Unnamed Thermal Spring
Along Williams Creek Lane in Harney County, this 90°F spring emerges at 4,358 feet on BLM land managed by the Burns Andrews Field Office, creating a 38.7°F temperature differential above the 51.3°F ambient air. The spring sits just 153 meters from the road, requiring a short walk to access warm water in high desert country.
The spring lies in the elevated basins characteristic of Harney County, where volcanic plateaus transition to intermontane valleys. At this elevation, vegetation consists of big sagebrush, bunchgrasses, and isolated western juniper, adapted to the semi-arid climate of 10.4 inches annual precipitation and 27.2 inches of snow. The surrounding terrain shows gentle topography punctuated by low basalt ridges, with extensive public lands stretching in all directions under BLM multiple-use management.
Documentation for this unnamed spring is limited to the 1980 NOAA inventory, which recorded temperature but no development or cultural history. The broader Burns area supported Northern Paiute seasonal use for millennia, though specific associations with this spring remain unknown. Euro-American settlement beginning in the 1870s focused on valley bottoms with reliable water, likely leaving this modest thermal feature undeveloped.
Accessible most of the year via short walk from Williams Creek Lane; verify road conditions after winter storms. The 90°F temperature provides comfortable soaking spring through fall; winter air temperatures average near freezing. Bring containers if collecting water samples. Dispersed camping is permitted on surrounding BLM land. The Burns area provides nearest services and supplies. Respect surrounding cattle operations common in this checkerboard land ownership pattern.
Is this spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Warm-water soaking