Jack Rabbit Spring

Nye County, Nevada · Near Pahrump
36.3900°N, 116.2780°W · 2,276 ft
82°F 67°F air · Good soaking weather 2,276 ft Restricted Roadside US Fish and Wildlife Service
Aerial view of the ground around Jack Rabbit Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Jack Rabbit 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.

Jack Rabbit Spring is another Ash Meadows spring, on the federal refuge in Nye County, with Pahrump about 19 miles away. The water is warm, short of a soaking temperature. Access is restricted. This is habitat on a federal refuge under Fish and Wildlife management, and the spring is there for the wildlife the refuge protects.

Location

Thirty feet from the roadside, give or take. The desert here is low and very dry, with almost no snow and a mild average temperature through the year. The land is a National Wildlife Refuge. No chemistry or campground is recorded, no second name and no picture. There is a USGS site. The road in is not named in the record.

The refuge's listed months are the three winter ones. Restricted access: check refuge rules, expect fences or closures. No fee listed. The water is warm and safe to touch. Getting in is a question for the refuge. USGS measured the temperature.

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 Jack Rabbit Spring.

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
6 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
99 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 45% 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
86°
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 82°F · +37° contrast
January Air 47°F · Water 82°F · +35° contrast
February Air 51°F · Water 82°F · +31° 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 65° Sunny
Friday 97° Low 63° Sunny
Saturday 99° Low 62° Sunny
Temperature
82°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 82°F (28°C)
Avg Air Temp 68°F
Above Ambient +14°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Restricted
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 30 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 Jack Rabbit Spring?
Jack Rabbit Spring has a water temperature of 82°F (28°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Jack Rabbit Spring located?
Jack Rabbit Spring is located in Nye County, Nevada at 2,276 feet elevation, near Pahrump. Coordinates: 36.3900°N, 116.2780°W.
How do I get to Jack Rabbit Spring?
Jack Rabbit Spring has Roadside road access (30 ft from the road).
Is Jack Rabbit Spring free to visit?
Jack Rabbit Spring has Restricted access. It is managed by US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sources: USGS NWIS