Crazy hot springs, help me find them!

scottskindaweird · Post by **scottskindaweird** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:56 pm

Hey, I'm trying to find those hot springs that are somewhere around Black Rock. I've seen pictures of it and it looks like a wild alien landscape. I'm going to try to swing through and find them, since I'm passing by that way. Do you know what they are called, or even better, can you give me directions?

StevenGoodman · Post by **StevenGoodman** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 1:45 pm

There are various hot springs in the Black Rock area. They are listed on the BLM map!

The easiest to find is Frog Pond, it is just off Jungo Road. That part of Jungo Road is fine, I took my Z28 Camaro on it last June; and only scrapped bottom once...

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:14 pm

wild alien landscape.

I think you might be talking about the Fly hotsprings. As far as I know you can't access them due to the springs being on private property. As far as I know the owners are still very, VERY selective as to who they allow and even then it ain't often.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:49 am

Don't go in Double-Hot.

Correction, DON'T GO IN DOUBLE-HOT!

Read: DO NOT! GO IN!! DOUBLE-HOT!!!

You'll cook like a Cup o' Noodles. It's nearly bottomless and 200ÂºF. A family went there, and their dog jumped in. The kiddlywinks got to watch as Daddy fished the carcass out with a stick, its skin sloughing off like wet tissue paper.

Post by **mdmf007** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:50 am

Scott

Diane o thirst is absolutely correct. Every few years we get to do a body recovery from some of the hotsprings in Nevada.

Not only are they HOT HOt HOT - some of them are really unpredictable. If you do ind one you go in beware of changes.

If it starts to smell differently, bubbles, level rises or lowers, surges, makes noise or other - get the hell out and quick.

Theres one near Hinkey summit we occasionally visit. I have been sitting in it enjoying a moonless and absolutley clear night with friends and a drink when the water level starts doverflowing like a toilet bowl.

we get out and not 30 second later that 15 foot rectangular shaped pool blows steam straight into the air. It lasted for about 90 seconds, and when done the bowl was empty, with a hole about 8 inches in diameter puttering steam, it fills the vent hole with water, gurgles and fills up again over the next 10 minutes with superhot water.

we get dressed and bail.

Just be aware, the dog story is true - Dianne forgot to mention that the dad took 2nd degree burns to get the screaming dog out of the water.

later - and be safe 277 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:18 pm

Frog Pond's okay. It's a nice bathtub temperature which doesn't vary, and there is a population of fish who'll nip the dead skin off you so be prepared for a nice tingly exfoliation. But it doesn't do things like vent volcanic geysers. (Thanks for the story, mdmf007...recording and filing into my reference library)

When accessing the springs on the EASTERN rim of the Playa, make sure you have a full tank of gas. The Playa's big, distances are deceiving and stay the hell away from the dunes. You can get lost in them almost effortlessly. Don't home in on the switching light at the railroad tracks (a blinking red light), it'll lead you right into the dunes.

Another warning: DON'T try to access Fly Hot Springs (west side) from the Hualapai Playa. Aside from the fact that it's private property and could very well get you shot, there's a field with quicksand and rattlesnakes all over the place between the springs and the Playa.

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:27 pm

BTW,

You can go to the USGS web site and root around until you find the COMPLETE listing of all know hot springs in Nevada.

I don't have the URL but the page contains county by county listings and the GPS coordinates where you can find them.

Post by **mdmf007** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:40 pm

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/struts/re ... 06&s=1&d=1
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/servlet/S ... lay_look=1

This first is the page i have in my favorites list. pretty self explanatory.

Second link is a searcheable database.

Its sorted by state now, and is in no way inclusive - as I know of other hot springs that are not listed on here, but its a good reference

Two years ago I had one of our GIS techs drop all of the western US hot springs from this list to a map. Its pretty large though at 120MB. I will see if I can knock it back and try to get it in the 4-5 MB range, or break it up by state and see where we are at. I can put it on our FTP site for all those inerested

later all

Mister Jellyfish Mister · Post by **Mister Jellyfish Mister** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:33 pm

If you're going to Frog Pond, just 3 miles east on the Jungo Road by the train tracks you'll find Trego hot springs. I was there last weekend and because of the cold air, most of the hot water road on top so I had to keep "stirring" with my body. You'll find great spots in it where you can sink your toes in the mud and it's nice and warm. Watch out for areas that are bubbling as your toe can get bit by some super hot water looking for a path out of the mud.

If anybody is planning to hit these hot springs around the time of the event, forget it. Closed and that's DPW uses frog pond for some of its water supply for the roads. Think about that next time you open your mouth while following a water truck naked.

stabrippystabstab · Post by **stabrippystabstab** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:07 pm

They are all illegal to access im pretty positive (being a gerlach resident).
The story of the dog was true. A woman jumped into save her dog. I forgot her name, she was my mothers friend. The dog died and when they pulled her out of the water her skin fell off like jello. they made a discovery channel documentery about it.

skibear · Post by **skibear** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:55 pm

Trip report to Double Hot HS In January: Playa's totally DRY right now.

Some crazy locals from the Gerlach area I met 2 days earlier suggested
I try It but first stop at Bruno's Texaco and buy playa maps. Bruno's gas
is now a Shell but their Playafied tow truck inside had Bruno's Texaco
on the side.

So on Jan 26, 07 I visited Gerlach and decided to hop on to the Playa
at the 3 mile entrance. I just followed the main set of tire tracks straight
30 1/2 miles to Double Hot. (one mistep about 20 miles in was taking me
left off the playa to the north -so I back tracked a bit to veer right.)

This was done in a car. the first 25 miles could be done at 40 to 50mph.
at about 28 mi the road started leaving the playa and became a bit rough
then very rough is spots (still OK for a car at 5mph or less) just before
the source pool. This streach had the only spot of water I saw the entire
way in. One set of ruts were a bit wet but could be driven thru if you did not stop. The source pools were fenced in with skull and cross bone signs of death and appeared to be 160 deg or more. I measured the water to be 150 degrees F in the stream exiting the fenced source.

About 1/4 mi past the source was a nice 6 foot circular steel "cattle watering" tub 3 feet deep that made a nice soak at 105 degrees measured. There were PVC pipes(with 120 deg water) that could warm
the tub up more if you wish. The tub was perfectly clean. The ditch (2 ft wide) here was also 120 deg but further down it was was 95 degrees and it's likely there were soaking areas in the ditch but I was short of time.

Black Rock Hot Springs looked to be 5 miles down a poorly marked
road to the south but since it was just getting dark I left instead. Most
of the drive off the playa was in the dark. The tracks I followed
exited at the 10 mile mark to the paved road. The rutted track was a
strip of water for a mile near the entrance -easily avoided just stay to
left or right of the main track on dry playa. Took 2 car washes to get
the dust off the rental car. I kept the inside closed and scrupulously clean.
My hunch was right -since Tahoe ski areas have so little snow
(poor w/ rocks and icy hardpack) the playa was bone dry the first
of Feburary. amazing!

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:44 am

skibear wrote:Trip report to Double Hot HS In January: Playa's totally DRY right now.
...
My hunch was right -since Tahoe ski areas have so little snow
(poor w/ rocks and icy hardpack) the playa was bone dry the first
of Feburary. amazing!

Utah and the other Western states are feeling it too. We don't have snowpack this year, and even a wet cold spring won't catch us up. Means drought, water restrictions and outdoor burn bans.

Wasn't it frickin' COLD out on the playa?

skibear · Post by **skibear** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:14 am

Air temps at Double Hot not too bad- upper 40's in day.
IMHO hot springs are best any season except summer.

Probably 15 to 20 at night but this was one day trip only and I was
back to Carson City motel at night.

Lots more exploring for future trips; Trego,frog pond, Black Rock
and Soldier Meadow Hot Springs will be new.

I see possinle rain in a few days to a few weeks. (per Accuweather)

Don't even think of driving on the Playa if it's wet.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:00 am

Thanks for the trip report.

Normally you take a pair of 4X4's to the playa, with a long rope or chain in case one vehicle gets stuck. Radical self-sufficiency in action.