Soldier Meadows Hot Springs

What to expect

Soldier Meadows sits at about 4,500 feet on the northwest edge of the Black Rock Desert, inside the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA). It is a broad green meadow full of hot and cold springs, with the Black Rock Range to the east. The name dates from the Civil War era, when the U.S. Army kept troops in the area to guard emigrants on the Applegate Trail. Northern Paiute people used these springs for thousands of years before that.

The soaking happens on Soldier Meadows Hot Creek, a natural stream of hot water that runs through the valley. Soakers have built rock dams across it to form a chain of primitive pools on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. A couple of the upper pools are large enough for a small group. Further downstream the pools get smaller and cooler, and some fit only one or two people. These are real creek pools with sandy and rocky bottoms, not cattle troughs fed by a pipe.

Temperatures vary. Travel Nevada puts the water from the mid-90s to the low 100s °F. Other measurements of the hot creek pools give about 106-112°F41-44°C. The water is odorless. Pools nearest the source are hottest, and the Friends of Black Rock-High Rock warn that some will be very hot, so test before you sit down.

Travel Nevada also mentions a second, quieter spring reached by a fairly long walk on a trail or by a separate road off the route toward High Rock Canyon. Ask locally before trying to find it.

The whole area is the Soldier Meadows Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The BLM designated it to protect the desert dace, a small threatened fish found only here, the Soldier Meadows springsnail, and a lot of cultural sites. That status shapes the rules more than anywhere else in the region.

Getting there

Gerlach, on NV-447 about 75 miles north of I-80 at Wadsworth, is the last place for fuel and food. From Gerlach:

1. Drive north on County Road 34 for about 13 miles.
2. Bear right onto Soldier Meadows Road and follow it for about 47 miles.
3. The springs and the BLM campsites are on the left.

Plan on about 2.5 hours from Gerlach and around five hours from Reno. The road is paved for a stretch out of Gerlach and then becomes dirt and gravel for most of the way. Travel Nevada says to bring a high-clearance 4WD vehicle in any conditions. The BLM has advised carrying two spare tires. Rain turns these roads to slick mud, and the playa itself is impassable when wet, so do not take a shortcut across it unless it is completely dry and you have checked with Friends of Black Rock-High Rock in Gerlach or the BLM.

County Road 34 passes near the Burning Man site. During the BLM’s Burning Man closure period, roughly late July to early October, expect heavy traffic and changed routes around Gerlach. The springs themselves are well outside the closure area.

Carry plenty of water, food and extra fuel. There is no cell service, and the NCA has no potable water anywhere. Tell someone your route and when you will be back.

When to go

Late spring and fall are the best seasons. Days are mild, the meadow is green in spring, and the roads are usually dry.

Summer is hot and dry and the pools are less appealing at midday, though mornings and evenings are fine. Avoid the weeks around Burning Man if you want a quiet trip.

Winter can bring snow and cold nights, and a storm can trap you on muddy roads for days. Soaking in a steaming creek under clear winter skies is possible, but only with a capable vehicle, good weather and backup supplies.

Rules and etiquette

The BLM’s supplementary rules for the NCA (73 FR 39028, July 8, 2008) and the ACEC status make this one of the more regulated wild springs in Nevada.

• Camp only in designated sites. Camping outside designated sites in the Soldier Meadows ACEC is prohibited. The NCA also bans camping within 100 yards of a water hole in a way that keeps wildlife or livestock from the water, unless the BLM has designated sites there.
• Nothing in the water. No sunscreen, soap, bleach, shampoo or lotions. They harm the desert dace and the springsnails.
• Do not build or move rock dams. Building new pool walls disturbs springsnail habitat.
• No fees, 14-day limit. The NCA has no entry or camping fee and a 14-day stay limit.
• Fires in existing fire rings only.
• Vehicles stay on existing roads. Driving off-road is not allowed outside the bare playa, and no vehicles or bikes are allowed in wilderness.
• Respect private land. The Soldier Meadows Guest Ranch has been closed to visitors since 2017 and its buildings are private. The warm pond in the meadow near the ranch also shows as private land on BLM’s land-status map.
• Clothing: There is no posted clothing rule. Nudity is not unusual at remote Nevada springs, but bring a suit in case you share the pools with families or campers.

Where to stay nearby

• BLM designated campsites at Soldier Meadows: the BLM has set up seven semi-primitive sites with parking areas and fire pits, a vault toilet and walking trails. Free, first come, first served.
• Soldier Meadows public cabin: a small BLM cabin with a wood-burning stove, a pit toilet and room to sleep. Free, first come, first served. Bring your own bedding, water and firewood.
• Other BLM cabins in the NCA are at Stevens Camp and Massacre Ranch, further north along the Applegate Trail.
• Gerlach, about 60 miles south, has a motel and a few places to eat. Reno has full services.

Safety notes

• Scalding water: Pools close to the source can be well over 110°F43°C. Test with your hand and keep soaks short.
• Hot-spring hazards: The Friends of Black Rock-High Rock treat all springs on these public lands as dangerous. Water can look cool and still scald, banks are often slippery, and bacteria in warm water can cause skin problems or rare but serious illness. Keep your head out of the water.
• Remoteness: This is one of the most isolated soaks in the state. No cell service, no water and help is hours away. Flat tires are common.
• Weather and mud: A single storm can close the roads. Watch the forecast and leave early if rain is coming.

Nearby stops worth adding

High Rock Canyon, about seven miles southwest, is a steep-walled canyon on the Applegate Trail, first visited by explorer John C. Fremont in 1842. Climbing is banned inside the High Rock Canyon ACEC. On the way back south, Black Rock Hot Springs at Black Rock Point is another historic emigrant spring, though it is far too hot to soak in. See our Black Rock Hot Springs guide for that trip.