# Big (Ash Meadows) Spring, Nevada

Big (Ash Meadows) Spring in Nevada. 83°F (28°C). Roadside · Public Land. Nye County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/big-ash-meadows-spring
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Big (Ash Meadows) Spring?

The water leaves the ground at 83°F, about as warm as a heated pool. Access is restricted. You can drive right up to it. It's on US Fish and Wildlife Service land. We haven't confirmed whether it has a pool or charges a fee.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 83°F (28°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 7.3 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Total dissolved solids | 480 mg/L |
| Elevation | 2,240 ft |
| Access | Roadside · Public Land, 124 ft from the nearest road |
| Land | Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, US Fish and Wildlife Service |
| County | Nye County |
| Nearest town | Pahrump |
| Coordinates | 36.37500, -116.27400 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |

## About Big (Ash Meadows) Spring

Big Spring is a warm desert spring in Nye County, about nineteen miles from Pahrump, inside Ash Meadows, a national wildlife refuge. The federal Fish and Wildlife Service runs the place and lists this spring's access as restricted. Tepid water, warm to the hand and short of bath temperature. Bathing is off the table; this is protected refuge water.

A road runs a little over a hundred feet off, though no name for it was recorded. This is low ground on the Mojave desert floor, where rain amounts to maybe four inches in an average year and snow almost never falls. Federal refuge land, nothing beyond that.

Go in winter; the record scores December through February best and the desert is at its kindest then. Access is restricted, so expect viewing only and leave the water alone. Chemistry on file dates from a 1996 sample and shows moderately mineralized water with a near-neutral pH. No camping or fee is recorded for this spot.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1996-09-21 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.3 |
| Total dissolved solids | 480 mg/L |
| Calcium | 41 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 18 mg/L |
| Sodium | 96 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 110 mg/L |
| Chloride | 25 mg/L |
| Iron | 4 µg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Pahrump](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/nevada/pahrump-nye), 19 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Nevada](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada)
- [Bole Spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/bole-spring): 72°F source, pH 7.4, TDS 503 mg/L, Roadside, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/spring-nye-county-3): 72°F source, Roadside, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Jack Rabbit Spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/jack-rabbit-spring): 82°F source, Roadside, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Point Of Rocks Springs, King Spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/point-of-rocks-springs-king-spring): 91°F source, pH 7.7, TDS 400 mg/L, Short Walk, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Davis Ranch Springs, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/davis-ranch-springs): 81°F source, Roadside, near Pahrump, Nye County
- [Spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/spring-nye-county-5): 79°F source, Short Walk, near Pahrump, Nye County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Big (Ash Meadows) Spring?**
Big (Ash Meadows) Spring has a water temperature of 83°F (28°C). This is a warm thermal spring.

**Where is Big (Ash Meadows) Spring located?**
Big (Ash Meadows) Spring is located in Nye County, Nevada at 2,240 feet elevation, near Pahrump. Coordinates: 36.3750°N, 116.2740°W.

**How do I get to Big (Ash Meadows) Spring?**
Big (Ash Meadows) Spring has Roadside road access (124 ft from the road).

**Is Big (Ash Meadows) Spring free to visit?**
Big (Ash Meadows) Spring has Restricted access. It is managed by US Fish and Wildlife Service.

**What minerals are in the water at Big (Ash Meadows) Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 7.3 (slightly alkaline). Total dissolved solids measure 480 mg/L.

## Sources

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