Panaca Warm Spring
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Panaca Warm Spring is a primitive hot spring listed near Panaca, Nevada. Reported soak temperature: 86°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Panaca's warm-spring pond — 'the hole' to locals — is a free, undeveloped, town-managed swimming hole about a mile north of Panaca on the Fifth Street dirt road: ~84-88F geothermal water dammed into a clear pond (deep near the concrete dam, springs bubbling up in the marshy edge) with a rope swing, picnic table and fire rings; it is a swim hole rather than a hot soak, and the town reportedly drains it completely once a year around April for algae control.
Checked March 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 6 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Nevada SHPO — Historical Marker 160 'Panaca Spring' (spring created the Meadow Valley oasis; first permanent settlement 1864; 80 years of domestic water).
- 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 86°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing required; reported dog-friendly.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None — free, undeveloped; reportedly managed by the town of Panaca on/around public land.
- Best time to go: Right after the annual ~April drain/cleaning for the clearest water; cooler months suit the lukewarm temperature. Weekdays/daylight — the site has a party history.
- Clothing reality: No posted rules at the undeveloped site, but swimsuits are expected — Panaca is a conservative Mormon town (no gambling, no alcohol sales) and the pond sits in the open beside a town road; trip reports advise suits to avoid trouble.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: spotty — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Short walk from a dirt-road pullout to a natural pond edge; no developed path, no facilities.
- Warm, not hot: ~84-88F year-round (USGS-era vent reading ~86-88F) — a swimming hole, not a hot-tub soak; most pleasant in cooler months
- Town of Panaca reportedly drains the pond completely once a year (~April) for algae control — clearest water right after cleaning, murkiest by late winter; time a visit accordingly
- Pond is dammed by a concrete wall on one side; water near the dam is over an adult's head — swim cautiously, no lifeguard
- NOT a wildlife refuge or closed site — this is the historic Panaca Spring whose flow created the Meadow Valley oasis and made Nevada's first permanent Mormon settlement possible (Nevada Historical Marker 160; the marker itself was moved to the town park to protect it from vandalism out here)
- Locals' spot with a history of parties/vandalism — rope swing, fire rings, picnic table on site; pack out all trash
- Access: good dirt road (Fifth Street) ~1 mi north of town; the pond is also the trailhead for the unsigned ~1.6-mi public-lands footpath to Teapot Arch
- No facilities, no fee, no posted hours
- Hazard: Warm freshwater pond — Naegleria fowleri (brain-eating amoeba) is a documented fatal risk in Nevada warm springs (a child died in 2023 after exposure at Ash Springs ~55 mi south on US-93); avoid submerging your head or stirring sediment
- Hazard: Deep water near the concrete dam; no lifeguard
- Hazard: Seasonal algae and stagnant warm water — murkiest late winter before the annual drain
- Hazard: Broken glass/trash possible — party history
- Hazard: Remote region — nearest services in Panaca (~1 mi); Caliente ~20 min southwest
About this spring
Clear, constant ~84-88°F spring pond a mile north of Panaca — a historic desert swimming hole with rope swing and picnic table; Nevada historical marker #160. Drained and cleaned yearly by the town. Lukewarm — a swim hole, not a hot soak.
Panaca Spring is the reason Panaca exists: its large, constant flow of warm water created the Meadow Valley oasis that made settlement possible. Nevada Historical Marker No. 160 recounts that Manley's ill-fated Death Valley Party noted the spring in 1849; Brigham Young's White Mountain Mission men cultivated the site in 1858 as a desert refuge but abandoned it the same year. Mormons returned in 1864 to found Panaca — the first permanent settlement in southern Nevada — and the spring supplied all domestic water for 80 years; the Meadow Valley Mining District, including the Pioche area, was organized with its center at the spring in 1864.
The pond, about a mile north of town on a dirt continuation of Fifth Street, is one of the few Nevada desert springs openly used for swimming — locals call it 'the hole,' complete with rope swing, picnic table, and fire rings. The marker itself was relocated to Panaca's park after repeated target practice and vandalism at the spring site.
Directions & trailhead access
From Panaca, take N 5th St (dirt) ~1 mi north to the pond.
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 | 86°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 86°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported dog-friendly |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Nevada SHPO — Historical Marker 160 'Panaca Spring' (spring created the Meadow Valley oasis; first permanent settlement 1864; 80 years of domestic water) |
Panaca Warm Spring FAQ
Is Panaca Warm Spring open right now?
Panaca's warm-spring pond — 'the hole' to locals — is a free, undeveloped, town-managed swimming hole about a mile north of Panaca on the Fifth Street dirt road: ~84-88F geothermal water dammed into a clear pond (deep near the concrete dam, springs bubbling up in the marshy edge) with a rope swing, picnic table and fire rings; it is a swim hole rather than a hot soak, and the town reportedly drains it completely once a year around April for algae control. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked March 2026.)
Is Panaca Warm Spring free?
Panaca Warm Spring is listed as free to access in Lincoln County, Nevada. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Panaca Warm Spring?
Panaca Warm Spring has a reported soak temperature of 86°F and a historical source temperature of 86°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Panaca Warm Spring clothing optional?
Panaca Warm Spring is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Panaca Warm Spring?
Panaca Warm Spring is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- Nevada SHPO — Historical Marker 160 'Panaca Spring' (spring created the Meadow Valley oasis; first permanent settlement 1864; 80 years of domestic water) — official · 2026-09
- HotSpringers.net — Panaca Warm Springs trip report (Jan 2023: ~84F year-round; town-managed; drained each April for algae; deep at dam; swimsuits advised) — community · 2023-01
- nv-landmarks.com — Marker 160 field visit ('the hole': natural swimming hole on Fifth Street dirt road ~1 mi N of Panaca; rope swing, fire rings, picnic table; marker relocated to town park) — community · 2009-04
- onX Maps — 'Panaca Swimming Hole to Teapot Arch' trail guide ('crystal clear swimming hole'; unsigned footpaths across public lands; page undated) — community · 2024
- HotSpringsHub — Panaca Warm Springs (natural pond, deep near dam, free, undeveloped, open access; page undated) — community · 2024
- soakingsprings.com — 'Panaca Spring' (88F; BLM land; USGS sample 86F, pH 7.6) at 37.807,-114.380 — used for lead/data cross-check only — community · 2026-03
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.