Unnamed Thermal Spring
This spring emerges at 165°F just 70 meters from Clark Lane in Harney County, making it one of the hottest roadside-accessible thermal features in eastern Oregon. Recent USGS measurements confirmed 70°C water temperature, creating a 115.9°F differential above the 49.1°F ambient air temperature at this 3,700-foot elevation site.
Located in high desert rangeland near Burns, the spring sits in a landscape of sagebrush and bunchgrass at the transition between basin and low volcanic plateaus. Annual precipitation of 13.1 inches and 33.7 inches of snow support sparse vegetation adapted to cold winters and dry summers. The surrounding terrain is characterized by gently rolling topography punctuated by basalt outcrops, with extensive Bureau of Land Management and private ranch holdings dominating land use patterns in this remote corner of southeastern Oregon.
Visit spring through fall; winter access depends on snow conditions on Clark Lane. The extreme 165°F temperature precludes soaking without extensive cooling infrastructure. Bring thermometer and containers if collecting samples. Rock Springs Campground provides the nearest developed camping 28.4 km away. Respect adjacent private property boundaries common in this checkerboard land ownership pattern.
Historical records for this unnamed spring remain sparse. The 1980 NOAA survey documented the spring's exceptional temperature but provided no development history or cultural associations. The lack of recorded name suggests the site remained outside major homesteading or Indigenous travel routes, though Paiute groups historically moved through the broader Burns area seasonally.
The water at This spring contains 858 mg/L total dissolved solids.
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This small campground is convieniently located just off of Forest Road 17. Nestled among pondersoa pine trees, this secluded campground offers a wonderful place for those in search of a quiet place to stay, whether camping or just needing a quiet place to spend the night while traveling from Burns to John Day, Oregon. The campground has light use until big game hunting seasons. Visitors can enjoy fishing in Poison Creek Resevoir, hiking, hunting and horseback riding local trails such as Mal...
this spring is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water is dangerously hot — bring water shoes and test pools carefully.
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