Warm Mineral Spring

Union County, Oregon · Near La Grande
45.0610°N, 118.4550°W · 4,365 ft
83°F 43°F air · Good soaking weather 4,365 ft Open Roadside US Forest Service Camping nearby (12.7 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Warm Mineral Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Warm Mineral 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.

Warm Mineral Spring is a roadside warm spring in the Whitman National Forest, Union County, about 25 miles from La Grande. The water comes out warm, well under body temperature, so this is a dip on a hot day more than a soak. Access is open. It sits a hundred yards or so off a forest development road, which makes it easy to reach once the road is clear.

Location

National Forest Development Road 5160 passes within a few hundred feet. Forest Service land, a bit over 4,300 feet up, and this is wet country by eastern Oregon standards: over thirty inches of precipitation a year and something like nine and a half feet of snow over a winter. The nearest camping on file is Anthony Lake, roughly thirteen miles away.

The record rates December through February as best months, yet with the snowfall here a forest road is unlikely to be drivable then, so confirm the road status with the Forest Service before relying on it. Anthony Lake is the campground on file. No fee and no water chemistry appear on the record. The temperature is warm at best; do not expect a hot soak.

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 Warm Mineral Spring.

Setting
Hillside
The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the south.
Highest ground nearby
309 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the south
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
80 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 16% 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
30°
Jan
30°
Feb
35°
Mar
40°
Apr
49°
May
56°
Jun
66°
Jul
66°
Aug
57°
Sep
45°
Oct
35°
Nov
27°
Dec
Annual Precip: 31.3 in Annual Snow: 113.9 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 27°F · Water 83°F · +56° contrast
January Air 30°F · Water 83°F · +53° contrast
February Air 30°F · Water 83°F · +53° contrast
December offers 39°F more contrast than August
Current Conditions
43°F
S 29.1 mph 93% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 65° Low 40° Partly Sunny 10% precip
Spring is +18° warmer
Wednesday 63° Low 42° Sunny 3% precip
Spring is +20° warmer
Thursday 64° Low 44° Chance Rain Showers 47% precip
Spring is +19° warmer
Friday 70° Low 45° Sunny 10% precip
Spring is +13° warmer
Saturday 74° Low 46° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +9° warmer
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Anthony Lake 12.7 mi away

Overview At an elevation of 7,100 feet, this campground keeps cool in the summertime heat. The sites sit among boulders and mixed conifers on a bluff over Anthony Lake. For questions for Anthony Lake, Grande Ronde Lake, Mud Lake, Peavey Cabin, and Anthony Lake Guard Station call (541) 894-2332 or email campgrounds@anthonylakes.com None of the sites offer lake views, but campers can enjoy gazing on Gunsight Mountain and the surrounding peaks of the Elkhorn range. Anthony Lakes Campgrounds Webs...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
83°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 83°F (28°C)
Avg Air Temp 45°F
Above Ambient +38°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Roadside
Nearest Road National Forest Development Road 5160
Distance to Road 307 ft
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency US Forest Service
Designation National Forest
Unit Whitman National Forest
Manager US Forest Service
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Warm Mineral Spring?
Warm Mineral Spring has a water temperature of 83°F (28°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Warm Mineral Spring located?
Warm Mineral Spring is located in Union County, Oregon at 4,365 feet elevation, near La Grande. Coordinates: 45.0610°N, 118.4550°W.
How do I get to Warm Mineral Spring?
Warm Mineral Spring has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being National Forest Development Road 5160 (307 ft from the road).
Is Warm Mineral Spring free to visit?
Warm Mineral Spring has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.
Can I camp near Warm Mineral Spring?
Yes, Anthony Lake is located nearby (12.7 miles away).