Warm Springs was the site of a small cafe and gasoline station at the junction of U.S. Highway 6 and Nevada State Route 375, about 67 km east of Tonopah. The site is presently (2005) abandoned. The hot springs are located in SW¼ NW¼ SW¼ Sec. 20, T4N, R50E, and emerge through alluvium about 30 m east of the bedrock outcrop. They are located along the trace of a major range-front fault along the west side of Hot Creek Valley. Fiero (1968) reported that this fault has as much as 600 m of geologically recent movement, and the location of earthquake epicenters along the fault indicates that it is still active.
The thermal water is believed to rise along a fault zone, predominantly in limestone. Brecciation along the fault, as well as solution of the limestone, contributes to a relatively high permeability. Most of the spring water probably originates from a regional groundwater system, after relatively deep circulation depths. A small proportion of the spring water is probably of local, nonthermal origin (Fiero, 1968).
The water of Warm Springs is high in carbonate due to its passage through limestone, and a 6 m-high travertine terrace 200 by 400 m has built up along the range front. Two springs are reported, the orifice of one of which has been developed with a 1.5 m-deep ditch. The water has been used for stock watering and as a supplementary domestic supply. Part of the flow has also been used in a swimming pool (Fiero, 1968), located about 75 m south of the cafe. The maximum reported water temperature is 61°C, and an estimate of the minimum thermal reservoir temperature, using the silica geothermometer, is 110°C (Mariner and others, 1974).
Photos
Airphoto
Abandoned cafe at Warm Springs, Nye County
Fenced pool at Warm Springs, Nye County
Warm water in ditch below pool at Warm Springs, Nye County.