Hot Springs (Menlo Baths)
Hot Springs historically known as Menlo Baths emerge at 135°F from the floor of Surprise Valley in Modoc County at 4,510 feet elevation, creating an 84°F temperature rise in this remote high desert basin.
The spring sits approximately 850 feet from Surprise Valley Road at the edge of a basin surrounded by sagebrush, greasewood, and scattered juniper. The landscape exemplifies Great Basin ecology—sparse vegetation, wide-open skies, and the sense of remote isolation typical of northeastern California's interior plateaus.
Access via Surprise Valley Road north of Alturas. Patterson Guard Station (11.8 kilometers away) offers nearby camping and serves as a historic landmark from the Forest Service era. The spring is open year-round; winter snowpack may occasionally block road access. Water cools rapidly downstream.
Menlo Baths was historically a known thermal resource in the Surprise Valley area, its warm waters providing respite in the cold high desert. The spring reflects crustal heating at moderate depth beneath the basin, part of the geothermal spine that extends across the Modoc Plateau.
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Overview *Altitude is 7,080 feet above sea level* Set on the edge of a meadow surrounded by Aspen, Fir and Pine trees, Patterson Guard Station has stood since 1921. It served the Modoc National Forest as a fully staffed fire office and guard station until 1981. Just a few footsteps from the Summit Trail and one-quarter mile from the wilderness boundary, Patterson Guard Station can be your basecamp for trips into the South Warner Wilderness or the perfect place to disconnect and relax. The...
Hot Springs (Menlo Baths) is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water runs hot, so extra hydration is key.
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