Found in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, Double Hot Springs is unspoiled and, as the name implies, twice as hot as the average geothermal pool. The twin natural pools are too hot to use, but a trough nearby collects runoff for primitive soaking.
History
The Northern Paiute initially inhabited the Great Basin National Park region and its springs. By the middle of the 1800s, hundreds of pioneers had made their way west and stopped in the area. The first settlers to this region used the unusually high temperatures of Double Hot Springs to prepare food.
Natural Hot Springs
There are two source pools at these springs, and water flows from one to the other. One is dark and looks pitch black, while the other is crystal-clear and showcases pretty colors. Access to Double Hot Springs is entirely free of charge and only accessible at certain times of the year.
The water temperature in these springs reaches dangerously high levels of 180℉. Please do not try to approach or access these hot springs; the area is gated off and marked with warning signs for people and pets.
A metal, round “cowboy tub” is clothing-optional and filled with hot mineral water from a pipe that leads the flow away from the source. Depending on how much water pressure is in the pipe, the hot water temperature can be different.
Nearby Camping
The Black Desert is an excellent place for rural camping but you aren’t allowed to set up a tent less than 500 feet away from the thermal pools. The location of these hot springs is very out of the way. Be well-equipped, and bring everything you’ll need for the hot springs.
Getting There
Because it is off the beaten path, getting to Double Hot Springs might be challenging. If you’re going to travel the Black Rock Desert, you should have a four-wheel drive vehicle. Accessibility is considerably impacted by rainy weather.
Another local option in the Black Rock Desert is Black Rock Hot Springs. It’s situated just 5.7 miles south of Double Hot Springs, about a 25-minute leisurely drive.
Details
Address: Black Rock Desert, Nevada 89412
Season: Select times during Late Fall, Winter, Early Spring; the desert temperatures get very hot in summer
Cove Warm Springs Pool – Northeast Oregon