Kelly Warm Spring

Also known as: Kelly Warm Springs
Teton County, Wyoming · Near Jackson
43.6390°N, 110.6150°W · 6,684 ft
81°F 27°F air · Good soaking weather 6,684 ft Open Short Walk National Park Service Camping nearby (3.0 mi)

Kelly Warm Spring is a tepid spring in Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, about fourteen miles from Jackson. The water comes out in the low eighties on the latest reading. It sits a few hundred feet from the Gros Ventre Road, with a campground close by. Park Service land, access open. Nothing about it will burn you.

Location

The Gros Ventre Road passes within a few hundred feet of the spring, so reaching it takes no hiking. Elevation is around sixty-seven hundred feet. This spot gets more than eleven feet of snow most years, and the year averages near forty. Moderate precipitation. The land is Grand Teton National Park, managed by the Park Service.

The record's pick is December through February, and with the road that close the question in winter is plowing, which the park can answer. Gros Ventre Campground is three miles off, per the record. The water is tepid, no burn risk. A 2017 water sample is on the record, near-neutral with modest dissolved solids. The record shows no fee.

History of Kelly Warm Spring

OpenStreetMap records the name in the plural, Kelly Warm Springs. The USGS keeps a site record here and sampled the water in March 2017. That sample showed a near-neutral pH and total dissolved solids under 300 milligrams per liter. The minerals listed are calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfate, chloride and iron.

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 Kelly Warm Spring.

Aerial view of the ground around Kelly Warm Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Kelly 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.

Setting
Valley floor
Gentle slopes rise on both sides.
Highest ground nearby
130 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
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
89 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 29% 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
19°
Jan
22°
Feb
29°
Mar
35°
Apr
42°
May
55°
Jun
64°
Jul
63°
Aug
54°
Sep
39°
Oct
26°
Nov
18°
Dec
Annual Precip: 26.9 in Annual Snow: 135.0 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 18°F · Water 81°F · +63° contrast
January Air 19°F · Water 81°F · +62° contrast
February Air 22°F · Water 81°F · +59° contrast
December offers 46°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
27°F
Clear N 0.0 mph 93% Good soaking weather
Today 69° Low 37° Mostly Sunny
Spring is +12° warmer
Wednesday 73° Low 43° Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 10% precip
Spring is +8° warmer
Thursday 68° Low 41° Showers And Thunderstorms 83% precip
Spring is +13° warmer
Friday 64° Low 35° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 41% precip
Spring is +17° warmer
Saturday 66° Low 34° Slight Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 19% precip
Spring is +15° warmer
Water Chemistry Sampled 2017-03-21

The water at Kelly Warm Spring is slightly alkaline (pH 7.6) with 291 mg/L total dissolved solids.

pH 7.6 Slightly Alkaline
pH influences mineral absorption through skin
Higher mineral concentration for therapeutic soaking
Calcium 56 mg/L
May support bone density and joint health
Magnesium 19 mg/L
Known for muscle relaxation and stress relief
Sodium 7 mg/L
Supports circulation and skin hydration
Sulfate 91 mg/L
Traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation
Chloride 3 mg/L
Natural antiseptic with skin health benefits
Iron 10 µg/L
Iron-rich springs may support circulation
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Gros Ventre Campground 3.0 mi away

Overview Gros Ventre (pronounced ‘grow-vont’), means “big belly” in French, and the Gros Ventre Campground—surrounded by cottonwood trees and featuring stunning views of Blacktail Butte and the Teton Mountains—is truly magnificent! The campground’s location next to the Gros Ventre River offers some of the best opportunities in the park for wildlife sightings, as bison, moose, mule deer and a wide variety of birds are known to frequent the area. For avid anglers, the Gros Ventre River offers p...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Mile-High Advisory 6,684 ft

Kelly Warm Spring sits at 6,684 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 27% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.

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Temperature
81°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 81°F (27°C)
Avg Air Temp 39°F
Above Ambient +42°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Gros Ventre Road
Distance to Road 355 ft
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency National Park Service
Designation National Park
Unit Grand Teton National Park
Manager National Park Service
Protection 1 - Permanent protection, natural state
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Kelly Warm Spring?
Kelly Warm Spring has a water temperature of 81°F (27°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Kelly Warm Spring located?
Kelly Warm Spring is located in Teton County, Wyoming at 6,684 feet elevation, near Jackson. Coordinates: 43.6390°N, 110.6150°W.
How do I get to Kelly Warm Spring?
Kelly Warm Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Gros Ventre Road (355 ft from the road).
Is Kelly Warm Spring free to visit?
Kelly Warm Spring has Open access. It is managed by National Park Service.
Can I camp near Kelly Warm Spring?
Yes, Gros Ventre Campground is located nearby (3.0 miles away).
What minerals are in the water at Kelly Warm Spring?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 7.6 (slightly alkaline). Total dissolved solids measure 291 mg/L.