Sweet Chalybeate Spring

Greenbrier County, Virginia · Near White Sulphur Springs
37.6450°N, 80.2380°W · 2,010 ft
75°F 55°F air · Good soaking weather 2,010 ft Roadside Camping nearby (3.3 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Sweet Chalybeate Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Sweet Chalybeate 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.

Sweet Chalybeate Spring sits in Greenbrier County at White Sulphur Springs, by the record right in town. Warm water, mid seventies. Chalybeate is the old word for iron-bearing water, and the name suggests that, though no chemistry is on file to confirm it. No owner and no access status appear in the record. A USGS site number is attached.

Location

Stone Road passes within about sixty feet, a drive-up location. Elevation is about two thousand feet. A year brings about forty-four inches of precipitation, with a bit over two feet of that as snow. Land unit and designation are blank and there is no photograph.

December through February are the rated months. Roadside. Steel Bridge Campground is the camping on file, about three miles off, which makes an overnight easy. Access is not recorded, so look for signage. The temperature is the only measurement recorded.

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 Sweet Chalybeate Spring.

Setting
Valley floor
Gentle slopes rise on both sides.
Highest ground nearby
183 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from southwest to northeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
70 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 5% 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
37°
Feb
43°
Mar
53°
Apr
62°
May
69°
Jun
73°
Jul
71°
Aug
67°
Sep
56°
Oct
44°
Nov
39°
Dec
Annual Precip: 44.2 in Annual Snow: 25.8 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 33°F · Water 75°F · +43° contrast
February Air 37°F · Water 75°F · +38° contrast
December Air 39°F · Water 75°F · +36° contrast
January offers 41°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
55°F
N 12.1 mph 100% Good soaking weather
Today 79° Low 54° Mostly Sunny
Wednesday 86° Low 60° Patchy Fog then Sunny
Thursday 87° Low 63° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 30% precip
Friday 86° Low 62° Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 62% precip
Saturday 79° Low 62° Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 28% precip
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Steel Bridge Campground 3.3 mi away

Overview Steel Bridge Group Campground provides old-fashioned, rustic group camping for those that require few amenities. There are three well shaded camping sites for available for small group camping. Recreation Steel Bridge Group Camping provides old-fashioned, rustic group and family camping. Visitors enjoy splashing in the cool water of Potts Creek that edges the campground. Potts Creek is a stocked trout stream and has a small swimming hole as well as many rock ledges and small falls...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
75°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 75°F (24°C)
Avg Air Temp 54°F
Above Ambient +21°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Roadside
Nearest Road Stone Road
Distance to Road 61 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Sweet Chalybeate Spring?
Sweet Chalybeate Spring has a water temperature of 75°F (24°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Sweet Chalybeate Spring located?
Sweet Chalybeate Spring is located in Greenbrier County, Virginia at 2,010 feet elevation, near White Sulphur Springs. Coordinates: 37.6450°N, 80.2380°W.
How do I get to Sweet Chalybeate Spring?
Sweet Chalybeate Spring has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Stone Road (61 ft from the road).
Can I camp near Sweet Chalybeate Spring?
Yes, Steel Bridge Campground is located nearby (3.3 miles away).
Sources: USGS NWIS