Bennett Springs
Bennett Springs emerges at 70°F near Pioche in Lincoln County, Nevada, at 5,275 feet elevation. With a temperature only 14.9 degrees above ambient, it qualifies as marginally thermal. USGS data shows a pH of 7.5 and a calcium-dominant mineral profile with 56 mg/L calcium and 26 mg/L magnesium. The spring sits just 20 meters from the nearest road.
The spring issues from a mountain slope in the Highland Range west of Pioche, where pinyon-juniper woodland transitions to sagebrush grassland at mid-elevation. Annual precipitation is 8.4 inches with 18.6 inches of snow, producing a semi-arid continental climate with cold winters. The surrounding landscape is rugged Basin and Range topography — steep ridgelines separated by narrow valleys. Pioche, the Lincoln County seat, sits in a nearby canyon to the east, and the terrain shows evidence of the region's extensive historic mining activity.
Bennett Springs likely takes its name from an early settler or prospector in the Pioche mining district, which boomed in the 1870s as one of Nevada's richest silver and lead producers. No documented recreational or commercial development of the spring exists in available records. The water chemistry — low in sodium and chloride, high in calcium — suggests a relatively shallow circulation path through carbonate rock typical of this part of eastern Nevada.
The spring is roadside-accessible year-round, though winter snow and ice can affect mountain roads near Pioche. At 5,275 feet, expect freezing nights from October through April. The 70°F water temperature is cool — suitable for a refreshing splash but not a warm soak. Pioche, about a short drive away, offers basic services and the historic Lincoln County Courthouse, one of Nevada's most photographed buildings.
Is Bennett Springs worth visiting?
Best for
- Easy day trips
The water at Bennett Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 7.5).