# Sheep Creek Spring, California

Sheep Creek Spring in California. 73°F (23°C). Short Walk · Public Land. San Bernardino County.

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

## Can you soak at Sheep Creek Spring?

The water leaves the ground at 73°F, about as warm as a heated pool. It's a short walk from the road. It's on Bureau of Land Management land. 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 | 7.9 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Total dissolved solids | 801 mg/L |
| Elevation | 1,802 ft |
| Access | Short Walk · Public Land, 490 ft from the nearest road (Sheep Creek Spring Road - D233) |
| Land | Barstow Field Office, Bureau of Land Management |
| County | San Bernardino County |
| Nearest town | Fort Irwin |
| Coordinates | 35.58800, -116.35900 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |

## About Sheep Creek Spring

BLM land in the San Bernardino County desert holds Sheep Creek Spring, a tepid spring roughly thirty miles from Fort Irwin, the nearest town on file. The Barstow Field Office manages it and entry is open. The spring is within five hundred feet of Sheep Creek Spring Road, signed D233 in the record. The water is barely warm, cooler than a bath.

Low Mojave desert, rain scarce and snow absent. Public land, no fee on record. The walk from Sheep Creek Spring Road is short. A 1967 water sample is on file showing a mildly alkaline pH and moderate dissolved solids, with calcium, sodium, sulfate and chloride among the minerals measured, plus magnesium and iron.

Go in winter. There is no camping on record anywhere close. Entry is open, no fee. The chemistry on record is from a survey in early 1967, decades old, so the figures shown here are a snapshot from then. Burns are not a concern at this temperature.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1967-02-10 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.9 |
| Total dissolved solids | 801 mg/L |
| Calcium | 83 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 52 mg/L |
| Sodium | 93 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 392 mg/L |
| Chloride | 25 mg/L |
| Iron | 50 µg/L |

Records this spring holds:
- Hardest water of California's 47 springs with calcium and magnesium readings: 421 mg/L

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Inyokern](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/california/inyokern), 85 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in California](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california)
- [Saratoga Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/saratoga-spring): 82°F source, TDS 2,925 mg/L, Short Walk, near Fort Irwin, San Bernardino County
- [Tecopa Hot Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/tecopa-hot-springs): 118°F source, pH 8.0, TDS 2,020 mg/L, Roadside, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/springs-nye-county-1): Warm, Roadside, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Resting Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/resting-spring): 80°F source, Short Walk, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Chappo Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/chappo-spring): 80°F source, pH 8.0, TDS 470 mg/L, Hike, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Shoshone Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/shoshone-spring): 90°F source, Roadside, near Pahrump, Nye County

## Questions

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

**Where is Sheep Creek Spring located?**
Sheep Creek Spring is located in San Bernardino County, California at 1,802 feet elevation, near Fort Irwin. Coordinates: 35.5880°N, 116.3590°W.

**How do I get to Sheep Creek Spring?**
Sheep Creek Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Sheep Creek Spring Road - D233 (490 ft from the road).

**Is Sheep Creek Spring free to visit?**
Sheep Creek Spring has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.

**What minerals are in the water at Sheep Creek Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 7.9 (slightly alkaline). Total dissolved solids measure 801 mg/L.

## Sources

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