Unnamed Thermal Spring
A 92°F thermal spring at 4,122 feet elevation in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, measured at 66.6°C in recent USGS surveys with neutral pH 7.2. The spring runs 42 degrees above ambient air temperature, producing comfortable bathing-range water. Access requires a 3,200-foot walk from South Harney Lake Lane across restricted refuge lands under US Fish and Wildlife Service management.
The spring emerges within the Harney Basin's high desert wetland mosaic at 4,122 feet, surrounded by alkali flats, marshes, and sagebrush steppe. The region receives just 11.6 inches of annual precipitation and 21.7 inches of snow, with average air temperature of 50.2°F. The neutral pH chemistry contrasts with many Basin and Range thermal springs that tend toward alkaline conditions. Thermal discharge creates year-round open water that supports wintering waterfowl and resident wildlife populations.
Access requires refuge permission. Contact Malheur NWR headquarters for current regulations and seasonal closures. Spring and summer breeding seasons typically involve the strictest access restrictions to protect nesting birds. The nearly half-mile walk from the road crosses unimproved terrain. Even moderate 92°F water temperatures can pose health risks without proper precautions. Bathing is not permitted in refuge thermal features. Plan for extreme desert conditions and temperature swings at this 4,100-foot elevation.
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge dates to 1908, established by President Theodore Roosevelt to protect vital Pacific Flyway habitat. The refuge's thermal springs have attracted wildlife and human populations for millennia, with archaeological sites throughout the Harney Basin documenting Indigenous use of the region's geothermal resources. Current protection status ensures permanent federal conservation under Fish and Wildlife Service stewardship, though public access remains restricted to protect sensitive breeding and migration habitat.
The water at This spring is neutral (pH 7.2).
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this spring is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear.
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