Mickey Hot Springs
Encyclopedia
Mickey Hot Springs is a small hot spring
system at the north end of Alvord Desert
just east of Steens Mountain
in southeastern Oregon
, United States
. There are several natural bubbling mudpot
s and steam vents. The system contains at least 60 vents, 11 of which are dry. The hydrothermal system is in its waning stages of existence.
Each vent has a characteristic temperature ranging from 25 °C (77 °F) to 100 °C (212 °F) with the average about 77 °C (170.6 °F). The water pH is neutral to slightly alkaline.
An ecosystem of thermophilic organisms exist in the springs, separated by temperature stratum.
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
system at the north end of Alvord Desert
Alvord Desert
The Alvord Desert is a desert located in Harney County, in southeastern Oregon in the western United States. It is roughly southeast of Steens Mountain. The Alvord Desert is a dry lake bed and averages of rain a year. Two mountain ranges separate it from the Pacific Ocean—the Coast Range, and...
just east of Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain is a large fault-block mountain in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Harney County, it stretches some and rises from an elevation of about above the Alvord Desert to its peak at...
in southeastern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. There are several natural bubbling mudpot
Mudpot
A mudpot, mud pool or paint pot is a sort of hot spring or fumarole consisting of a pool of usually bubbling mud. The mud is generally of white to greyish color, but is sometimes stained with reddish or pink spots from iron compounds...
s and steam vents. The system contains at least 60 vents, 11 of which are dry. The hydrothermal system is in its waning stages of existence.
Each vent has a characteristic temperature ranging from 25 °C (77 °F) to 100 °C (212 °F) with the average about 77 °C (170.6 °F). The water pH is neutral to slightly alkaline.
An ecosystem of thermophilic organisms exist in the springs, separated by temperature stratum.