Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring

Sanpete County, Utah · Near Manti
39.1830°N, 111.6910°W · 5,633 ft
72°F 5,633 ft Roadside Camping nearby (6.5 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Sterling (Peacock) Warm 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.

Sterling, also written as Peacock Warm Spring, is a tepid spring in Sanpete County a few miles south of Manti, and the USGS counts it among its thermal sites. Water this mild will not heat you through; it is warm the way bathwater left to stand is warm. Ownership and public access have never been recorded, which matters more here than the temperature does.

Location

The spring comes up within spitting distance of a road, under sixty feet from it, and that road goes unnamed, its surface unrecorded. Elevation is mid-range for central Utah, high enough that winter snow piles up to three or four feet over the season. Precipitation the rest of the year is modest. No land manager appears on file.

Winter is the season the record favors, and with snow that deep a roadside spot is the easy kind to reach when the rest of the valley is shut. Twin Lake Campground is about six and a half miles off. No water chemistry has been sampled here, at least none that made it into the record, so the mineral content is anyone's guess. Ask locally before soaking; the access situation is a blank.

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 Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring.

Setting
Canyon floor
Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
Highest ground nearby
329 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the south
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from south to north, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
124 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 74% 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
29°
Feb
38°
Mar
46°
Apr
56°
May
71°
Jun
78°
Jul
75°
Aug
66°
Sep
52°
Oct
39°
Nov
27°
Dec
Annual Precip: 12.9 in Annual Snow: 46.1 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 27°F · Water 72°F · +45° contrast
December Air 27°F · Water 72°F · +45° contrast
February Air 29°F · Water 72°F · +43° contrast
January offers 51°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
Clear N 0.0 mph
Today 82° Low 53° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 25% precip
Wednesday 80° Low 53° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 53% precip
Thursday 79° Low 50° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 57% precip
Friday 78° Low 47° Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 18% precip
Saturday 78° Low 46° Sunny 5% precip
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Twin Lake Campground 6.5 mi away

Overview Twin Lake Campground rests in a juniper tree belt between the lower river bottom of Twelve Mile Canyon and the upper sub-alpine top of Skyline Drive. Visitors enjoy exploring a wealth of off-road vehicle trails.Recreation With an off-road vehicle learner loop in the campground and a central location between trails connecting to the Arapeen OHV Trail system and Skyline Drive, Twin Lake is the perfect staging area for exciting riding at any skill level.Facilities The campground contain...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Mile-High Advisory 5,633 ft

Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring sits at 5,633 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 23% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.

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Temperature
72°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 72°F (22°C)
Avg Air Temp 50°F
Above Ambient +22°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 55 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring?
Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring has a water temperature of 72°F (22°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring located?
Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring is located in Sanpete County, Utah at 5,633 feet elevation, near Manti. Coordinates: 39.1830°N, 111.6910°W.
How do I get to Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring?
Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring has Roadside road access (55 ft from the road).
Can I camp near Sterling (Peacock) Warm Spring?
Yes, Twin Lake Campground is located nearby (6.5 miles away).
Sources: USGS NWIS