Davis Ranch Spring

Nye County, Nevada · Near Pahrump
36.4080°N, 116.3130°W · 2,250 ft
70°F 67°F air · Good soaking weather 2,250 ft Restricted Short Walk US Fish and Wildlife Service

Davis Ranch Spring is one of the warm springs inside Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, in Nye County, Nevada, with Pahrump the closest town at about 22 miles. The water is tepid. You would feel it was warm with a hand in it and little else. Access is on record as restricted, and on a refuge that usually means the spring is protected habitat first. Do not plan on getting in.

Location

Spring Meadows Road passes within about a third of a mile, and the final stretch is on foot. This is low desert, managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the refuge. Rain hardly registers over a year and snow almost never falls here. The yearly average temperature reads mild, and the months listed as best are the winter ones.

Go between December and February. Before you go, check the refuge rules, since restricted access can mean a fence or a closed path. Nothing about a fee or a campground is recorded. The temperature comes from a USGS reading, so take it as one day's measurement.

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 Davis Ranch Spring.

Aerial view of the ground around Davis Ranch Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Davis Ranch 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.

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

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 41% 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
51°
Feb
59°
Mar
67°
Apr
74°
May
87°
Jun
91°
Jul
90°
Aug
82°
Sep
68°
Oct
55°
Nov
45°
Dec
Annual Precip: 4.0 in Annual Snow: 0.7 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 45°F · Water 70°F · +25° contrast
January Air 47°F · Water 70°F · +23° contrast
February Air 51°F · Water 70°F · +19° contrast
December offers 46°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
67°F
WNW 0.1 mph 22% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 96° Low 65° Sunny
Wednesday 94° Low 67° Sunny
Thursday 93° Low 64° Sunny
Friday 97° Low 63° Sunny
Saturday 99° Low 61° Sunny
Where to Stay

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Temperature
70°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 70°F (21°C)
Avg Air Temp 68°F
Above Ambient +2°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Restricted
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Spring Meadows Road
Distance to Road 0.3 mi
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 Davis Ranch Spring?
Davis Ranch Spring has a water temperature of 70°F (21°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Davis Ranch Spring located?
Davis Ranch Spring is located in Nye County, Nevada at 2,250 feet elevation, near Pahrump. Coordinates: 36.4080°N, 116.3130°W.
How do I get to Davis Ranch Spring?
Davis Ranch Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Spring Meadows Road (0.3 mi from the road).
Is Davis Ranch Spring free to visit?
Davis Ranch Spring has Restricted access. It is managed by US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sources: USGS NWIS