# Wilbur Springs, California

Wilbur Springs in California. 153°F (67°C). Roadside. Lake County.

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

## Can you soak at Wilbur Springs?

Not at the source. The water leaves the ground at 153°F, hot enough to burn skin. You can drive right up to it.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 153°F (67°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 6.7 (Slightly Acidic) |
| Elevation | 1,721 ft |
| Access | Roadside, 9 ft from the nearest road |
| County | Lake County |
| Nearest town | Clearlake |
| Coordinates | 39.03900, -122.42100 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Little Stony, 19.0 mi |

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 153°F, the source water at Wilbur Springs 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 Wilbur Springs

Wilbur Springs, Wilbur Hot Springs on OpenStreetMap, is a commercial spa resort with scalding source water. The record files it under Lake County, thirteen-odd miles from Clearlake, while Wikipedia places it near Williams in Colusa County. Either way it is the same spot near the junction of State Routes 16 and 20, a couple of hours by car from the San Francisco Bay Area. The source water is too hot to touch, so any soaking there goes through the resort, and you will be dealing with a business.

It is right at the roadside, nine feet by the record, at about seventeen hundred feet in the hills. Winters see a dusting of snow, a few inches a year, and rainfall is middling by California standards. Land owner and unit are not recorded in the file, which fits a privately run property.

Wikipedia says the place was once Simmons Hot Springs and was developed as a spa in the 19th century. It changed hands in the 1970s when therapist Richard Louis Miller bought it, and he has run it as a spa resort since. The USGS lists it as a site as well.

The winter months are the ones the record favors. This is a resort, so plan on fees and booking; the record itself lists no fee figure. Little Stony, the campground in the file, is around nineteen miles off, which hardly matters at a place with lodging. The only water chemistry on record is a pH reading from a 2015 sample. The source is scalding, so stay out of the raw outflow and stick to what the operator has set up.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 2015-11-16 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 6.7 |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Clearlake Oaks](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/california/clearlake-oaks), 12 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in California](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california)
- [Blank Spring, Manzanita Mine Sprs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/blank-spring-manzanita-mine-sprs): 112°F source, pH 6.7, Roadside, near Clearlake, Lake County
- [Jones Fountain Of Life Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/jones-fountain-of-life-spring): 142°F source, pH 6.7, Roadside, near Clearlake, Lake County
- [Abbott Mine, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/abbott-mine): 86°F source, pH 6.7, Short Walk, near Clearlake, Lake County
- [Elgin Mine, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/elgin-mine): 156°F source, Short Walk, near Clearlake, Lake County
- [Grizzly Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/grizzly-spring): 68°F source, Roadside, near Clearlake, Lake County
- [Sulphur Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/sulphur-spring-1): 68°F source, Short Walk, near Clearlake Oaks, Lake County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Wilbur Springs?**
Wilbur Springs has a water temperature of 153°F (67°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Wilbur Springs located?**
Wilbur Springs is located in Lake County, California at 1,721 feet elevation, near Clearlake. Coordinates: 39.0390°N, 122.4210°W.

**How do I get to Wilbur Springs?**
Wilbur Springs has Roadside road access (9 ft from the road).

**Can I camp near Wilbur Springs?**
Yes, Little Stony is located nearby (19.0 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Wilbur Springs?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH. The pH is 6.7 (slightly acidic).

**Is it safe to soak at Wilbur Springs?**
No, not at the source. The water at Wilbur Springs reaches 153°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
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbur_Hot_Springs