Spring (Hot)

Baker County, Oregon · Near Baker City
44.8130°N, 117.7650°W · 3,397 ft
Warm 30°F air · Good soaking weather 3,397 ft Short Walk Camping nearby (23.0 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Spring (Hot) LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Spring (Hot)
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.

This entry carries nothing more than the generic label Spring (Hot) and sits about four miles outside Baker City. No temperature reading is on file, so the name is the only hint at warmth. No owner or access status is recorded. Sunnyslope Road is the closest road. It is the sort of point that ended up on a map with a label and nothing else attached.

Location

From Sunnyslope Road it is a couple tenths of a mile on foot, by the record. The elevation is around thirty-four hundred feet in Baker County. Snow runs a little under four feet a winter, and precipitation is about seventeen inches a year. No land unit or designation is given.

No best months are recorded. Two Color Guard Station, about 23 miles away, is the camping option listed. With no temperature, it is impossible to say whether the water is worth the walk. Check land status first, since ownership is blank, and treat the name as only a clue.

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 (Hot).

Setting
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the southeast.
Highest ground nearby
162 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
83 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 20% 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
27°
Jan
31°
Feb
38°
Mar
45°
Apr
54°
May
62°
Jun
72°
Jul
72°
Aug
62°
Sep
48°
Oct
35°
Nov
27°
Dec
Annual Precip: 16.6 in Annual Snow: 44.0 in
Current Conditions
30°F
Freezing Fog N 0.0 mph 100% Good soaking weather
Today 70° Low 44° Mostly Sunny 4% precip
Wednesday 73° Low 45° Sunny 1% precip
Thursday 72° Low 44° Rain Showers Likely 59% precip
Friday 75° Low 45° Sunny 9% precip
Saturday 77° Low 46° Sunny 1% precip
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Two Color Guard Station 23.0 mi away

Overview The Civilian Conservation Corps originally constructed the Two Color Guard Station in the 1930s for use as crew quarters and bunkhouse. The original building was removed in 1976. The current guard station was built in 1959. Two Color Guard Station is open June through October. Guests can drive to it except after significant snowfall, when it's only accessible by snowmobile. Guests staying in the later part of the season are encouraged to bring extra supplies to ensure a comfortable a...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
Warm
Warm Hot Boiling
Avg Air Temp 48°F
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Sunnyslope Road
Distance to Road 0.2 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Spring (Hot)?
Spring (Hot) is classified as warm. An exact temperature measurement has not been recorded.
Where is Spring (Hot) located?
Spring (Hot) is located in Baker County, Oregon at 3,397 feet elevation, near Baker City. Coordinates: 44.8130°N, 117.7650°W.
How do I get to Spring (Hot)?
Spring (Hot) has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Sunnyslope Road (0.2 mi from the road).
Can I camp near Spring (Hot)?
Yes, Two Color Guard Station is located nearby (23.0 miles away).