Trego Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Trego Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near Gerlach, Nevada. Reported soak temperature: 95°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
BLM Black Rock Desert spring near Gerlach NV — technically open but under a standing BLM health advisory (water tested positive for E. coli, fecal coliforms, Vibrio cholerae): avoid contact; dirt roads flood and have been temporarily closed.
Checked June 2020 · verified against an official source · 4 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via BLM press release — Trego Hot Springs may pose severe risk to human health.
- 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 95°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; reported dog-friendly.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None
- Best time to go: Cool-season weekdays; busiest around Burning Man season (Aug-Sep)
- Clothing reality: Remote BLM land; nudity customary; no official rule.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Muddy ditch edges, uneven ground; not accessible
- BLM advisory: avoid bathing or ANY contact with the water — posted signs periodically vandalized/removed
- Roads impassable when wet; BLM has temporarily closed access roads after flooding (railroad crossing at Trego stays passable)
- Source ~187°F — only the far downstream end of the 400-ft ditch is soakable (90-100°F)
- No facilities, no trash service; soft mud bottom
- Hazard: Contaminated water (E. coli, fecal coliform, Vibrio cholerae per 2020 BLM tests)
- Hazard: 187°F source water at head of ditch
- Hazard: Road flooding/stuck vehicles
- Hazard: Extreme remoteness — ~20 mi NE of Gerlach
About this spring
Primitive geothermal spring and long soaking ditch on BLM land at the east edge of the Black Rock Desert playa, beside the old Western Pacific railroad grade. Source ~187°F cools through a Y-shaped ditch to ~90-100°F downstream. NOTE: in Nevada, not California. BLM advisory: water tested positive for E. coli, fecal coliforms and Vibrio cholerae — avoid bathing/water contact. Source end dangerously hot.
Trego Hot Springs is located in the Black Rock Desert at the location of Trego, Nevada, a former station on the Western Pacific Railroad. The name "Trego" dates from the 1910s, just after the railroad was built. Previously, the springs had names like Hot Springs, Kyles Hot Springs (1864), Butte Spring, and Butte Hot Spring. Today, Trego is known for its hot springs, which is a long ditch with a soft mud bottom. The springs are at the north end, near the railroad tracks, and the water flows south. Garside reports that the springs have a temperature of 187F. Unlike nearby Frog Springs at the Garrett Ranch, Trego is on public land.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Trego Hot Springs”, available under CC BY-SA.
Directions & trailhead access
From Gerlach: NV-447 NE, then Jungo Road (CR 49) ~17 mi to Trego Road, left ~0.5 mi to the springs beside the tracks. High-clearance recommended; impassable when wet.
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 | 95°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 187°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported dog-friendly |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | BLM press release — Trego Hot Springs may pose severe risk to human health |
Trego Hot Springs FAQ
Is Trego Hot Springs open right now?
BLM Black Rock Desert spring near Gerlach NV — technically open but under a standing BLM health advisory (water tested positive for E. coli, fecal coliforms, Vibrio cholerae): avoid contact; dirt roads flood and have been temporarily closed. (Status verified against an official source, last checked June 2020.)
Is Trego Hot Springs free?
Trego Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Pershing County, Nevada. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Trego Hot Springs?
Trego Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 95°F and a historical source temperature of 187°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Trego Hot Springs clothing optional?
Trego Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Trego Hot Springs?
Trego Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- BLM press release — Trego Hot Springs may pose severe risk to human health — official · 2020-06
- BLM press release — Trego Hot Springs Recreation Area road closure — official · 2019
- hotspringsguides.com — Trego Hot Springs (advisory status) — community · 2025
- KOLO-TV — BLM warns Trego may cause health issues — news · 2020-06
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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