I visited this area and was so overwhelmed by the amount of people I saw in Yosemite I definitely expected this well known hot spring to also be filled with people. Â However I was extremely surprised when I turned down the road toward the springs and noticed that there was no one to be found. Â That was until I got to the spring itself. Â At that point I found a single person taking a dip.
Signs marked that the area nearest to the spring was off limits to camping, however they do allow parking and camping in several pull offs along the roadway toward the spring. Â These are designed for contained units only, not tents so I found that staying here would be problematic unless you could stay in your car or RV. Â Lucky for me I don't mind sleeping in my car when necessary so I was able to enjoy the stay uninterrupted just a short distance from the spring itself.
The area is dry and dusty and offers little to no relief from the heat of summer or the sharp winds of winter. Â This would not be an ideal situation for those wanting to have any kind of amenities as there are none available. Â You must be able to maintain your unit without power or water connections. Â Â Additionally, this area is an area which you must be able to provide proof of a waste disposal of some kind when staying should a ranger come to your camp. Â Keep in mind they just want to make sure you are not abusing the outdoors and leaving waste.
As these are dispersed sites no picnic tables or fire rings are available either. Â Â
The spring itself is pretty nice. Â Water is nice and warm and when I visited it did not have an odd sulfuric smell like some springs do. Â Instead it was welcoming and invited you to sit and soak for a while. Â While I wore my bathing suit I discovered that many do not so if you are visiting keep that in mind.
Other points of interest in the area are Yosemite, Mono Lake and Bodie Ghost Town. Â All of these locations have numerous stops which can be great for the trip and within a very short drive of the location.
I ended up spending an entire day at Bodie thanks to its close proximity and really enjoyed that this offered something closeby but also a bit closer to the community of Bridgeport where I could find services and supplies.
TIP: Â Make sure to fuel up when you see gas stations, they are sparse and you will want to ensure you have enough gas from one location to the next in this area.
