By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
After eight years of the gates being locked tight, the Warm Springs Recreation Area, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), is once again open for use.
A rededication ceremony was held at the property on June 10. Attendance was by invitation only. Around 300 people attended the ceremony, selected from nearly 30 different LDS stakes throughout the region.
The ceremony was presided over by LDS Area Seventy, Elder William H. Stoddard. It included a prayer of rededication of the site, given by Stoddard.
Within a week after the services, the Warm Springs area appeared on the Church website allowing Church members to reserve the facility for group activities.
Tule Springs Stake President Daren Richards, who was assigned to the administration and scheduling of the facility, said that reservations have quickly come in. More than 50 bookings were made in little over a week.
“We are finding out again just how much this place has meant to a lot of people in the area,” Richards said. “It is very special to people who have so many fond memories of being here. I think it was a very good decision for the Church to keep the property and to reopen it.”
The Warm Springs facility has had its share of misfortune over the past decade. The property was closed seven years ago, when a huge wildfire swept through the Warm Springs area on July 1, 2010, burning more than 600 acres in the neighborhood. Before the fire had been brought under control, it had completely destroyed the LDS Recreation area. An old ranch house, lovingly referred to as ‘The Big House’, and some trailers being used as service missionary quarters, were burned to the ground.
In the weeks after the fire, the Church hired a contractor to clear out the debris. Crews knocked over what was left of the ‘Big House’ and cleared out all of the rubble. But there were no immediate attempts to rebuild.
A year later, a major flood rushed through the area, putting what was left of the infrastructure underwater and washing some of it away. The floods left a thick layer of mud in the pools, washed away bridges, destroyed campsites and washed out the road that accessed them.
It took several years for the Church to decide how to proceed with the ravaged property. But last year contractor crews began the work of clearing overgrown vegetation, rebuilding infrastructure, restoring the spring-fed swimming pools and even adding new facilities.
After: Pictured right is the same view as it appears today with the overgrowth cleared and pool restored.
In the place of ‘The Big House’ a new picnic pavilion was constructed. This beautiful facility, alongside the original spring pool, can accommodate a large group activity.
On the hill above the new pavilion, and connected to it by a concrete path, is a newly constructed restroom building.
The lower, concrete-lined pool has been restored and resurfaced. The previously crumbling concrete walkways around the pool have been replaced. The picnic pavilion in that location has been refreshed and newly painted.
Sprinkler irrigation systems on the large fields below and above the pool areas have been repaired and the fields have been mowed and maintained. These two fields are also currently available to be booked for group camping and other activities, along with the two pools.
Of course, there are fees to reserve the facilities for groups. The areas are reserved in time, morning and evening time block. To reserve a pool/pavilion area for a group in one of these time blocks, the cost is $250. To book one of the fields for camping, an additional cost of $100 is added. The entire facility can be reserved for $700.
Richards said that these fees are set merely to recover the facility’s high maintenance costs.
“It has been the policy of the Church that these recreation facilities should be self-sufficient,” Richards said. “We have sort of started from ground zero here. There was a pretty big initial capital outlay for equipment and maintenance on this facility. That’s why the fees are what they are. Once some of that is recovered, we are in hopes that within a year or so we can see those fees reduced somewhat.”
After: Pictured right is the new picnic pavilion constructed on the same spot with the spring flow coming from the pool running alongside.
Currently the facility is only opened for group reservations. Open pool hours; where individuals or families can just come, pay a small per-person fee, and swim; are not yet being offered. But Richards said that those open swim hours are currently in the works. Some additional planning and coordination must take place to be ready for that, he said.
LDS Service missionaries are expected to be assigned to the area soon. RV pads have been built with full hookups to provide those missionary couples a place to stay during their service. Resident missionaries would be needed to schedule open hours for the pools, Richards said.
In addition, policies still must be developed regarding lifeguards during open swim hours. These policies are not required for group scheduled activities, because groups must agree to provide their own lifeguard services. But lifeguards would need to be scheduled in order to schedule the open swim times, Richards said. Those policies are still in development, he said.
“But we expect to have open swim times scheduled in very the near future,” Richards said. “When they are, people will be able to see them posted on the church website.”
Richards said that he had heard a great deal of interest from regional Church membership of doing service work projects at the facility. Those are coming too, he said.
“A lot of people want to help in bringing the facility back fully to what it once was,” he said. “So we have people making and planning a long list of service projects. We want to keep working on making the facility more user-friendly.”
Possible future projects include more BBQ facilities, more shaded areas. Another future focus may be to restore the campsites that were once in use in the fields below the pool area. Those areas have become overgrown through the years and would need significant work to reclaim them as campsites, Richards said.
When member groups or Boy Scout troops are looking for service projects, they will be able to go to that list and choose a project that suits them, he said. The requirements and specifications for each project will be detailed and the exact scope of work for projects will be made clear in advance.
“We want to keep everything that is done up to a certain standard,” Richards said. “That way we can maintain the integrity of the design for the facility and keep consistency with the projects.”
To make a group reservation at the LDS Warm Springs Recreation Area, go to www.lds.org/locations/camping, click on ‘List of Camps’ and scroll down to the Warm Springs Camp. All information for reserving the facility will be available there.
25 thoughts on “Just In Time For Summer! LDS Warm Springs Facility Opens For Group Activities”
Your listed website ( http://www.lds.org/locations/camping,) does not connect on The Church web page.
So happy to hear all of this good news. We served as missionaries there in 2005-6. So many great experiences. Will be excited to visit.
I live in northern Nevada now, but once lived in Las Vegas, Nevada back in th 70’s, and remember the great times we would have driving to Warm Springs for the day. My son was only 5 yrs old at the time, but still remembers sitting in one of the streams flowing around him. The big pool was so warm and relaxing.
When will the area be open again to individuals? I would love to make a trip down there this summer and bring the grandkids to see the oasis grandma talked about.
It’s wonderful seeing how the church brought the area back to life after the fires.
Wonderful work! Thank you!
I would like to go there with my adult children and their children for a day. 12 people in total. How much would the cost be ? What part of the year does it open and day time hours ? Thank You.
I grew up going to warm springs i would like to take my family now that im grown and bragged about thos place to my kids loved it there oasis in the dessert
Visited these springs every year. I am so excited to be able to take those I bragged to, to see it. How to reserve and what are the costs?
I am a little confused, I think the LDS owned the property across from the original that had 2 pools one lower and one upper with gravel bottoms and white tops. Are these those pools?
I also grew up in the 70s and enjoyed warm springs bragged to my kids about the oasis in the dessert please contact me back would love to visit tommorow fathersonshandyman@gmail.com 702 964 9468
Free swim tommorow i would love to take my Westminster Presbyterian Church family five of us please contact me back thank you so much I grew up going to Warm Springs
May 26, 2018
We are interesting in spending a day here and enjoying the beauty. Is this open to the public? Is there a contact phone for questions? Is there a cost for a day trip? What are the hours?
Thank you,
So glad to here of the reopening.
What about just a family cost for the Pool, perhaps an family overnight RV full hookup and Pool.
What would be the costs on daily or overnight ?? I live in Las Vegas.
Great to hear the place has reopened! My parents served there in 2006 to 2007. Art and Neva loved it there.
This was my home where I grew up and too see all the changes makes me sad but for others, it’s a nice change. I remember many happy times there with my family.
And also, as I watch videos about the ranch, there is no mention of my father, Francis Taylor rebuilding it into a lovely area during his time of owning it ! Howard Hughes with all his money did absolutely nothing in restoring our ranch when he bought it nor did he ever step foot into our home or ever lived in it ! I was there in 2005 and 2008 and the ranch was in deplorable condition ! I was there long before that and it was still in horrible condition ! I have letters written to my parents from the Western Livestock Journal saying how beautiful our ranch was so my father, Francis Taylor made that, plus our home into a beautiful gem out in your lovely desert ! What a shame Howard Hughes has to be linked to the ranch my father made a great deal of ! I can’t speak very well of Hughes at all !!!
I did leave a comment about our home but don’t seem to see it.
Alot of changes have been made to our home at Warm Springs and I’m happy to see that people are enjoying it now after our house burned down. It is sad for me to see the new changes though but I have wonderful pictures and memories of all the good times we had there back in the 50’s and 60’s. Recently I just found information on the architect who built our house. He had a business in Las Vegas and and was the architect of many hotels and other buildings of that era. Some thought our house was built by Frank Lloyd Wright but not so. I had a most wonderful childhood there and will never forget it !
I also grew up here as a child with my parents, such a happy place. Would it be opened to those of us that don’t belong to the Mormon Church? I would love to share this experience with my grandchildren. Can you please let me know.
Thank you,
Margaret Masanz
I remeber going thaere in the 70s when I was a you boy. The last time I went was in 78. My mom told me is was being shut down because of an extinct fish. I remember this because i really loved the place. Does anybody remener this?
My grandparents used to take me in the late 70’s. I was only about 6 and remember the bbq’s sitting in the stream and the pool that was higher with a green bottom and I thought it was near a waterfall. I don’t remember much else because I was only 6 but it very vivid what I do remember.
In the late 60’s my brother and I worked the was known as The Oasis Warm Springs, which was the lower pool resort with gravel at the bottom of the pool). We have fond memories working at the Oasis, I was about 13 years old than. A majority of the resort customers came from Las Vegas to spend the day at The Oasis, For of you who visited, the area was split into sections, upper area with tables and the lower section, also with tables. Most of park area if your recall, was graveled throughout. My job at the Oasis, was to unload coolers and food bags from the cars and take to the reserved table (of course tipped well lol).
If you are one of those customers, I’d like to hear from you, my brother and I never took picture of the Oasis and we are looking for picture of the resort. Most of what you saw at the Oasis was built by brother, including the rock walls and the cool waiting pool under the cluster palms. Each table had a number or name for reservation. My brother dealt with upper section, and I took care of the lower section. High end customer reserved the upper sections, such as major hotel dealer and pit bosses. The show girls of the Tropicana Hotel, reserved, Zales table on Mondays during the summer months. The location where brother built a waterfall in a spa like pool. Great place to kick back and enjoy the day. Love to hear from anyone who visited the Oasis from 1963-66. My understanding the place burnt down and State of Nevada bought out the place years later.
For Fidel.
I think people are confusing the two Warm Springs. My family took me there (Oasis) for so many years and this is the Warm Springs that The Peterson’s owned, not the other one that is owned by LDS. We would pull up and the owner would know us because we would come frequently, he lived on property. He would guide us in and come down to wherever we set up, usually the picnic area right by the waterfall and put our grill out for us or his helpers would. They had an upper tier and lower tier. The large pool had a pebble bottom and warm and they had a kiddy pool also close to the large pool. I remember they would always rake the gravel and keep the grounds so nice and neat. When you wanted your grill started they would do it for you. This was such a beautiful and relaxing place. You would feel revived and so relaxed after being here for the day. Me and my sister would catch the little minnows that were in the streams that ran throughout this property.. I have such wonderful family memories of such a wonderful place that we had here in the desert at one time. More than several years ago I drove out to see what ever happened to it and low and behold as I drove up there were huge bulldozers and machines filling in this beautiful pool I used to swim in with tons of dirt The area was completely fenced off as if they were getting ready to build or completely change it. I asked one of the men working what happened to Warm Springs The Oasis. He said at that time it had been purchased by Del Webb, (not sure if his statement was accurate or not), and they were turning it into a park and you would not be able to swim there at all. I also found out later that they destroyed this beautiful area to save some ridiculous fish that is possibly meaningless!!! Let’s take away a beautiful Oasis in the middle of the desert that so many natives and locals have enjoyed for so long to save an extinct fish. Not shocking though, another brilliant and logical move from the state or whomever was involved in that decision. I do have a few pictures of myself and my sister in the large pool and at our picnic site by the waterfall.
Yes Jenna, that was called Perdersen’s Warm Springs. My father’s ( Francis Taylor ) Warm Springs Ranch was across the way and he crossbred Brahma and Charolais cattle back in 1950 to 1967 which was when he died on the 10th. of October 1967. One year later Howard Hughes bought both my father’s ranches , range land and our home and with all his money, Howard Hughes made absolutely no improvements on anything whatsoever❗️When my father owned it back in 1950 to 1967, all of that property was stunning land and it was a real working ranch ❗️
And the Pedersens across the way, my sister and I went to school with them down in Overton. They were Neils, Richard , Susie and Sarah Pedersen.
My childhood days living out there were the absolute best ❗️
Jenna,
Thanks so much for the information you provided. Like you, we would go to the Oasis at least three times during the summer and had a great time. The Peterson’s were so nice and on one occasion helped me soothe a toothache! So sad to hear of it burning, however happy to see the restoration. I do remember the closing due to those endangered fish but that’s no different than the mentality of those in Las Vegas that want to rid the city of history in the name of progress (or money), Anyway, thanks again for your fond memories…
That’s right the Pedersens ! Neils, Richard and Susie were Mr. and Mrs. Pedersen’s children. I loved that beautiful Olympic sized pool that they had there ! My father own the 1200 acre Warm Springs Ranch across the way. After he died on the 10th. of October, 1967, the following year Howard Hughes bought my father’s ranches, another on on the other side of our house just a few miles away from the main ranch..The fish they are now preserving, so called Moapa Dace, they were in our pool and creek back in the 50’s and 60’s ! We thought nothing of them ! They just survived in our pool and creeks even running down to the ranch ! I can’t get over these new owners now saying that they have taken a count of them all ! How ridiculous !! I don’t believe that at all !!! That’s a come on probably charging people to come and see the fish !!
My father’s Warm Springs Ranch was extremely well kept and when Howard Hughes bought all my father’s land out there, he made no improvements on it whatsoever ❗️I went out there and saw it with my own eyes, absolutely no renovations done anywhere !!That made me very sad because my father really made both the ranches and our home a beautiful sight to see ❗️
Hi Jenna
I just came across your response, love the details of your visit. The helpers you described I was one of them. However, a point of clarification, The Oasis at the time my brother and I worked (1963-66) was owned by Mr. Iverson. Yes, we ranked the pool & gravel on the grounds every evening to get ready for the next day. Thank you for the fond memories.
That’s right, the pool with all the pebbles was owned by Ed and Zel Iverson who were very good friends of my parents who owned the 1200 acre Warm Springs Ranch just up the road from the Iversons.
It’s ridiculous how the fish seem to be so sacred out there now. In our home further up the road that they called the Big House, in our pool there were all fish and we never treated them as being so sacred today !! That was our swimming pool and that was it !!
Ed and Zel Iverson were such kindly people. Ed was a hard worker too. He was out there everyday beautifying his land and alot of people came out there to enjoy it !
Are the springs open to the public now in December 2023?
We’re visiting and would like to know. Thanks in advance for an anwer