Lee Hot Springs, Allen Springs
Lee Hot Springs, also known as Allen Springs, produces 190-degree water from 4,027 feet elevation on Bureau of Land Management property in Churchill County's Stillwater Field Office area. Recent USGS measurements recorded 91 degrees Celsius, and water chemistry shows sodium-chloride dominance with 410 mg/L sodium and 425 mg/L chloride, requiring a 357-meter walk across BLM public land from the nearest road.
The spring emerges in the valley country northeast of Fallon, where flat basin floors stretch between low mountain ranges in classic basin-and-range topography. At 4,027 feet elevation, sagebrush and greasewood dominate the alkaline soils, with the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge complex lying to the west where the Carson River terminus creates extensive wetlands. The climate is arid, bringing only 6.3 inches of annual precipitation and 11.4 inches of snowfall, with annual temperatures averaging 58.1 degrees. The BLM-managed lands surrounding the spring reflect mixed-use designation, balancing recreation, grazing, and mineral extraction. Protection status level 3 indicates management that allows extractive uses while maintaining public access.
The dual naming as Lee Hot Springs and Allen Springs suggests different periods of use or discovery, likely honoring early ranchers or landowners who claimed water rights or surrounding property. Churchill County's settlement intensified after the 1860s with ranching operations utilizing the scattered springs for livestock water. The Stillwater area's extensive wetlands made it crucial for migratory birds and supported indigenous Paiute communities for millennia before Euro-American settlement. The springs sit on federal land that has remained open to public access, avoiding the private ownership that restricts many Nevada thermal features. Current status appears as undeveloped thermal features on BLM rangeland.
Visit during spring or fall, as summer brings extreme heat to this low-elevation desert basin and winter can create muddy access conditions. The short walk classification means a quarter-mile trek across BLM land, which may involve crossing sagebrush or navigating thermal runoff channels. The 190-degree temperature makes direct bathing dangerous without substantial cooling, and the high sodium-chloride content creates extremely alkaline conditions. No facilities exist at the site. Fallon provides full services 25 miles west. The nearby Stillwater Wildlife Refuge offers opportunities to combine thermal spring exploration with birdwatching in one of Nevada's most important wetland complexes.
Is Lee Hot Springs, Allen Springs worth visiting?
Best for
- Observing powerful hot springs
Not ideal for
- Casual soaking
The water at Lee Hot Springs, Allen Springs is neutral (pH 7.2). It is notably rich in sodium (supports circulation and skin hydration) and chloride (natural antiseptic with skin health benefits).