Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River)
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) is a primitive hot spring listed near Hawthorne, Nevada. Reported soak temperature: 110°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Ultra-remote developed soak on the East Walker River canyon in Lyon County: a hot tub built around a ~106-108F (41-43C) artesian spring with a tennis-ball cap controlling flow, reached only by a steep, loose, washed-out 4WD descent — a June 2024 visitor called it the most developed and well-tended spring they'd seen.
Checked June 2024 · based on recent visitor reports · 6 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
A US-95 town stop before or after a remote Mineral County trip.
Hawthorne is about 19 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via NBMG Geothermal Site Description — East Walker River / Grant View Hot Springs (41.6C source, hot tub with tennis-ball cap, radioactivity note).
- 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 110°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 — public land (BLM/USFS-adjacent lands near Walker River State Recreation Area Nine Mile Ranch unit); dispersed use.
- Best time to go: Late spring through fall when roads are dry; winter snow can close the canyon roads. Essentially never crowded.
- Clothing reality: No posted policy — remote, rarely visited; clothing-optional in practice.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — steep loose descent, rough roads, possible river ford.
- DATA CHECK: despite the 'ca-' id prefix this spring is in NEVADA (Lyon County), on the East Walker River — though one approach route comes in from the California/Mono Lake side via 182/338
- Access road was washed out in April 2023 floods — as of Aug 2023 it was 4WD-ONLY 'and that is a stretch'; a June 2024 bikepacker descended it on a bike (max grade +/-20%, 1,150 ft drop over 4.5 mi). Do not attempt in a large rig or 2WD
- Two approach routes: (1) Hawthorne side — SR 359 south, Lucky Boy Pass Road west 18.5 mi (steep, twisty), East Walker Road north 8 mi, then unmarked rough roads down the canyon; (2) north side near the Walker River State Recreation Area 'Elbow'/Nine Mile Ranch unit via Sweetwater/Hwy 338 area roads
- Spring sits opposite the river bank — at high water you may need to ford; old mine ruins and a school bus mark the descent
- NBMG notes the spring water is slightly radioactive (likely radon) and abandoned uranium mines are nearby — a documented curiosity of this system, not an acute hazard, but be aware
- Tub etiquette: the artesian flow is controlled by a tennis-ball cap — leave it as you found it
- Hazard: Washed-out, steep (to 20% grade), loose 4WD road — rollover/get-stuck potential
- Hazard: River ford possible at high flows
- Hazard: Slightly radioactive spring water per NBMG (radon); abandoned uranium mines in area
- Hazard: No cell service; extreme remoteness — nearest town Hawthorne ~30+ mi of rough road
About this spring
A developed, tended soaking tub (~110°F) on a bench above the East Walker River in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Lyon County, NEVADA (mislabeled 'ca-' — it's ~1 mile inside Nevada). The famous 'East Walker River Hot Springs' soak near old mining ruins and an abandoned school bus. Extremely remote — final descent into the canyon is a very steep washed-out 4WD road. Extremely remote — 4WD-only or hike-in; washed-out roads; no services; flash-flood risk.
Known to the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology as the Grant View Hot Springs, these springs issue at the 'Elbow' of the East Walker River in Lyon County, about a mile inside Nevada. NBMG documented two vents at roughly 41.6–43 °C (107–109 °F); the source pool is marked by orange algal mats, borate crust, and sulfur outgassing, and the water is slightly radioactive — probably from radon — with abandoned uranium mines in the granitic hills just 100 m away.
The soak itself is the celebrated 'Two Tufa Hot Tub,' a stone-and-mortar pool built over three days in July 1996 by John Hennek and his family, who hauled three truckloads of flat granite, 1,500 lb of sand, and 12 sacks of cement down the washed-out canyon road. Hennek dammed the small source seep, piped the flow to the tub, and routed overflow back along the original fall-line to preserve the riverside marsh; two tufa rocks and a heart-shaped stone set in the rim honor his wife. With the spring's low flow, tub water runs roughly 90–102 °F in summer but cools sharply in winter. The approach passes mine ruins and the canyon's abandoned school bus.
Directions & trailhead access
From Hawthorne NV: SR-359 south, Lucky Boy Pass Rd, East Walker Rd to the canyon rim — the final descent is 4WD-only (post-flood washout); most parties park at the rim and hike down, then ~0.4 mi upriver to the spring.
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 | 110°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 107–109°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 | NBMG Geothermal Site Description — East Walker River / Grant View Hot Springs (41.6C source, hot tub with tennis-ball cap, radioactivity note) |
Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) FAQ
Is Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) open right now?
Ultra-remote developed soak on the East Walker River canyon in Lyon County: a hot tub built around a ~106-108F (41-43C) artesian spring with a tennis-ball cap controlling flow, reached only by a steep, loose, washed-out 4WD descent — a June 2024 visitor called it the most developed and well-tended spring they'd seen. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked June 2024.)
Is Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) free?
Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) is listed as free to access in Lyon County, Nevada. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River)?
Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) has a reported soak temperature of 110°F and a historical source temperature of 107–109°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) clothing optional?
Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River)?
Walker River Hot Springs (East Walker River) is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Hawthorne
A US-95 town stop before or after a remote Mineral County trip. Check land access and the actual road route.
Hawthorne is about 19 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- NBMG Geothermal Site Description — East Walker River / Grant View Hot Springs (41.6C source, hot tub with tennis-ball cap, radioactivity note) — official · 2010
- Nevada Trail Finder — East Walker River Area (high-clearance recommendation, washed-out trail warning, BLM/USFS context) — official · 2024
- BikepackingNV — Walker River 100 route report (June 2024 descent; 'most developed and well tended spring') — community · 2024-06
- Loren Nason — Ultra Remote Walker River Hot Spring (directions + Aug 2023 comment: road washed out, 4WD only) — community · 2023-08
- Cary and John — Belfort and East Walker River Hot Spring (route 765K trip report) — community · 2014-08
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
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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