 67° Sunny
Wednesday 93° Low 65° Sunny
Thursday 94° Low 63° Sunny
Friday 94° Low 62° Sunny
Saturday 99° Low 64° Sunny
Water Chemistry Sampled 1998-09-25

The water at Crystal Pool is neutral (pH 7.1) with 433 mg/L total dissolved solids.

pH 7.1 Neutral
pH influences mineral absorption through skin
Higher mineral concentration for therapeutic soaking
Calcium 47 mg/L
May support bone density and joint health
Magnesium 20 mg/L
Known for muscle relaxation and stress relief
Sodium 71 mg/L
Supports circulation and skin hydration
Sulfate 88 mg/L
Traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation
Chloride 23 mg/L
Natural antiseptic with skin health benefits
Iron 14 µg/L
Iron-rich springs may support circulation
Where to Stay

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Temperature
91°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 91°F (33°C)
Avg Air Temp 68°F
Above Ambient +23°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Restricted
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Spring Meadows Road
Distance to Road 445 ft
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency US Fish and Wildlife Service
Designation National Wildlife Refuge
Unit Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Manager US Fish and Wildlife Service
Protection 1 - Permanent protection, natural state
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Crystal Pool?
Crystal Pool has a water temperature of 91°F (33°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Crystal Pool located?
Crystal Pool is located in Nye County, Nevada at 2,195 feet elevation, near Pahrump. Coordinates: 36.4210°N, 116.3220°W.
How do I get to Crystal Pool?
Crystal Pool has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Spring Meadows Road (445 ft from the road).
Is Crystal Pool free to visit?
Crystal Pool has Restricted access. It is managed by US Fish and Wildlife Service.
What minerals are in the water at Crystal Pool?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 7.1 (neutral). Total dissolved solids measure 433 mg/L.
Sources: USGS NWIS, Wikipedia