Warm Spring

Siskiyou County, Oregon · Near Tulelake
42.0400°N, 120.9240°W · 5,319 ft
92°F 5,319 ft Short Walk
Aerial view of the ground around Warm Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Warm Spring
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

A spring the record calls only Warm Spring, in Siskiyou County about nineteen miles from Tulelake. Its recorded temperature is a shade above ninety, body heat more or less. The record does not give a land owner or say who may visit, which is worth knowing before you drive out. It sits fairly high, above five thousand feet, a short walk off a forest development road.

Location

Forest Development Road 409 is the named approach, with a fifth of a mile between it and the water. No land manager on file. Elevation is well over five thousand feet. Winters pile up around five and a half feet of snow, and the year is moderately wet.

On record, the best months run December through February, an odd pairing with that much snow on a forest road, so find out if the road is plowed or gated before you drive up. Access is not on record; confirm you are allowed to be there. Expect soaking warmth on a cold day, nothing hotter than that. Nobody has listed camping here, and there is no chemistry on record.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Warm Spring.

Setting
Hillside
The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the southeast.
Highest ground nearby
139 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from west to east, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
78 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 13% of the springs on this site.

Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
29°
Jan
30°
Feb
35°
Mar
42°
Apr
51°
May
60°
Jun
70°
Jul
69°
Aug
61°
Sep
48°
Oct
37°
Nov
28°
Dec
Annual Precip: 21.3 in Annual Snow: 67.1 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 28°F · Water 92°F · +64° contrast
January Air 29°F · Water 92°F · +63° contrast
February Air 30°F · Water 92°F · +62° contrast
December offers 42°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
NW 14.4 mph
This Afternoon 75° Low 49° Partly Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +17° warmer
Tuesday 72° Low 45° Mostly Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +20° warmer
Wednesday 73° Low 51° Sunny
Spring is +19° warmer
Thursday 73° Low 47° Mostly Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +19° warmer
Friday 62° Low 39° Slight Chance Light Rain then Mostly Sunny 23% precip
Spring is +30° warmer
Where to Stay

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Mile-High Advisory 5,319 ft

Warm Spring sits at 5,319 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 21% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.

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Temperature
92°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 92°F (33°C)
Avg Air Temp 47°F
Above Ambient +45°F
Good soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road National Forest Development Road 409
Distance to Road 0.2 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Warm Spring?
Warm Spring has a water temperature of 92°F (33°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Warm Spring located?
Warm Spring is located in Siskiyou County, Oregon at 5,319 feet elevation, near Tulelake. Coordinates: 42.0400°N, 120.9240°W.
How do I get to Warm Spring?
Warm Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being National Forest Development Road 409 (0.2 mi from the road).
Sources: Wikipedia