# West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring, California

West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring in California. 171°F (77°C). Short Walk. Modoc County.

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

## Can you soak at West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring?

Not at the source. The water leaves the ground at 171°F, hot enough to burn skin. It's a short walk from the road.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 171°F (77°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| Elevation | 4,817 ft |
| Access | Short Walk, 0.8 mi from the nearest road |
| County | Modoc County |
| Nearest town | Alturas |
| Coordinates | 41.19000, -120.38300 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Patterson Guard Station, 10.1 mi |

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 171°F, the source water at West Valley Reservoir 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 West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring

West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring comes up scalding in Modoc County, some twenty-two miles from Alturas. The water is far too hot to touch where it surfaces. Public access is blank in the record and no land owner is named, so it reads as a surveyed thermal point. No one has recorded a pool or a soak here, and the temperature alone says you would not want one at the source.

The nearest road is under a mile away and carries no name in the record, so count on a walk of a bit under a mile each way over unrecorded ground. Elevation is around forty-eight hundred feet, high country. Winter is the real thing up here; the snow total tops five feet, with fair rain the rest of the year. No land unit or owner is recorded.

The record shows December through February as best, odd for a place with that much snow; check road conditions before relying on it. The walk in is a little under a mile. Patterson Guard Station, roughly ten miles out, is the camping on file. The water will burn you. Test with a thermometer or a quick splash before any skin goes in. Who owns the land, and if the public is welcome, is not in the record.

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Alturas](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/california/alturas), 18 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in California](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california)
- [Warm Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/warm-spring-modoc-county-1): 70°F source, Short Walk, near Alturas, Modoc County
- [Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/springs-modoc-county-1): Warm, Short Walk, near Alturas, Modoc County
- [Warm Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/warm-spring-modoc-county-2): 75°F source, Short Walk, near Alturas, Modoc County
- [Hot Springs (Menlo Baths), CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hot-springs-menlo-baths): 135°F source, Short Walk, near Alturas, Modoc County
- [Squaw Baths, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/squaw-baths): 106°F source, Roadside, near Alturas, Modoc County
- [Unnamed thermal spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/unnamed-spring-modoc-county-4): 109°F source, Roadside, near Alturas, Modoc County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring?**
West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring has a water temperature of 171°F (77°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring located?**
West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring is located in Modoc County, California at 4,817 feet elevation, near Alturas. Coordinates: 41.1900°N, 120.3830°W.

**How do I get to West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring?**
West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring has Short Walk road access (0.8 mi from the road).

**Can I camp near West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring?**
Yes, Patterson Guard Station is located nearby (10.1 miles away).

**Is it safe to soak at West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring?**
No, not at the source. The water at West Valley Reservoir Hot Spring reaches 171°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