Spring

Washoe County, Nevada · Near Spanish Springs
39.8530°N, 119.7190°W · 4,248 ft
73°F 47°F air · Good soaking weather 4,248 ft Open Short Walk Bureau of Land Management Camping nearby (23.7 mi)

An unnamed thermal point in Washoe County on Sierra Front Field Office land, open to the public, about fourteen miles out of Spanish Springs. The water is barely warm, the sort you notice with a hand and would hardly sit in. A photograph is on file. Chemistry has never been sampled here, and nothing else about the water is known.

Location
14 miles from Spanish Springs, NV

Winnemucca Ranch Road is where you leave the car, and the source is a fifth of a mile on from there. The ground sits a shade above four thousand feet. Snow totals about three feet a winter and the rest of the year stays dry. It is public land with no designation attached. Nobody has put on paper what waits at the end of that walk.

The flagged months are the winter ones. Open access, no fee, and the walk is brief. Chilcoot is the nearest listed campground, roughly twenty-four miles away. With water this cool, rule out a hot soak. Check current land notices before visiting, and carry water of your own.

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 Spring.

Aerial view of the ground around Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around 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
50 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the west
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
131 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 81% 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
38°
Feb
43°
Mar
51°
Apr
59°
May
71°
Jun
79°
Jul
77°
Aug
69°
Sep
57°
Oct
44°
Nov
35°
Dec
Annual Precip: 13.1 in Annual Snow: 36.0 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 35°F · Water 73°F · +38° contrast
January Air 36°F · Water 73°F · +37° contrast
February Air 38°F · Water 73°F · +35° contrast
December offers 44°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
47°F
ESE 7.2 mph 43% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 83° Low 45° Sunny
Wednesday 79° Low 45° Sunny 3% precip
Thursday 76° Low 47° Sunny
Friday 78° Low 48° Sunny
Saturday 82° Low 50° Sunny
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Chilcoot 23.7 mi away

Overview Chilcoot Campground (5,100 feet) is located just downstream from Frenchman Lake alongside Last Chance Creek. The sound of flowing water along with shade from the surrounding pine and cottonwood forest are key features making this a great place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Chilcoot Campground is one of five campgrounds in the popular Frenchman Lake Recreation Area of Northeastern California's Plumas National Forest. The campground is far enough away from the lake that visitors can...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
73°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 73°F (23°C)
Avg Air Temp 55°F
Above Ambient +18°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Winnemucca Ranch Road
Distance to Road 0.2 mi
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency Bureau of Land Management
Designation PUB
Unit Sierra Front Field Office
Manager Bureau of Land Management
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Spring?
Spring has a water temperature of 73°F (23°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Spring located?
Spring is located in Washoe County, Nevada at 4,248 feet elevation, near Spanish Springs. Coordinates: 39.8530°N, 119.7190°W.
How do I get to Spring?
Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Winnemucca Ranch Road (0.2 mi from the road).
Is Spring free to visit?
Spring has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.
Can I camp near Spring?
Yes, Chilcoot is located nearby (23.7 miles away).
Sources: Wikipedia