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DAY HIKE - DEEP CREEK HOT SPRINGS
Description:
We will lead a Great Outdoors excursion to Deep Creek Hot Springs
near Hesperia on Tuesday, May 25. Deep Creek Hot Springs is a
popular, clothing optional, skinny-dipping spot on U.S. Forest Service
land. It's got (1) hot springs, (2) a cold creek, (3) beach-like areas
and rocks to hang out on, and (4) other people - men, women, children,
with clothes on and/or off.
Deep Creek is about 100 miles (2.5 hours) from Palm Springs and the
last 6 miles of driving is on a dirt road where you should have a high
clearance vehicle (pickup truck, SUV, Jeep, etc.). Four-wheel drive is
NOT required. For carpooling from Palm Springs, meet before 8 AM
(Tuesday, May 25) in front of Hunters at 302 E. Arenas, Palm Springs,
CA. We will depart promptly at 8 AM.
If you'd prefer to organize your own driving, you can find driving &
hiking directions at this website:
www.deepcreekvolunteers.com or see below.
We will park at Bowen Ranch which is private property (and also
clothing optional). Parking costs $5 per person. GPS coordinates for the
Bowen Ranch House are: 34.363631, -117.162044 or N34 21.507 W117 09.871.
But be aware that your GPS may take you on some less-than-optimal
roads. You should rely on the link to directions above.
The spot where we park the vehicles is about half a mile past the
Bowen Ranch House. From there it's a 2-mile hike, descending 900 feet,
to Deep Creek Hot Springs. This means your return hike will be two
miles with a 900 foot ascent. Good for the heart.
If this is your first time to Deep Creek and you are not hiking with
the group, you should be aware that as you near the springs the trail
will fork. While it is very tempting to take the left fork, which
obviously leads directly down to the springs that you see on your
left, you actually want to take the RIGHT FORK for a much safer,
easier descent.
Getting to the hot springs themselves requires fording the cold creek.
Water at this time of year may be waist high, give or take, depending
on how high your waist is. Some prefer to get to this point in hiking
boots and then change to water shoes for getting across the creek and
getting around to the different hot springs. You may want to do it
differently, depending on how tough your feet are and what kind of
footwear you've got in your closet.
You should bring drinking water, food, something to sit on (a towel is
good enough), sun block, gas money for carpooling, a five-dollar bill
for parking, a sense of adventure, and a willingness to try to carry
out some of the litter left behind by less responsible people.
Your departure time from Deep Creek is whenever you and the carload
you came with wants to leave. If you decide to leave in the early
afternoon, you will be making that 900-foot ascent with a full sun
beating down on your back. Many like to wait until the sun gets closer to
the western horizon, even though it means driving home in the dark.
Dogs are welcome if you can get them across the creek and so long as you
clean up after yours.
Remember that Deep Creek Hot Springs as well as Bowen Ranch and the
trail between are clothing optional, so if nudity may offend you, don't go on this hike.
For further information, directions, etc., contact Ed via email at:
MadeIn1953@gmail.com - click here or telephone him at (760) 902-1850
Driving Directions: See link above or below.
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|
Ron Gilbert scanned Bowen Ranch's printed map... you can see it in 3 images - click here:
cover -
back -
back flipped
Click here for photos from various Deep Creek trips
Click here view photos from other hikes
Click here for photos from all of our events
| Meeting Information |
| Date: |
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 |
| Time: |
8:00 AM / Return: Approx. 6:30 PM |
Place: |
@ Hunters on Arenas-click here |
| Contact: |
Ed - (760)902-1850 |
| Note: Carpooling may be available |
|
| Trip Notes |
| Length: |
2.5 miles |
| Hiking Time: |
1-2 hours each way |
| Elev. Gain/(Loss): |
(950) Feet |
| Difficulty: |
Light to Strenuous |
| Note: Bring water, lunch and snacks |
|
|
Member's Experiences
|
| You're welcome to share your written or photographic experiences about this hike with the Chapter.
Your comments will be posted with this hike the next time it occurs. Please send your thoughts
and/or photographs to our Webmaster.
|
All contents on this page are provided by Great Outdoors - Palm Springs Chapter unless otherwise stated.
All questions, comments and suggestions are welcomed - please send them to one of
our core group or our Webmaster.
|
| Driving Directions From Palm Springs (from Hunter's Video Bar) |
| Directions |
Appox.
Miles |
Trip
Meter |
| - From Hunter's Video Bar, go WEST on E. Arenas Road to So. Indian Canyon |
0.1 |
0.1 |
| - RIGHT on So. Indian Canyon all the way to the I-10
(Note: So. Indian Canyon becomes Indian Ave.) |
5.8 |
5.9 |
| - ENTER I-10 on the LEFT (going west) |
3 |
8.9 |
| - EXIT I-10 onto State Hwy 62 To Yucca Valley / 29 Palms |
21.8 |
30.7 |
| - LEFT on State Hwy 247 (Old Woman Spring Road) towards Lucerne Valley |
45 |
75.7 |
- SH-247 (Old Woman Spring Road) becomes SH-18 towards Apple Valley
Note: at the intersection of SH-247 and SH-18, continue straight as if you were continuing on
SH-247 - it turns into SH-18
|
10.8 |
86.5 |
| - LEFT onto Bear Valley Road |
2.8 |
89.3 |
| - LEFT at Central (1st 4-way Stop Sign) |
3.5 |
92.8 |
- LEFT at Round Up
Note: At 0.9 miles, pavement ends and Round Up becomes a dirt road
|
2.4 |
95.2 |
| - RIGHT onto Bowen Ranch Road, cross over the cattle guard,
follow signs to Bowen Ranch
|
5.8 |
101 |
| - the street address for Bowen Ranch is 6221 Bowen Ranch Road, Apple Valley, CA 92308;
the GPS coordinates for the ranch is: N34 21.507 W117 09.871
|
|
|
| Total Miles: |
|
101 |
Note: It's approx. a 1.5 - 2 mile hike down from the parking area to the hot pools |
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