Unnamed Thermal Spring
This 73-degree thermal spring emerges at 7,040 feet on Bureau of Land Management lands near Mammoth Lakes, where water runs 26 degrees warmer than the frigid alpine air averaging just 46.8 degrees annually. The location on protective public land emphasizes the value of federal conservation over private development.
The spring rises in exposed high country terrain where vegetation thins dramatically, with scattered alpine scrub and whitebark pine clinging to rocky slopes. The thermal water issues from broken bedrock in a landscape carved by ancient glaciers, with views extending across the high Owens Valley to distant peaks.
This spring sits within the Bishop Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, federal land designated for multiple uses including recreation while allowing measured extractive activity. The thermal water's source traces to deeper geothermal reservoirs maintained by stress along basin-and-range faults that stretch from Mono County into Nevada.
The spring sits 77 meters from road access, providing easy vehicle-dependent access. Harsh winter conditions with 99 inches of snow make December through March difficult months for visits. Spring through fall offer superior conditions, though afternoon winds can be intense at this elevation where protective forest cover diminishes.
Is this spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Easy day trips
- Overnight camping trips
Overview McGee Campground provides a pleasant, sunny location for family camping between Bishop and Mammoth Lakes in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The campground's proximity to U.S. Highway 395 and the adjacent John Muir Wilderness make it a hot spot for hiking, rock climbing, fishing, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, hunting, photography and geology study.Recreation Majestic scenery and challenging trails draw in hikers, mountain bikers and equestrian enthusiasts. The McGee Creek...