Unnamed Thermal Spring
Another of the thermal points the USGS logged on the Malheur refuge, this one about 25 miles out of Hines in Harney County. The water is soaking warm on paper, warmer than a bath, which makes it more interesting than most of its neighbors. Access, though, is restricted. Whatever the temperature, the refuge decides who goes there and when, and there is no record of a developed pool or any soaking use.
South Harney Lake Lane passes about six tenths of a mile off, and covering that gap means walking over refuge ground. The elevation is basin floor, high desert. A normal year brings something near two feet of snowfall, and the rest of the climate is dry. The Fish and Wildlife Service holds this ground and runs it as part of the national wildlife refuge.
Winter rates best on the record, December through February. Check with refuge staff before going; restricted access on a wildlife refuge is no formality. No water chemistry has been filed for this point, and no campground is listed within reach. The temperature is a survey figure and may not match what you find.
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this spring is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear.
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