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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Terminal Geyser

Recorded at 205°F (96°C) in California — classified Scalding. Dangerously hot: at or above 113°F, water can cause serious burns within seconds. Many springs this hot are vents, geysers, or boiling pools meant for viewing only — do not enter.

Do not enter this water

At 205°F this water is at or above the temperature that causes serious burns within seconds. Springs in this range are frequently vents, geysers, or boiling pools and are for viewing only.

Recorded temperature
205°F / 96°C
Classification
Scalding (above 113°F (45°C))
State
California
Coordinates
40.4210, -121.3750

What this number is, and is not

205°F is the maximum surface temperature measured at the vent during the USGS/NOAA thermal springs survey (1965–1980). It is not a current reading, and the temperature of any pool downstream of a vent is almost always lower.

This page also records nothing about access. Land ownership, legal entry, trail conditions, and whether a usable pool exists are all outside this dataset. Confirm with the managing agency before setting out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Terminal Geyser was recorded at 205°F (96°C), which classifies as Scalding (above 113°F (45°C)). Dangerously hot: at or above 113°F, water can cause serious burns within seconds. Many springs this hot are vents, geysers, or boiling pools meant for viewing only — do not enter. That figure is the maximum surface temperature measured at the vent during the USGS/NOAA survey between 1965–1980 — not a current reading, and not the temperature of any pool downstream of the vent.

We can't tell you that, and at 205°F the question is largely settled by the temperature itself: this is above the 104°F ceiling health agencies recommend for hot water. At this temperature water can cause serious burns within seconds, and springs this hot are frequently vents or boiling pools meant for viewing only. Separately, this inventory records no information about land ownership, legal access, or whether a usable pool exists.

Terminal Geyser is in California at approximately 40.4210, -121.3750. There is no LakeQuality-graded lake within 25 miles. Coordinates come from the USGS/NOAA inventory and locate the vent, not a trailhead or parking area.

All California hot springs →Hot springs by state →Lake water temperature →

Source: USGS/NOAA Thermal Springs List for the United States, via PANGAEA (CC-BY-4.0). Compilation: USGS Waring 1965 / Muffler 1979 + NOAA NGDC KGRD-12 (1980).

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