Travertine Hot Springs
Bridgeport, California
Details
Distance
0.16 miles
Elevation Gain
30 ft
Description
Added by IdleTheoryBus
Post-hike Pampering. Unreal soaking views. Getting grounded. Dispersed Camping.
After you’ve bagged an Eastern Sierra peak, you deserve a little soaking to soothe your aching feet and tired muscles. Luckily, our great Mother Earth provides what you need.
Travertine Hot Springs sits only a few dirt miles from highway 395. Before you head out, grab some local brews from the general store in the quiet valley town of Bridgeport. You can drive straight in to the first pools. Walk a short distance to take in majestic views of the jagged Sawtooth Ridge as you relax into thermal bliss.
There are pools of all temperatures, the hottest being right at the parking area. By hot, we mean do a toe dunk before stepping in; you could cook in that first one. Literally. We used the spring as free fuel for our camping pot. Above the magma-heated ground, we heated water to a bubbling boil for two cups of hot tea.
If the first pools are all occupied, don’t fear. There are typically enough “tubs” to go around. Head out east through the slick maze of travertine rock and you will find four small, private pools in a grassy meadow.
The biggest perk of this front country spring is that that floor of the pools are mud; no concrete orderliness here. We believe in the healing power of the springs, and direct contact with the earth is crucial to the magic it can work. Rub the earth over your skin and get grounded in the steady vibrations.
INSIDER TIP:
Because the land surrounding the thermal springs is Forest Service Land, you can legally camp for free in any of the pullouts along the back roads. It is primitive camping, with no facilities of any kind, so be prepared to be self-contained. Arrive late afternoon, set up camp, and walk a half-mile for a sunset soak. Then, rise before daybreak to enjoy the empty pool of your choice before anyone has even turned over in bed. It’ll be all yours for those precious few hours.
DIRECTIONS:
Heading south from Bridgeport on Highway 395, make a left onto an unmarked paved road just before the Forest Service Office. Follow straight road between a quarry work site for a very short distance till it reaches a dirt road that curves first right, then left up into the hills. Keep on this well graded dirt track up to the parking lot. There is a pit toilet in the parking lot for your convenience. Please be sure to be courteous to others and pack out all trash you brought in. The locals here are incredibly kind and friendly, and this can only continue through good stewardship on the part of us transients.
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Travertine Hot Springs Reviews
Had a nice mellow soak as the sun rose. We were able to have some time to ourselves as the summer season is ending. Pretty strong sulfur content.
5.0
Despite the upbeat description of Travertine Hot Springs, you may want to think twice about soaking in the tubs there. Despite what the websites say, camping and nudity are prohibited. Then, please consider that the springs remain a place of religious observance for the local Indian people. They would prefer that you stay away, but the Bureau of Land Management, which owns the property, will not accommodate their preferences. Second, these are low flow springs, and there is no shower for people to clean off before they get in. The BLM says that tens of thousands of people use them every year. So it is no surprise that users regularly report bacterial infections. https://calihotsprings.com/loc/bridgeport/travertine-hot-springs/ Third, spider mites are present – they drill into your skin to implant eggs. https://hotspringsguy.com/resources/hot-springs-red-spider-mites-listing/ Also, there is a risk of Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba present in unregulated Mono County hot springs that enters the brain through your nose. https://monocounty.ca.gov/sheriff/page/tragic-death-caused-brain-eating-amoeba#:~:text=The%20amoeba%20has%20never%20been,balance%2C%20seizures%2C%20and%20hallucinations.
1.0
Limited campsites 0.5 mile away the hot springs (About 7 spots). Everyone is friendly here. A lot of people come here at sunset. Less people during sunrise!
5.0
this place used to be awesome but people have been disregarding the law and disrespecting the locals. when i say locals i mean the wildlife. the law states you must park or camp at least 300’ (100m’) from any water source. the critters rely on this water to survive. pitch your tent BEFORE the sign which clearly states NO CAMPING. and dont be a douche and park right next to the tub. we’re here to enjoy nature. not your vehicle/ “music”/ whatever. LEAVE NO TRACE and please pick up any litter you see. help us educate others by explaining these rules to anybody you see violating them. thanks!
3.0
First of all, there will be people here in the nude, so if that makes you uncomfortable, I would recommend Buckeye Hot Springs on the other side of Bridgeport. Otherwise, Travertine has 4 or 5 hot springs for soaking, and when that bores you, you can always take a hike on any number of trails in the area, all with a full view of the valley and town, along with the very mountains who separate Bridgeport from Yosemite. This is a must try experience for anyone in the area.
4.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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