Lower Birch Spring
Lower Birch Spring barely qualifies as thermal at 77 degrees Fahrenheit -- just 26 degrees above the ambient air in Owyhee County's desert canyon country. Managed by the BLM's Bruneau Field Office at 4,150 feet elevation, it offers tepid water with a neutral pH of 7.2 and a balanced mineral profile more typical of cool groundwater than a true hot spring.
The Owyhee Plateau south of Murphy is big, dry, and empty. Sagebrush and bunchgrass cover rolling terrain cut by steep-walled canyons, and the sky dominates everything. The spring sits 90 meters from the nearest road at an elevation where summer days bake and winter nights freeze hard. Annual rainfall barely reaches 13 inches, with 26 inches of snow. The water seeps out without much drama, pooling in a small area surrounded by desert scrub and basalt rubble.
Owyhee County sits atop a thick sequence of Miocene basalt flows and rhyolite that cap older sedimentary rocks. Thermal water in this region rises along faults associated with the western Snake River Plain's extension. The modest temperature suggests either shallow circulation or significant mixing with cool groundwater before reaching the surface. Silver City, the nearest campground at 33 kilometers, occupies a partially restored 19th-century mining town where Jordan Creek may still carry mercury from historic operations.
The spring is 90 meters from the road and easy to reach on foot. At 77 degrees, the water feels lukewarm at best and may disappoint anyone expecting a hot soak. Silver City Campground, 33 kilometers away, is first-come, first-served with a 14-day limit, but bring your own water -- the creek near camp may contain mercury from old mining activity. This is remote BLM land with no services; come prepared.
Is Lower Birch Spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Easy day trips
- Overnight camping trips
The water at Lower Birch Spring is neutral (pH 7.2).
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This small campground is located in a partially restored 19th-century mining town. Please plan to bring your own water. Don't use the water running through the campground from Jordan Creek because it may contain mercury from prior mining activity in the area.