# Hot Creek Springs, California

Hot Creek Springs in California. 171°F (77°C). Roadside · Public Land. Mono County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hot-creek-springs-1
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Hot Creek Springs?

Not at the source. The water leaves the ground at 171°F, hot enough to burn skin. You can drive right up to it. It's on US Forest Service land.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 171°F (77°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 8.7 (Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 6,970 ft |
| Access | Roadside · Public Land, 229 ft from the nearest road (Hot Creek Hatchery Road) |
| Land | Inyo National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Mono County |
| Nearest town | Mammoth Lakes |
| Coordinates | 37.65600, -118.83400 |
| Best months to soak | February, December, January (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | CONVICT LAKE CAMPGROUND, 4.0 mi |

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 171°F, the source water at Hot Creek Springs is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

## About Hot Creek Springs

Scalding water within sight of the road. Hot Creek Springs sits on Inyo National Forest land about nine miles outside Mammoth Lakes, and the temperature on file is well past anything skin can tolerate. It is open to the public. The one thing to know before anything else is that the water is not something to get into.

Hot Creek Hatchery Road is the access, and the springs are a couple of hundred feet from it, so this counts as roadside. Forest Service land. You are at close to seven thousand feet on the east side of the Sierra, where a typical winter lays down seven feet of snow and the remaining months stay fairly dry.

The record puts the best visits in the winter months, December into February. Convict Lake Campground is four miles away. Do not touch the water; it will scald you. The chemistry on file is from a 1997 sample with a high pH, and a photo exists in the record. The access listing says Open, though the file does not say how recent that is, so check with the Forest Service for closures.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1997-10-22 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 8.7 |
| Chloride | 183 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Clovis](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/california/clovis), 74 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in California](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california)
- [Hot Creek Gorge Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hot-creek-gorge-springs): 199°F source, pH 8.0, TDS 1,170 mg/L, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Casa Diablo Hot Pool, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/casa-diablo-hot-pool): 165°F source, pH 7.7, TDS 1,230 mg/L, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Hot Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/hot-springs-mono-county): 129°F source, pH 7.3, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [The Tub, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/the-tub): 167°F source, pH 7.3, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Whitmore Hot Springs, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/whitmore-hot-springs): 95°F source, pH 8.7, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County
- [Little Hot Creek Spring, CA](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/california/little-hot-creek-spring): 180°F source, pH 7.8, TDS 1,230 mg/L, Short Walk, near Mammoth Lakes, Mono County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Hot Creek Springs?**
Hot Creek Springs has a water temperature of 171°F (77°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Hot Creek Springs located?**
Hot Creek Springs is located in Mono County, California at 6,970 feet elevation, near Mammoth Lakes. Coordinates: 37.6560°N, 118.8340°W.

**How do I get to Hot Creek Springs?**
Hot Creek Springs has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Hot Creek Hatchery Road (229 ft from the road).

**Is Hot Creek Springs free to visit?**
Hot Creek Springs has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.

**Can I camp near Hot Creek Springs?**
Yes, Convict Lake Campground is located nearby (4.0 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Hot Creek Springs?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Chloride. The pH is 8.7 (alkaline).

**Is it safe to soak at Hot Creek Springs?**
No, not at the source. The water at Hot Creek Springs reaches 171°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals