Davis Ranch Springs
Davis Ranch Springs emerges at 81°F virtually at roadside along Ash Meadows Road, positioned just 4.7 meters from pavement within Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge at 2,250 feet elevation. Water flows 13.0°F above ambient on permanently protected US Fish and Wildlife Service lands, though public access remains restricted to safeguard the critically endangered Devil's Hole pupfish and other endemic species dependent on these spring systems.
The spring surfaces at the heart of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, where over 30 seeps and springs create North America's largest remaining oasis in the Mojave Desert. Annual precipitation averages just 4.0 inches while air temperatures average 68.0°F, yet continuous groundwater discharge from the regional carbonate aquifer sustains wetlands, pools, and riparian corridors across this extreme desert basin. Fossil travertine deposits surrounding the springs record tens of thousands of years of continuous flow supporting unique evolutionary lineages.
The springs take their name from the Davis Ranch, which operated across Ash Meadows utilizing artesian springs for cattle operations before the area's ecological significance became nationally recognized. In the 1960s-70s, commercial developers began pumping groundwater to irrigate crops, threatening the endemic species that had evolved in isolation here for 10,000-60,000 years. Legal challenges and eventual Supreme Court intervention forced federal acquisition, leading to refuge establishment in 1984 under US Fish and Wildlife Service management.
Despite roadside proximity along Ash Meadows Road, access requires advance permission from refuge staff due to endangered species protections. Spring and fall provide the most comfortable conditions in this low desert environment. The refuge headquarters on Highway 160 northeast of Death Valley Junction offers information and access coordination. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 110°F; carry abundant water and sun protection.
Is Davis Ranch Springs worth visiting?
Best for
- Warm-water soaking
- Easy day trips