Tom Spring

White Pine County, Nevada · Near Ely
38.5740°N, 115.5220°W · 4,760 ft
72°F 37°F air · Good soaking weather 4,760 ft Short Walk
Aerial view of the ground around Tom Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Tom 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.

Nearly 60 miles from Ely, Tom Spring registers lukewarm on the USGS listing for White Pine County. Nothing on file names an owner or says whether the public may visit. A site number is attached. That is the extent of what is known, and no image accompanies it.

Location

Around five hundred feet on foot from a road that the listing does not identify. Dry country with a light winter snowpack of about sixteen inches and six inches of precipitation across the year. Elevation sits mid-range. Land unit, designation: both empty.

January tops the record, with December and February close behind. Short walk in. With lukewarm water and unknown ownership, this is one to investigate before you make the long drive out from Ely. No chemistry, fee, photo or campground is listed, and the temperature has no date.

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 Tom Spring.

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

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 21% 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
33°
Jan
36°
Feb
46°
Mar
53°
Apr
62°
May
76°
Jun
82°
Jul
80°
Aug
71°
Sep
57°
Oct
44°
Nov
33°
Dec
Annual Precip: 6.3 in Annual Snow: 15.6 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 33°F · Water 72°F · +39° contrast
December Air 33°F · Water 72°F · +39° contrast
February Air 36°F · Water 72°F · +36° contrast
January offers 49°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
37°F
Clear S 29.0 mph 48% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 88° Low 53° Mostly Sunny
Wednesday 86° Low 54° Sunny 1% precip
Thursday 85° Low 54° Sunny
Friday 84° Low 51° Sunny
Saturday 86° Low 51° Sunny 2% precip
Where to Stay

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Temperature
72°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 72°F (22°C)
Avg Air Temp 56°F
Above Ambient +16°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 517 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Tom Spring?
Tom Spring has a water temperature of 72°F (22°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Tom Spring located?
Tom Spring is located in White Pine County, Nevada at 4,760 feet elevation, near Ely. Coordinates: 38.5740°N, 115.5220°W.
How do I get to Tom Spring?
Tom Spring has Short Walk road access (517 ft from the road).
Sources: USGS NWIS, Wikipedia