Hot Creek Geological Site
I’ve been dying to explore this geological site and i was sooo happy when I was finally able to check it out! WHat makes this site extra special is the boiling water, bubbles, and turquoise water that’s resulting from hot magma which lies about three miles below the surface. This is more of an interactive site with a few different spots to see and explore versus an actual “hike.” Be sure to visit here if you’re in Mammoth Lakes! I also listed a few other local recommendations at the end of this post.
MY TRIP IN A NUTSHELL:
MONTH. January.
TIME OF DAY. ~1:30PM. (open sunrise to sunset)
PERMIT REQUIRED. NO.
DOGS ALLOWED. Yes, but must be on leash.
ELEVATION GAIN. 68 FT.
TRAILHEAD ADDRESS. CLICK HERE.
PARKING. Plenty of parking.
Restrooms: yes!
OUT-N-BACK. ~0.5 miles
POPULARITY. MODERATELY TRAFFICKED.
TRAIL & PARKING INFORMATION
FOR Hot creek geological site in mammoth Lakes, ca
Hot Creek Geologic Site is accessible via a 3.4 mile dirt road off of U.S. 395. You don’t need a 4-wheel drive to get there, just keep in mind that the dirt road is a tad bumpy. There are also several turnouts before you reach the main parking lot. Feel free to check out those spots as well, they aren’t as GLAMOROUS as the main trail, but they still have some views and interesting spots.
As you can see in the photos, there’s a bunch of parking - perfect for TRAILERS or bigger vehicles. I could imagine this lot becoming filled in the spring/summer time, so i RECOMMEND going in the fall/winter if possible. The trail itself is fairly well paved and you can explore pretty far up and down stream, even further than indicated by the trail pictures below. you just need to climb over some rocks :) Unfortunately, you cannot swim in this immediate area. I have seen individuals swimming further down stream, but i’m not sure how legal this is.
My Trip!
I have to start off by acknowledging the beauty surrounding this spot. you’ll see a ton of open land and the eastern sierras in the distance with snow tops (if you visit in winter). It’s truly amazing and the reason why i love visiting the inyo national forest so much. There’s also a few informational signs on the walk, which will provide some historical KNOWLEDGE of the geological site:
Immediately upon starting the trail, i could see the beautiful two hot springs! This was the highlight of my trip, especially because I am always looking for turquoise water. It’s too bad it’s too hot to go into. ALso, I’m pretty sure there’s a way for people to get closer to the hot spings, but again- i don’t know how legal this is.
Here’s the start of the main trail:
if you keep going downstream, you’ll eventually run into rocks which suggests the hike is over, but there’s a hidden path alongside the mountain that you can climb up and keep going further. I’m pretty sure that is where people attempt to go swimming, but I tend to follow rules so i didn’t do it:
Now in order to get a view of the creek bends, you’ll have to go back up to the main gate entrance and continue walking toward the dirt road. You’ll eventually see an unmarked spot next to the gate where the best view is:
and YOU’LL EVENTUALLY REACH THIS overlook:
Definitely take your time while you’re here and enjoy the scenery. There’s SO MANY PRETTY SPOTS, but i HOPE YOU’RE ABLE TO CHECK IT OUR FOR YOURSELF.
ALSO IF YOU’RE IN THE AREA, CHECK OUT wild willy’s hot spring, Crowley lake stone columns, and CONVICT LAKE!
ENJOY!