(Soda Lake Area)

Churchill County, Nevada · Near Fallon
39.5650°N, 118.8560°W · 3,992 ft
210°F 40°F air · Good soaking weather 3,992 ft Roadside
Dangerously Hot, Not Safe for Soaking

(Soda Lake Area) reaches 210°F, far above safe soaking levels. Contact with this water will cause severe burns. Look for cooled downstream pools or view from a safe distance only.

The record calls this one the Soda Lake Area and nothing more, a USGS thermal point outside Fallon in Churchill County. Water temperature is at or near boiling. The dissolved-solids load is enormous, nearly eight thousand milligrams per litre in a 2018 sample, which makes it brine as much as water. No owner and no access status are on file.

Location

Soda Lake Road passes a few hundred feet from the point. Low basin, under four thousand feet. Snow is light and rain is light, six inches a year. Summers in this valley are hot. The record holds a photograph.

Winter is the listed season. Boiling water will kill; keep well back and watch your footing near any crust. Access is unrecorded, and this is close enough to Fallon that ownership could be anything. The chemistry is from 2018, recent enough to trust more than most. Camping and fees are not mentioned.

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 (Soda Lake Area).

Aerial view of the ground around (Soda Lake Area) LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around (Soda Lake Area)
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
9 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
147 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 2½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 92% 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
36°
Jan
40°
Feb
47°
Mar
55°
Apr
62°
May
74°
Jun
83°
Jul
81°
Aug
71°
Sep
56°
Oct
43°
Nov
34°
Dec
Annual Precip: 6.1 in Annual Snow: 8.1 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 34°F · Water 210°F · +176° contrast
January Air 36°F · Water 210°F · +174° contrast
February Air 40°F · Water 210°F · +170° contrast
December offers 48°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
40°F
N 0.0 mph 71% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 82° Low 47° Sunny
Spring is +128° warmer
Wednesday 81° Low 47° Sunny
Spring is +129° warmer
Thursday 78° Low 49° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +132° warmer
Friday 80° Low 48° Sunny
Spring is +130° warmer
Saturday 83° Low 49° Sunny
Spring is +127° warmer
Water Chemistry Sampled 2018-11-05

The water at (Soda Lake Area) contains 7880 mg/L total dissolved solids. It is notably rich in magnesium (known for muscle relaxation and stress relief), sodium (supports circulation and skin hydration), and sulfate (traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation).

Higher mineral concentration for therapeutic soaking
Calcium 13 mg/L
May support bone density and joint health
Magnesium 44 mg/L
Known for muscle relaxation and stress relief
Sodium 2,900 mg/L
Supports circulation and skin hydration
Sulfate 1,700 mg/L
Traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation
Chloride 2,000 mg/L
Natural antiseptic with skin health benefits
Where to Stay

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Temperature
210°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 210°F (99°C)
Avg Air Temp 57°F
Above Ambient +153°F
Access
Road Access Roadside
Nearest Road Soda Lake Road
Distance to Road 246 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at (Soda Lake Area)?
(Soda Lake Area) has a water temperature of 210°F (99°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is (Soda Lake Area) located?
(Soda Lake Area) is located in Churchill County, Nevada at 3,992 feet elevation, near Fallon. Coordinates: 39.5650°N, 118.8560°W.
How do I get to (Soda Lake Area)?
(Soda Lake Area) has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Soda Lake Road (246 ft from the road).
What minerals are in the water at (Soda Lake Area)?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. Total dissolved solids measure 7,880 mg/L.
Is it safe to soak at (Soda Lake Area)?
No, not at the source. The water at (Soda Lake Area) reaches 210°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.
Sources: USGS NWIS