Trego Hot Springs, Natural thermal spring in Black Rock Desert, Pershing County, Nevada.
Trego Hot Springs is a natural thermal spring in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, that forms a roughly 400-foot-long trench with two main water sources flowing into a Y-shaped pool near railroad tracks. The water creates distinct temperature zones throughout the pool system, allowing visitors to find spots that suit their comfort level.
A work team led by Frederick W. Lander dug out the original trench by hand in 1860 to cool excessively hot water. This modification made the spring water usable for travelers and settlers passing through the area.
Trego hosted Desert Siteworks, a series of art events led by William Binzen with Judy West and John Law, held over three years from 1992 to 1994. Practices developed there, such as Leave-No-Trace, were later adopted by Burning Man. The springs sit on public land in the Black Rock Desert, unlike nearby Frog Springs at the Garrett Ranch.
Water temperatures vary significantly between different sections of the pool system, ranging from comfortably warm to very hot. It is important to test conditions before entering and ease into the water gradually to avoid burns.
The name Trego dates only from the 1910s, when the Western Pacific Railroad came through; earlier names included Kyles Hot Springs (1864), Butte Spring and Butte Hot Spring. An April 29, 1912 newspaper article blamed "borax" in the water for a train engine boiler explosion that killed three people.
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