Warm Spring
Warm Spring flows at 90°F in Graham County near Bylas, emerging 21 degrees above the region's 69°F average on Bureau of Land Management lands.
The spring sits in arid desert valleys at 2,770 feet elevation with minimal precipitation (10.5 inches annually). A short 820-foot walk from River Road leads through classic high desert vegetation to the thermal waters.
Groundwater circulation through desert geology creates this 21-degree thermal elevation above ambient conditions. The spring's location reflects southeastern Arizona's rain-shadow desert environment characterized by low precipitation and high summer temperatures.
A short walk from River Road provides access to this BLM-managed thermal feature. Open public access is available; Riggs Lake Campground (40 kilometers away) offers alpine camping in the Pinaleno Mountains with trout fishing and cooler summer temperatures.
Is Warm Spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Warm-water soaking
- Overnight camping trips
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Overview Riggs Flat Lake is located at the end of Swift Trail, a road that winds along the top of the Pinaleno Mountains. It is a small picturesque lake, 11 acres in size, set in alpine forest and meadow. Its cold waters are stocked during the summer with rainbow, brown and brook trout, and anglers report that the fishing is usually good. Best baits for the rainbows are corn, cheese, garlic cheese, salmon eggs, and worms. The brown and brook trout are taken on artificial lures and flies as we...