Davis
Davis spring flows at 68°F near Tooele, positioned 176 meters from the nearest road at 5,247 feet elevation in the basin-and-range province west of the Oquirrh Mountains. USGS analysis recorded 20°C water with 412 mg/L total dissolved solids and balanced calcium-magnesium-sodium chemistry, indicating relatively fresh thermal water. The pH measures 7.8, typical of Great Basin carbonate aquifers.
The spring emerges from alluvial fans spreading from the Stansbury Mountains into Rush Valley, where sagebrush steppe extends for miles between isolated ranges. At this elevation, pinyon-juniper woodland begins to mix with shadscale and rabbitbrush on slopes, while the valley floor remains open rangeland punctuated by scattered ranch infrastructure. Annual precipitation totals 13.5 inches, with 36 inches of snow falling in a climate where January lows reach single digits and July highs top ninety. The Oquirrhs rise thirteen miles east, their upper slopes dusted with snow six months each year.
Documentary sources provide no information on the origin of the name Davis or historical use of this spring. Tooele County's settlement history centers on Mormon pioneers who arrived in the 1850s to establish ranching and mining operations, but specific records linking this thermal feature to homesteaders or earlier Goshute peoples have not been located. The spring remains undeveloped, flowing from natural outlets in terrain that has seen grazing use for over a century.
Access requires a short walk across open ground from the nearest approach road. Spring through fall offer the most reliable conditions, though summer heat makes the 68°F temperature less appealing. Winter snow and mud can complicate vehicle access to trailheads. The sixteen-degree temperature differential above ambient air barely registers in summer but becomes noticeable in cooler months. Simpson Springs Campground lies 34 kilometers distant along the historic Pony Express Trail, providing developed camping for multi-day explorations of western Tooele County.
Is Davis worth visiting?
Best for
- Overnight camping trips
The water at Davis is slightly alkaline (pH 7.8) with 412 mg/L total dissolved solids. It is notably rich in magnesium (known for muscle relaxation and stress relief) and chloride (natural antiseptic with skin health benefits).
(Attention campers: Simpson Springs Campground will be closed for construction from Aug. 1, 2021 through Nov. 30, 2021) Near the site of the Simpson Springs station on the Pony Express Trail, 5100 foot elevation, 20sites, 1-11 are available on recreation.gov, 12-19 is first come, first served sites, $15 per night, tables, fire pits, two vehicles per site, 8 persons per site, maximum equipment size: 30 feet, pit toilets, potable water available March to November, no firewood, partial shade at...