Unnamed Thermal Spring
Toiyabe National Forest holds this unnamed thermal point in Douglas County, about nine miles out of Gardnerville Ranchos. The reading on record is 149 degrees, scalding at the source. Nobody should step into water that hot without first finding where it has cooled. Forest Service land, access listed as open.
A road listed on file as Barney Riley comes within a couple tenths of a mile; the record calls that a short walk. The spring sits a little above five thousand feet. Winters are heavy here. Close to ten feet of snow falls most years, and annual precipitation is a bit over two feet.
Expect snow underfoot; the record's months are winter, December through February, so plan the drive accordingly. Indian Creek Campground is four miles or so distant. Treat the source with caution: 149 degree water burns almost instantly. Test before touching. No fee shows up on the record, and no second name from OpenStreetMap either.
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Overview Due to the extensive damage sustained in the 2021 Tamarack Fire, Indian Creek Campground is CLOSED at this time and will remain closed until the area can be made safe for public access and facilities can be rebuilt. Updated Press Release . Indian Creek Campground is nestled in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada between the California towns of Woodfords and Markleeville. Elevation in the area ranges from 5,600 feet at the reservoir to 6,400 feet in the surrounding foothills....
this spring sits at 5,311 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 21% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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this spring is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water is dangerously hot, so bring water shoes and test pools carefully.
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