Springs
are the hot spot
By Franklin A. Holman
On-line Forty-Niner
 The
California hot springs located in the Eastern
Sierra Nevada Mountains are the pinnacle
of relaxation and meditation.
There are many springs north of Mammoth
Lakes, but one of the best is Hot Creek.
The spring is located at the bottom of a
cold running stream, so the combination
of hot and cold water makes it a hot tub
and a pool in one.
The eight-mile area surrounding Hot Creek
also contains seven other natural hot springs
suitable for soaking. The springs surrounding
Hot Creek are almost always unoccupied.
“It’s one of the places I take my friends
who haven’t visited the Eastern Sierra.
It’s a nice recreation spot,” author of
“Hot Springs of the Eastern Sierra,” George
Williams said.
There is no cost to enter the springs. Skinny-dipping
is not allowed at Hot Creek, but there are
other springs like Buckeye Hot Springs where
clothing is optional. Fees for camping are
$4 to $6.
The landscape around Hot Creek is spectacular.
It is a perfect location to stroll along
the hiking trails and mellow out in the
shade of green trees or venture to one of
the local campsites where you can horseback
ride, meditate and connect with nature.
There are boiling hot areas of bright blue
water that produce a misty steam, and farther
down the stream there are opportunities
for fly-fishing.
Hot Creek also offers an eighteen-mile mountain
bike trail that covers varying terrain,
including geothermal areas, grassy meadows
and white chalk cliffs.
Snowboarding and skiing at Mammoth is always
an option about 40 miles away from the springs.
The busy city life is left back at the paved
roads. The air is clear during the day at
Hot Creek, and stars are shooting across
the night sky. There is nothing but open
fields in sight with the Sierra Mountains
in the distance.
The drive up interstate 395 is unforgettable.
It takes about seven and a half hours to
get to Hot Creek, about a 340-mile drive.
The plants are a lush green, and California
wildflowers are in bloom. Random vendors
sell fresh fruits and beef jerky. There
are rivers that flow alongside the highway
and campsites that seem to pop up every
few miles. Some of the campsites nearby
include: McGee Creek, New Shady Rest, Pine
Glen, Camp High Sierra and Minaret Falls.
Hot Creek is located just north of Mammoth
Lakes Airport in a remote area outside of
the town of Mammoth Lakes. To get to Hot
Creek and the surrounding springs from the
U.S. 395, go east on Hot Creek Hatchery
Rd./Airport. After less than a mile, there
is a sign directing travelers to Hot Creek
Geothermal Area. The last mile of the road
to the springs is unpaved. A sign off the
dirt road will indicate the parking lot.
Remember to check the water temperature
before getting into a hot spring. The extreme
temperatures of the water can be dangerous.
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