Johnson Springs
Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
Johnson Springs is a hot spring in Lincoln County, Wyoming, seven miles from Afton. At 115 degrees on the record it is hotter than a bath and would need cooling or caution before anyone sat in it. Ownership is not on file and neither is public access. The spring is roadside, within a few hundred feet of a road, name not given.
Around six thousand feet, with nine feet or so of snow in a winter and a couple feet of precipitation across the year. No land unit, no owner. Camping on record: Stump Creek Guard Station, under five miles.
Hot enough to hurt if you jump in, so test first and find the cooler edge. With no access status on record, the landowner question comes first. Winter is the listed season. The chemistry is from a 1971 sample, slightly acidic. No fee on file.
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 Johnson Springs.
- Setting
- Open ground
- Flat, open ground all around.
- Highest ground nearby
- 18 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
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.
That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 26% 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.
See every spring on the geothermal heat map →
Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.
The water at Johnson Springs is slightly acidic (pH 6.6). It is notably rich in calcium (may support bone density and joint health), magnesium (known for muscle relaxation and stress relief), and sodium (supports circulation and skin hydration).
Overview Stump Creek Guard Station is located along what was once the Lander Cutoff for the Oregon Trail. Visitors can trace the path that covered wagons traveled on over 150 years ago on their way to the Pacific Northwest. Wagon ruts are still carved into the soil. The guard station is accessible by car during warmer months, but guests should be prepared to ski, snowshoe or snowmobile more than a mile to reach he cabin in winter. Guest will need to bring much of their own supplies and gea...
Johnson Springs sits at 6,080 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 24% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Springs Near Johnson Springs
More Springs Around 115°F
Slightly Acidic Springs (pH ~6.6)
Hike 6 waterfalls near Johnson Springs
Looking for more outdoor adventures? Explore waterfall hikes near Johnson Springs, Wyoming.