Bartine Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Bartine Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near Eureka, Nevada. Reported soak temperature: 104°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Remote free desert hot springs on a tufa mound (Hot Spring Hill) in Antelope Valley ~25 mi west of Eureka, NEVADA (Eureka County) — three hand-built pools (4x4 concrete tub, 4x8 oval, and a 7x8 heart-shaped stone tub) fed by 102-108F water, reached via Three Bars Rd off US-50 then a rough powerline road; informal dispersed camping, no facilities.
Checked March 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 5 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Nevada Bureau of Mines & Geology — Antelope Valley (Eureka) geothermal site description.
- Cost: Reported free access — fees and permits can change, confirm before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 104°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: None — free; dispersed camping tolerated per visitor reports.
- Best time to go: Spring and fall — desert heat in midsummer and snow/cold at 6,100 ft in winter; almost always empty midweek.
- Clothing reality: No posted rules — remote and rarely visited; clothing-optional is customary at such sites but groups often share the pools; suits recommended given it is technically visible public land.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — rough unmarked desert roads, uneven rocky ground around the pools.
- DATA MISMATCH VERIFIED — despite the 'ca-' id this is NEVADA (Eureka County), ~25 mi west of Eureka on/near the US-50 corridor in Antelope Valley, not California
- Route: per trip reports, from US-50 west of Eureka turn north on Three Bars Rd ~2.1 mi, then right on a rough powerline road ~1.4 mi to the tufa mound — GPS/phone navigation is unreliable out here; some tracks are fenced/wire-barricaded, so wayfinding is part of the trip
- Last stretch of road is rough — high clearance recommended; needs 4x4 after rain; can be muddy or snow-packed in winter at 6,100 ft
- Land status is murky: directories say BLM (Mount Lewis Field Office) public land, but the springs sit on the historic Bartine Ranch property and the pools were privately built/maintained — access has been de facto open for years, but respect any posted signs or closed gates and be prepared to turn around
- Source vents run 102-108F — comfortable, but test pools before entering; inflow/outflow pipes regulate temperature
- No cell service, water, or trash service; nearest fuel/services Eureka ~25-30 mi east; unofficial dispersed camping only, pack out everything
- Beware directory confusion: The Dyrt page for 'Bartine' mixes in reports for SPENCER Hot Springs near Austin (also reached by a 3 Bars Rd / powerline-road route) — the single 120F two-person tub described there is Spencer, not Bartine
- Hazard: Rough unmaintained approach road, impassable when wet
- Hazard: Fenced/barricaded wrong turns — easy to get lost without wayfinding
- Hazard: Hot water up to ~108F at source
- Hazard: Remote — no services for ~25+ mi
About this spring
Primitive soaking on Hot Spring Hill, a tufa mound in Antelope Valley northwest of Eureka — three pools including a signature heart-shaped stone pool, with 360-degree high-desert views and exceptional dark skies. Source ~102-108°F; pools 95-113°F. NOTE: in Nevada, not California. High elevation (6,100 ft) — freezing nights; road muddy after storms. Adjacent ranch private.
Bartine Hot Springs, also called Bartine Ranch Hot Springs, rise on Hot Spring Hill — a large tufa mound in Antelope Valley about 40 kilometers northwest of Eureka at 6,102 feet, ringed by the Monitor, Simpson Park and Mountain Boy ranges. The ranch takes its name from Fred Bartine (1888–1964), a Finnish immigrant who settled in Nevada in 1901, owned the Ruby Hill Water Works and a service station, held two mining claims, and served as a Eureka County commissioner from 1924 to 1934; he developed 640 acres and drilled three artesian wells on the property. Four distinct thermal sources vent on the mound at 102–108°F, feeding a four-foot-square concrete box pool built into the tufa and the site's signature heart-shaped stone soaking pool. Bartine Warm Spring and a cold spring lie about four miles southeast. The tufa mound itself is the spring's own handiwork — carbonate deposited as the geothermal water surfaced over time.
Directions & trailhead access
From Eureka: 3 Bars Rd/SR-278 northwest ~25-30 mi; left at the power lines onto Bartine Hot Springs Rd to the tufa mound; walk the final stretch.
Nevada geothermal context
Nevada has more hot springs per square mile than any other state — Basin and Range faulting brings deep thermal water to the surface across nearly every valley. Most sites are primitive seeps and tubs on public BLM land reached by long, unmaintained dirt roads. Carry extra water, and watch for flash floods in desert washes during storms.
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
October – April (Fall, Winter & Spring)Desert thermal zones experience high summer ambient heat. The cooler months from late autumn to early spring offer the most refreshing ambient conditions for open-air soaking.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 104°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 102–108°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Nevada Bureau of Mines & Geology — Antelope Valley (Eureka) geothermal site description |
Bartine Hot Springs FAQ
Is Bartine Hot Springs open right now?
Remote free desert hot springs on a tufa mound (Hot Spring Hill) in Antelope Valley ~25 mi west of Eureka, NEVADA (Eureka County) — three hand-built pools (4x4 concrete tub, 4x8 oval, and a 7x8 heart-shaped stone tub) fed by 102-108F water, reached via Three Bars Rd off US-50 then a rough powerline road; informal dispersed camping, no facilities. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked March 2026.)
Is Bartine Hot Springs free?
Bartine Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Eureka County, Nevada. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Bartine Hot Springs?
Bartine Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 104°F and a historical source temperature of 102–108°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Bartine Hot Springs clothing optional?
Bartine Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Bartine Hot Springs?
Bartine Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Eureka
Eureka is a service-town base roughly 25–30 miles southeast of Bartine via SR-278 and the valley roads. Check current permission and the final dirt-road approach before planning the soak.
Check the road and access notes above before you book.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- Wikipedia — Bartine Hot Springs (history, pools, 102-108F) — community · 2025
- hotspringsguy.com — Bartine trip report (route via Three Bars Rd, pool descriptions) — community · 2015-11
- SoakingSprings.com — Bartine Hot Springs (BLM Mount Lewis FO, roadside) — community · 2026-03
- Nevada Bureau of Mines & Geology — Antelope Valley (Eureka) geothermal site description — official · 2014
- The Dyrt — Bartine Hot Springs Camping (mixed with Spencer reports) — community · 2024
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
Your private trip notes
Saved only in this browser — not published or shared.No private notes yet
Keep access details and observations for your own planning.