Unnamed Thermal Spring
Flowing at a modest 72°F just 130 feet from the nearest road at 4,480 feet elevation, this spring offers roadside access to water approximately 20 degrees above ambient temperature. Recent USGS measurements confirmed 51.1°C, and the spring emerges on BLM federal public lands with open access.
The spring rises in high desert country near Alturas where annual precipitation totals just 10 inches with 27.8 inches of snow. At 4,480 feet elevation, the landscape receives mean air temperatures of 52.5°F, supporting sagebrush and drought-adapted vegetation across Bureau of Land Management holdings managed by the Black Rock Field Office. Federal land designation permits multiple uses including potential mineral extraction.
Lower water temperature makes this spring less appealing for soaking but interesting for examining thermal features. Roadside access allows quick stops. Bring thermometer to verify current temperatures. Check BLM access policies before visiting.
No name, Indigenous associations, or development timeline appear in available records. Administrative designation under Nevada's Modoc County (actually in California) suggests border-area catalog confusion in the original thermal springs survey.
The water at This spring contains 231 mg/L total dissolved solids.
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