# Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach), Nevada

Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach) in Nevada. 208°F (98°C). Short Walk. Pershing County.

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

## Can you soak at Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach)?

No. The water at Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach) reaches 208°F, hot enough to scald.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 208°F (98°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 8.1 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Total dissolved solids | 4,600 mg/L |
| Elevation | 3,960 ft |
| Access | Short Walk, 0.1 mi from the nearest road |
| County | Pershing County |
| Nearest town | Lovelock |
| Coordinates | 40.66200, -119.36500 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |

## Soaking safety

**Dangerously Hot, Not Safe for Soaking.** Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach) reaches 208°F, far above safe soaking levels. Contact with this water will cause severe burns. Look for cooled downstream pools or view from a safe distance only.

## About Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach)

Great Boiling Spring near Gerlach lives up to the name. The water comes out a few degrees shy of boiling, two hundred and eight degrees, which is water that kills. It sits in the Black Rock Desert country of Pershing County, with Lovelock the nearest listed town at nearly sixty miles. Wikipedia records it as part of a former private park that has been closed to the public since the 1990s. A 1974 analysis, iron included, is the chemistry on file.

Desert floor here, a shade under four thousand feet, and the road sits about five hundred feet away with no name attached to it. The record itself names no owner, while the Wikipedia account calls the land private property. Rain is scarce and a typical winter drops a foot and a half of snow. Wikipedia also says the surrounding area holds dozens of hot springs and thermal pools.

Wikipedia gives the place a name of its own, Great Boiling Spring Park, a former park on private land near Gerlach that has been off-limits to the public since the 1990s. The park sat on top of one of Nevada's most active geothermal areas. The USGS holds a site record for the spring, and the water sample on file was drawn in February 1974.

There is no public access here and there has not been for decades, according to Wikipedia, so the practical advice is to look from the road if you look at all. The water would scald you instantly. Anyone who does come through should do so in the cool months, December through February. No campground or fee is on record. The access status in the record itself is blank, which is consistent with a closed site.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1974-02-19 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 8.1 |
| Total dissolved solids | 4,600 mg/L |
| Calcium | 89 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.98 mg/L |
| Sodium | 1,550 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 385 mg/L |
| Chloride | 2,240 mg/L |
| Iron | 90 µg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Cold Springs](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/nevada/cold-springs), 47 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Nevada](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada)
- [Unnamed thermal spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/unnamed-spring-pershing-county-2): 194°F source, pH 8.1, Roadside, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Mud Springs, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/mud-springs): 184°F source, pH 7.9, TDS 4,420 mg/L, Short Walk, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Coyote Spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/coyote-spring-1): 72°F source, Short Walk, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Fly Ranch (Wards) Hot Springs, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/fly-ranch-wards-hot-springs): 180°F source, Short Walk, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Springs, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/springs-lassen-county): 84°F source, Roadside, near Janesville, Lassen County
- [Butte Springs (Trego Hot Springs), NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/butte-springs-trego-hot-springs): 187°F source, pH 8.2, Roadside, near Lovelock, Pershing County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach)?**
Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach) has a water temperature of 208°F (98°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach) located?**
Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach) is located in Pershing County, Nevada at 3,960 feet elevation, near Lovelock. Coordinates: 40.6620°N, 119.3650°W.

**How do I get to Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach)?**
Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach) has Short Walk road access (0.1 mi from the road).

**What minerals are in the water at Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach)?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 8.1 (slightly alkaline). Total dissolved solids measure 4,600 mg/L.

**Is it safe to soak at Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach)?**
No, not at the source. The water at Great Boiling Spring (Gerlach) reaches 208°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/Great_Boiling_Spring_Park