Hot Spring
This thermal spring in Eureka County emerges at 124°F—75.8 degrees above the 48.2°F ambient air temperature—registering 51°C in recent USGS surveys with a mildly acidic pH of 6.7. Located 115.7 meters from the nearest road at 6,701 feet elevation, it requires a short walk to reach. The balanced mineral profile shows moderate calcium (47 mg/L), sodium (57 mg/L), and sulfate (59 mg/L).
The spring sits in high-elevation central Nevada terrain at 6,701 feet, where cold winters deposit 38.4 inches of annual snow and precipitation totals just 9.1 inches per year. The landscape reflects classic Great Basin geography—sagebrush flats transitioning to piñon-juniper woodlands on the surrounding slopes, with mountain ranges defining distant horizons. Eureka lies to the east, a historic mining town in a region where geology created both precious metal deposits and geothermal systems. The altitude and aridity produce extreme diurnal temperature swings across all seasons.
The generic name 'Hot Spring' offers no insight into Indigenous use or early Euro-American discovery, though the Eureka Mining District attracted thousands during Nevada's silver boom starting in the 1860s. Whether prospectors, ranchers, or Shoshone bands utilized this particular thermal source before modern documentation remains unrecorded. The 1980 NOAA inventory cataloged the spring's physical parameters without historical annotation, leaving its human story largely blank.
Visit spring through fall when snow has melted and daytime temperatures make the short walk comfortable; winter access may require dealing with snow cover and subfreezing nights. The 6,700-foot elevation means thinner air and rapid weather changes even in summer. Pack sun protection and extra water—desert aridity at altitude dehydrates quickly. Recent USGS data confirms the spring remains active, but verify current flow before making the trip to this remote feature.
Is Hot Spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Hot spring soaking
The water at Hot Spring is slightly acidic (pH 6.7).