# Chance Spring, California

Chance Spring in California. 73°F (23°C). Short Walk · Public Land. Mono County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/chance-spring
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Chance Spring?

The water leaves the ground at 73°F, about as warm as a heated pool. It's a short walk from the road. We haven't confirmed whether it has a pool or charges a fee.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 73°F (23°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 8.7 (Alkaline) |
| Total dissolved solids | 1,410 mg/L |
| Elevation | 7,200 ft |
| Access | Short Walk · Public Land, 438 ft from the nearest road |
| Land | Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, CITY |
| County | Mono County |
| Nearest town | Mammoth Lakes |
| Coordinates | 37.63800, -118.88700 |
| Best months to soak | December, February, January (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | SHERWIN CREEK, 2.9 mi |

## About Chance Spring

Chance Spring sits on land belonging to the Los Angeles city water and power department, in Mono County, and Mammoth Lakes is under six miles away. Cool for a soak is the reading, well short of bath warmth, so this is a spring to know about more than one to plan a trip around. Public access is open. A 1991 sample came back alkaline and high in dissolved solids, iron included.

High desert at seventy-two hundred feet, with around eight feet of snow most years and dry conditions otherwise. No name is given for the nearest road, which lies some four hundred forty feet off, short-walk territory. The ground belongs to the utility, without park or forest standing. Sherwin Creek campground is about three miles.

The listed season is winter. Sherwin Creek, three miles, handles camping. The water is too cool to warm you up in winter air, and the sample is from 1991, so the chemistry is an old reading and the temperature carries no date. Fee: nothing listed.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1991-04-17 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 8.7 |
| Total dissolved solids | 1,410 mg/L |
| Calcium | 1.2 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.02 mg/L |
| Sodium | 370 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 140 mg/L |
| Chloride | 260 mg/L |
| Iron | 11 µg/L |

Records this spring holds:
- Softest water of California's 47 springs with calcium and magnesium readings: 3.1 mg/L

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Clovis](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/california/clovis), 71 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in California](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california)
- [Casa Diablo Hot Springs And Geyser, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/casa-diablo-hot-springs-and-geyser): 199°F source, pH 6.8, TDS 967 mg/L, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Casa Diablo Hot Pool, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/casa-diablo-hot-pool): 165°F source, pH 7.7, TDS 1,230 mg/L, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Unnamed thermal spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/unnamed-spring-mono-county-2): 72°F source, pH 7.5, TDS 1,100 mg/L, Roadside, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Hot Creek Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hot-creek-springs-1): 171°F source, pH 8.7, Roadside, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Hot Creek Gorge Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hot-creek-gorge-springs): 199°F source, pH 8.0, TDS 1,170 mg/L, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Whitmore Hot Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/whitmore-hot-springs): 95°F source, pH 8.7, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Chance Spring?**
Chance Spring has a water temperature of 73°F (23°C). This is a warm thermal spring.

**Where is Chance Spring located?**
Chance Spring is located in Mono County, California at 7,200 feet elevation, near Mammoth Lakes. Coordinates: 37.6380°N, 118.8870°W.

**How do I get to Chance Spring?**
Chance Spring has Short Walk road access (438 ft from the road).

**Is Chance Spring free to visit?**
Chance Spring has Open access. It is managed by CITY.

**Can I camp near Chance Spring?**
Yes, Sherwin Creek is located nearby (2.9 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Chance Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 8.7 (alkaline). Total dissolved solids measure 1,410 mg/L.

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals