Steamboat Springs is located in southern Washoe County, Nevada. The thermal area is bisected by US 395, a four-lane highway that is the major north-south route east of the Sierra Nevada. From the Main Terrace, the casinos of downtown Reno are visible fifteen kilometers (9.5 miles) to the north.
Most of the observed activity occurred on the crest of the Main Terrace, west of the highway. This sinter mound rises about 25 meters above Steamboat Creek to the east, and is about 750 meters in length. When compared to thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, the most striking characteristics of the Main Terrace are the long fissures and cracks which run the length of the terrace. Most spring locations are controlled by these fissures.