Volcano Pool (Saline Valley)
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) is a primitive hot spring listed near Big Pine, California. Reported soak temperature: 101°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Tub in the Lower Warm Springs cluster, Saline Valley (Death Valley NP) — NPS-sanctioned clothing-optional soaking, free first-come camping, reachable only by long high-clearance dirt roads.
Checked January 2026 · verified against an official source · 7 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via NPS Death Valley — Rules and Regulations.
- Cost: Fees reported — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 101°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; pets reported not allowed — confirm current rules.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: Park entrance pass only
- Best time to go: Oct-Apr; midweek quietest
- Clothing reality: NPS-recognized clothing-optional area; nudity customary.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Primitive; not accessible
- Park entrance fee required; campground free first-come
- Pets prohibited within 50 ft of pools; swim diapers for <4/not potty-trained
- Source pools closed to bathing; no glass
- Fully self-supported — no water/fuel/cell
- Washboard dirt approaches (~35-50 mi); winter snow on passes
- Hazard: Remoteness/no services
- Hazard: Rough dirt roads, washouts
- Hazard: Winter snow on passes
- Hazard: Summer heat
- Hazard: Military low-flyovers
About this spring
The largest soaking pool in Saline Valley (~15 ft diameter) at Palm Spring — an above-ground rock-and-concrete tub (~98-104°F) fed by pipe from the warm source spring. Fee: Death Valley NP entrance fee. Extreme remoteness; pets 50-ft buffer; clothing-optional.
Volcano Pool is the largest soaking tub in Saline Valley — about 15 feet across — at Palm Spring, the middle of the valley's three spring areas roughly a mile up-valley from the Lower Warm Springs camp. Unlike the dug-in Wizard Pool nearby, it is an above-ground ring of rock and concrete fed by pipe from the warm source, running about 98-104°F — a few degrees cooler than Wizard. The Palm Spring tubs were built and are kept up by the valley's long-running volunteer community on land that was BLM-administered until the 1994 California Desert Protection Act made it part of Death Valley National Park; the 2019 NPS plan leaves the existing Palm Spring tubs in use. Clothing-optional; pets must stay at least 50 feet from pools; the ~50-mile dirt-road approach and summer heat above 110°F demand full desert self-sufficiency.
Directions & trailhead access
Saline Valley Road to Palm Spring (middle springs), ~1 mi up-valley from Lower Warm Springs — ~50 mi dirt road total.
California geothermal context
California spans several geothermal provinces: the volcanic Cascades and Modoc Plateau in the northeast, Sierra Nevada granite seeps along the eastern front, Mojave and Colorado Desert springs in the south, and the famously mineral-rich Big Sur coast. Fire season (roughly June–November) closes access to many backcountry springs without warning — always check for current fire restrictions.
What a primitive site means here
Primitive springs have no facilities: no changing rooms, no trash service, often no maintained road to the pool. Expect natural rock or gravel bottoms, water temperature that varies by spot and season, and other visitors who may treat the site informally. Pack out everything you bring, test the water before entering, and leave the pool cleaner than you found it.
Best time to visit
Year-Round (Best: May – October)Pool temperatures and access can change with weather and season. Outdoor ambient temperatures fluctuate significantly across California. Late spring through autumn offers the most comfortable road access.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 101°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 98–104°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Fees reported |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | NPS Death Valley — Rules and Regulations |
Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) FAQ
Is Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) open right now?
Tub in the Lower Warm Springs cluster, Saline Valley (Death Valley NP) — NPS-sanctioned clothing-optional soaking, free first-come camping, reachable only by long high-clearance dirt roads. (Status verified against an official source, last checked January 2026.)
Is Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) free?
Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) is listed with reported fees near Big Pine. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Volcano Pool (Saline Valley)?
Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) has a reported soak temperature of 101°F and a historical source temperature of 98–104°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) clothing optional?
Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Volcano Pool (Saline Valley)?
Volcano Pool (Saline Valley) is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- NPS Death Valley — Rules and Regulations — official · 2024
- NPS Death Valley — Primitive Campgrounds — official · 2024
- Inyo County road update (Saline Valley Rd open) — official · 2025-10
- Eastside Sports — DV unpaved road conditions — community · 2026-01
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saline_Valley_Hot_Springs
- www.nps.gov/deva/learn/news/record-of-decision-for-the-saline-valley-warm-springs-plan.htm
- www.hotspringsguides.com/hot-springs/lower-warm-springs-california
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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