# Macfarlane Hot Spring, Nevada

Macfarlane Hot Spring in Nevada. 170°F (77°C). Short Walk · Public Land. Pershing County.

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

## Can you soak at Macfarlane Hot Spring?

Not at the source. The water leaves the ground at 170°F, hot enough to burn skin. It's a short walk from the road. It's on Bureau of Land Management land.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 170°F (77°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| Elevation | 4,100 ft |
| Access | Short Walk · Public Land, 449 ft from the nearest road (Jackson Creek Ranch Road) |
| Land | Black Rock Field Office, Bureau of Land Management |
| County | Pershing County |
| Nearest town | Lovelock |
| Coordinates | 41.05200, -118.71700 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 170°F, the source water at Macfarlane 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 Macfarlane Hot Spring

Sixty-two miles from Lovelock, Macfarlane Hot Spring comes up scalding on open Bureau of Land Management ground in Pershing County's Black Rock Field Office. The water runs at a hundred seventy degrees. Access is open and the road is named, Jackson Creek Ranch Road, which removes two of the usual uncertainties. Chemistry has not been recorded, and no photo is on file.

Jackson Creek Ranch Road stops a few hundred feet short of the spring, and you walk the rest. The site is low, about forty-one hundred feet, and dry, seven inches of precipitation in a year and around a foot of snow. The parcel is plain public land.

Winter tops the list on record, and the thin snowfall makes that workable. The water will scald. Stay back from the source. A fee is not mentioned, and camping is not either. Sixty miles from Lovelock is a long way to come for a spring you cannot enter, so know that going in.

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Alturas](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/nevada/alturas), 33 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-5): 151°F source, pH 8.8, Short Walk, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Unnamed thermal spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/unnamed-spring-pershing-county-8): 172°F source, pH 7.1, Short Walk, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Casey Springs, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/casey-springs): 204°F source, Short Walk, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Unnamed thermal spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/unnamed-spring-pershing-county-7): 161°F source, Roadside, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Unnamed thermal spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/unnamed-spring-pershing-county-6): 114°F source, Short Walk, near Lovelock, Pershing County
- [Black Rock Hot Spring, NV](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/nevada/black-rock-hot-spring): 136°F source, pH 7.5, Roadside, near Lovelock, Pershing County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Macfarlane Hot Spring?**
Macfarlane Hot Spring has a water temperature of 170°F (77°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Macfarlane Hot Spring located?**
Macfarlane Hot Spring is located in Pershing County, Nevada at 4,100 feet elevation, near Lovelock. Coordinates: 41.0520°N, 118.7170°W.

**How do I get to Macfarlane Hot Spring?**
Macfarlane Hot Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Jackson Creek Ranch Road (449 ft from the road).

**Is Macfarlane Hot Spring free to visit?**
Macfarlane Hot Spring has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.

**Is it safe to soak at Macfarlane Hot Spring?**
No, not at the source. The water at Macfarlane Hot Spring reaches 170°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