Warm Spring
A 79-degree spring within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in San Juan County, flowing at 3,630 feet elevation with highly mineralized water at 1,880 mg/L total dissolved solids. Chemistry shows calcium at 150 mg/L, magnesium at 97 mg/L, sulfate at 770 mg/L, and chloride at 356 mg/L. The water emerges 17 degrees above ambient temperature, requiring a 1.6-kilometer walk from the nearest road.
Set in the Colorado Plateau's red rock wilderness, the spring flows in one of the Southwest's most dramatic landscapes where average annual temperature reaches 62 degrees and precipitation totals just 6.1 inches with 11.5 inches of snow. Massive Navajo Sandstone formations dominate the terrain, carved by the Colorado River system into deep canyons and towering cliffs. The spring emerges in remote backcountry managed by the National Park Service as part of a 1.25-million-acre recreation area. Desert vegetation includes scattered juniper, pinyon pine, and desert shrubs adapted to extreme aridity.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was established in 1972 following construction of Glen Canyon Dam, creating Lake Powell. The spring predates the modern recreation area, flowing in territory used by Ancestral Puebloans, later Navajo and Paiute peoples, and explored by John Wesley Powell's 1869 Colorado River expedition. The high mineral content suggests deep circulation through sedimentary formations rich in calcium and sulfate minerals. Current National Park Service management allows open access while protecting the landscape from extractive use.
Plan for desert conditions year-round, with extreme summer heat and limited shade. The 1.6-kilometer approach requires navigation skills and adequate water; no developed trails lead to the spring. Obtain current information from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area rangers regarding access routes and regulations. Starr Springs Campground, 21.7 kilometers away at 6,300 feet in the Henry Mountains, offers primitive camping with opportunities to explore this remote mountain range and track the resident bison herd.
Is Warm Spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Overnight camping trips
- Mineral-rich therapeutic bathing
The water at Warm Spring is slightly alkaline (pH 7.5) with 1880 mg/L total dissolved solids. It is notably rich in calcium (may support bone density and joint health), magnesium (known for muscle relaxation and stress relief), and sulfate (traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation).
Elevation 6300 feet. 12 campsites at the southern tip of the Henry Mountains. Scale Mount Hillers, towering above the campground at 10,723 feet or explore the benches and mesas that surround these remote, uplifted highlands. Bring your own water- reliable sources are mighty scarce out here. Information on the resident bison herd.