Unnamed Thermal Spring

Harney County, Oregon · Near Burns
43.8580°N, 118.5440°W · 3,700 ft
165°F 30°F air · Good soaking weather 3,700 ft Roadside Camping nearby (17.6 mi)
Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution

At 165°F, the source water at This spring is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

Aerial view of the ground around the spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around the 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.

An unnamed thermal point in Harney County about 32 miles from Burns, and a scalding one. The water on file is far too hot to touch. The USGS tracks it and took a water sample in 1977, which showed moderately mineralized water. Who owns the land and whether visitors are permitted is not recorded.

Location

A couple hundred feet off Clark Lane, which makes it roadside in practice. The elevation is around thirty-seven hundred feet, high desert. Snow comes in a little short of three feet, and it is dry country, around thirteen inches of precipitation a year.

The winter months are listed as best. The water is scalding, so stay back from the source and from anything it feeds. Rock Springs Campground, about eighteen miles away, is the camping on record. The dissolved solids figure comes from a 1977 sample and should be treated as historical. Access is unrecorded, so check the land status first.

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 this spring.

Setting
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the northeast.
Highest ground nearby
104 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northeast
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
75 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 10% 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
28°
Jan
32°
Feb
39°
Mar
46°
Apr
55°
May
64°
Jun
75°
Jul
74°
Aug
64°
Sep
50°
Oct
36°
Nov
27°
Dec
Annual Precip: 13.1 in Annual Snow: 33.7 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 28°F · Water 165°F · +138° contrast
December Air 27°F · Water 165°F · +138° contrast
February Air 32°F · Water 165°F · +134° contrast
January offers 48°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
30°F
Clear WNW 20.7 mph 93% Good soaking weather
Today 72° Low 45° Mostly Sunny 3% precip
Spring is +93° warmer
Wednesday 75° Low 46° Sunny 4% precip
Spring is +90° warmer
Thursday 71° Low 45° Chance Rain Showers 45% precip
Spring is +94° warmer
Friday 76° Low 46° Sunny 6% precip
Spring is +89° warmer
Saturday 77° Low 48° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +88° warmer
Water Chemistry Sampled 1977-06-07

The water at This spring contains 858 mg/L total dissolved solids.

Higher mineral concentration for therapeutic soaking
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Rock Springs Campground 17.6 mi away

This small campground is convieniently located just off of Forest Road 17.  Nestled among pondersoa pine trees, this secluded campground offers a wonderful place for those in search of a quiet place to stay, whether camping or just needing a quiet place to spend the night while traveling from Burns to John Day, Oregon. The campground has light use until big game hunting seasons.  Visitors can enjoy fishing in Poison Creek Resevoir, hiking, hunting and horseback riding local trails such as Mal...

Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
165°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 165°F (74°C)
Avg Air Temp 49°F
Above Ambient +116°F
Great soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Roadside
Nearest Road Clark Lane
Distance to Road 230 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at ?
has a water temperature of 165°F (74°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is located?
is located in Harney County, Oregon at 3,700 feet elevation, near Burns. Coordinates: 43.8580°N, 118.5440°W.
How do I get to ?
has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Clark Lane (230 ft from the road).
Can I camp near ?
Yes, Rock Springs Campground is located nearby (17.6 miles away).
What minerals are in the water at ?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of Total Dissolved Solids. Total dissolved solids measure 858 mg/L.
Is it safe to soak at ?
No, not at the source. The water at reaches 165°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