# Little Hot Spring, California

Little Hot Spring in California. 169°F (76°C). Short Walk. Shasta County.

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

## Can you soak at Little Hot Spring?

Not at the source. The water leaves the ground at 169°F, hot enough to burn skin. It's a short walk from the road.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 169°F (76°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| Elevation | 3,547 ft |
| Access | Short Walk, 0.3 mi from the nearest road (Forest Route 40N01) |
| County | Shasta County |
| Nearest town | Burney |
| Coordinates | 41.22900, -121.40500 |
| Best months to soak | January, December, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Pit River Campground, 17.2 mi |

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 169°F, the source water at Little Hot Spring is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

## About Little Hot Spring

Little Hot Spring, in Shasta County, is scalding. It lies nearly thirty miles from Burney and a short walk from Forest Route 40N01. Nothing on file says who owns the ground, and public access is unrecorded. Nothing describes a pool or any use of the water, either; the record is a temperature, a location, a road and a climate.

Forest Route 40N01 runs about three tenths of a mile from the spring. The spring lies at about thirty-five hundred feet, where snow reaches almost five feet over a winter and twenty-seven inches of precipitation fall in a year. Pit River Campground, seventeen miles off, is the nearest on record.

The record points to midwinter. Keep away from the water. Anything it touches gets scalded. With no owner recorded and no access status, check before you go. The record holds no fee and no chemistry. Nobody photographed it. The only name attached to the access is the forest route number.

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Mount Shasta](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/california/mount-shasta), 43 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in California](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california)
- [Bassett Hot Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/bassett-hot-springs): 174°F source, Short Walk, near Burney, Shasta County
- [Hot Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hot-springs-shasta-county): Hot, Short Walk, near Burney, Shasta County
- [Kellog Hot Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/kellog-hot-springs): 172°F source, Short Walk, near Alturas, Modoc County
- [Hot Spot, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hot-spot): 191°F source, Short Walk, near Tulelake, Siskiyou County
- [Big Bend, California, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/big-bend-california): Roadside, near Burney, Shasta County
- [Hunt Hot Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hunt-hot-spring): 136°F source, Short Walk, near McCloud, Siskiyou County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Little Hot Spring?**
Little Hot Spring has a water temperature of 169°F (76°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Little Hot Spring located?**
Little Hot Spring is located in Shasta County, California at 3,547 feet elevation, near Burney. Coordinates: 41.2290°N, 121.4050°W.

**How do I get to Little Hot Spring?**
Little Hot Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Forest Route 40N01 (0.3 mi from the road).

**Can I camp near Little Hot Spring?**
Yes, Pit River Campground is located nearby (17.2 miles away).

**Is it safe to soak at Little Hot Spring?**
No, not at the source. The water at Little Hot Spring reaches 169°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.

## Sources

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