Davis Ranch Spring
Davis Ranch Spring flows at 70°F within Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, barely thermal at just 1.9°F above ambient air temperature. The spring emerges at 2,250 feet elevation on permanently protected US Fish and Wildlife Service lands, positioned 413.1 meters from Spring Meadows Road and requiring a short walk across refuge terrain where restricted access protects critically endangered species.
The spring surfaces in the Amargosa Desert wetland complex of southern Ash Meadows, contributing to marsh and seep systems that create rare oases in one of North America's driest regions. Annual precipitation totals just 4.0 inches while average air temperatures reach 68.1°F, creating an extreme desert environment where even marginally warm springs sustain disproportionate ecological value. The surrounding landscape features fossil travertine deposits and alkaline soils supporting specialized plant communities adapted to persistent groundwater discharge.
Davis Ranch Spring preserves the name of ranching operations that predated federal acquisition and refuge establishment in 1984. The ranch utilized artesian springs emerging throughout Ash Meadows to support cattle operations, though groundwater pumping by a commercial developer in the 1960s-70s threatened the entire spring system and its endemic species. Subsequent legal battles and Supreme Court intervention led to federal purchase and permanent protection.
Access requires coordination with Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge headquarters due to endangered species protections. Spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures in this low-elevation desert. The short walk from Spring Meadows Road crosses sensitive habitat; stay on designated paths when available. Combine with other refuge springs accessible via boardwalks. Summer heat exceeds 110°F regularly.