Fish Lake Valley Hot Well

Dyer, Nevada · Tonopah Field Office

Verified · 4 independent sources

WATER: hot spring
ACCESS: Local spot, unofficial
FEE: Free
SEASON: Varies by conditions

About Fish Lake Valley Hot Well

Fish Lake Valley Hot Well is a geothermal hot spring on BLM land in Fish Lake Valley near Dyer, Nevada, with views of the White Mountains and Boundary Peak. Ranchers discovered the hot water while drilling for oil in the 1880s, and over time a concrete soaking pool, wooden benches, and overflow ponds were built up around the well.

The well sits in the open high desert of Fish Lake Valley (roughly 4,800 ft elevation) in Esmeralda County, with the White Mountains and 13,146-ft Boundary Peak visible from the site.

Swimming at Fish Lake Valley Hot Well

The developed feature is a small (about 12' x 6') gravel-bottomed, concrete-decked soaking pool fed by ~105°F geothermal water, cascading into smaller rock-lined pools and shallow overflow ponds that cool to around 85°F and are stocked with goldfish. It reads primarily as a soaking spot rather than a swimming hole for laps or full immersion play; one visitor described the main pool as not especially enticing for full-body swimming and only soaked their feet.

How to get to this swimming hole

Parking: Ample parking at the site, though space can be taken up by RVs staying directly at the well.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up site on BLM land, a first-hand visitor account describes driving directly to the well with no trail or hike involved; you park and walk straight to the concrete soaking pool and overflow ponds.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

The main soaking pool runs very hot (up to ~105°F) with a gravel bottom, and there are no lifeguards or supervision at this informal BLM site; the cooler (~85°F) goldfish-stocked overflow ponds are shallower and gentler, but adults should test temperatures and supervise closely rather than let kids go straight for the main pool.

Parking

Free

Ample open parking/pullout area right at the well; free, but space is often taken up by RVs and vehicles staying overnight for free dispersed camping directly on site.

Restrooms

Yes

A single vault/pit toilet at the site, described by a first-hand visitor as 'very clean'.

What regulars say

A first-hand visitor report (firstchurchofthemasochist.com) describes visiting twice, both times arriving around 1:30am to avoid crowds, the first visit still found the main pool crowded, and the second found campers parked and set up directly beside the pool. The same account calls the single vault toilet 'very clean' and the overall site 'well maintained,' but notes that RV/car campers occupying the small parking and pool area is the main downside; the same visitor found the main pool not especially enticing for full-body swimming and mostly soaked their feet rather than submerging fully.

Backstory

The hot well was discovered by ranchers drilling for oil in the 1880s; a well casing, concrete soaking pool, and overflow ponds were subsequently developed at the site.