Spring
At 6,200 feet elevation in White Pine County, this 83-degree spring emerges 35 degrees above the 47.6°F ambient temperature, creating dramatic thermal contrast in Nevada's high country. Located just 44.4 meters from the nearest road on BLM land near McGill, it provides roadside access to warm water in terrain receiving 37.8 inches of annual snow.
The spring flows from high-elevation Great Basin landscape where annual precipitation reaches 11 inches, substantially more than southern Nevada's deserts. Cold winters and moderate summers characterize the climate, with vegetation including sagebrush, mountain mahogany, and scattered conifers at this elevation. The Bristlecone Field Office manages surrounding public lands where fault systems bring geothermally heated groundwater to the surface. Mountains rising above 10,000 feet provide the dramatic backdrop, while valleys below 5,000 feet create the basin-and-range topography defining eastern Nevada.
The roadside location at 44.4 meters provides easy access year-round, though winter snow at 6,200 feet can be substantial. Visit June through October for reliable access; the 35-degree temperature differential makes the 83-degree water particularly appealing during spring and fall when air temperatures cool. McGill offers limited services; Ely, 15 miles south, provides full amenities. Great Basin National Park lies 60 miles east for extended high-desert exploration.
Historical documentation for this unnamed spring is minimal. McGill developed as a smelter town for nearby copper mines in the early 1900s, processing ore from the massive operations at Ruth and Liberty. Whether miners, earlier Western Shoshone inhabitants, or homesteaders used this specific thermal feature is not preserved in available records. The generic designation suggests it remained a minor, unnamed resource despite proximity to major mining development.
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Spring sits at 6,200 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 25% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Spring is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear.
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