We love hot water. We’ll take a hot tub or a Jacuzzi. Natural sources of hot water are even better. Besides relaxing in mud baths (see prior post on Calistoga Mud Baths), we love hot springs. Free ones are our favorites and there are plenty of those.
While traveling the loneliest highway (Highway 50)in Nevada, we camped overnight in Austin and searched out Spencer’s Hot Springs. RV friends told us it was their favorite. We drove about 12 miles east tinto the Smokey Valley then turned off the highway onto a forest service road. We first found a rock pool. A small deck and bench were handy for leaving shoes, towels, etc. The rocks, however, were extremely slippery and the water was probably 106 degrees. We later found a second spot: a stock tank where you could regulate how much hot water came in. Prior visitors had put down indoor/outdoor carpet. This was much more comfortable and we enjoyed lunch and a good soak.
The views of the Toiyabe Range, still with snow, and the valley of sage were incredible. I was in a hot springs in Idaho with pools that had hot water waterfalls. That’s my very favorite, but this is definitely number two.
We found a description and directions to Spencer’s Hot Springs, plus a number of others in the same area, listed in Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Southwest at RVBookstore.com. It’s a great resource for both free and commercial hot springs. Jaimie
