Grover Hot Springs State Park is a state park of California, United States, containing natural hot springs on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. Park amenities include a swimming pool complex fed by the hot springs, as well as a campground, picnic area, and hiking trails. The 553-acre park was established in 1959.
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Hot Springs Cut-off Trailhead
4.5
(17)
HOT SPRING (149-165°f) AND SOAKING POOLS (104°f) ARE OPEN Wednesday to Monday 9:30AM-5PM for 90 Minute sessions (1.5hr) inside the pool facility (includes changing/showering/photo time)
RESERVATIONS available 3 weeks to 48hrs in advance on reservecalifornia.com NO PHONE RESERVATIONS
1.5HR SESSIONS (90 MINUTES) $10 FOR ADULTS (17YRS+) $5 FOR CHILDREN (0-16YRS) $8 PARKING FREE REQUIRED TO PARK INSIDE PARK PROPERTY (Poppy pass accepted)
MAX TRAILER LENGTH Summer : 24 ft or 7.3m Winter: 18ft or 5.4m
MAX MOTORHOME LENGTH Summer : 28 ft or 8.2m Winter : 18ft or 5.4m
A fantastic end of the road park. Limited space for parking, picnicking, camping(60~76 sites depending on conditions. NO FULL HOOKUPS). Reservations, on the state park website, are recommended throughout the summer months (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Keeps the crowds minimal.
The hot springs and pool house are open. You can walk up to the soaking pools which are drained daily and cleaned. You can see the steam from the ~165°F+ source which bubbles up into a catch basin to be cooled. Flowers abound through the meadows. Bears, coyotes, bobcats, birds, deer, and mountain lions frequent the area🐻🦌🐺🦁
Three trails originate in the park. Burnside lake/Charity valley, Hot Springs Creek waterfall, and Sawmill Creek trail(no longer maintained)
Burnside trail does connect to Charity valley trail outside the park 2.3 miles from the trailhead. Total distance 8 miles gaining 2300ft of elevation from the trailhead. 16 miles out and back.
Sawmill Creek has had multiple landslides that have wiped away the tail. Unknown mileage. No longer maintained
Hot Springs Creek waterfall trail is ~2 miles with little elevation change from the start to the base of the cascade.
Much of the surrounding area was burned in Tamarack fire in July 2021 but regrowth...
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A very family friendly in Hot Springs. The Hope Valley is absolutely stunning. The stark mountain views are breathtaking any time of the year. The mineral rich water remained hidden below the Jeffrey pine trees and the stark mountains of Alpine County until 1844 when explorers came along. John Freemont and Kit Carson got stuck in the snow, and the Washoe people rescued them and showed them the hot water that melted through the snow and ice. Today, the secret is out, and the once hidden hot spring has become a popular tourist attraction just outside Markleeville, California. Grover Hot Springs has six different hot water areas that percolate out of, what is now, Hot Springs Valley. The 148 degree water is cooled down and pumped into a family friendly pool. It's a beautiful area with cascading creeks, scenic hiking trails and stunning mountain views. The valley was discovered and rediscovered by many early settlers, but Alvin Merrill Grover was the first to capitalize on the hot springs. Only 14 years old, he ended up at the hot springs in the 1860's during the silver rush. He and a partner used wagons to shuttle visitors to the hot springs. Eventually, Alvin Grover bought the land and the hot springs. He even built a hotel in Markleeville.
Eventually the thermal springs became a family business and the name "Grover Hot Springs" stuck. The Grover’s became prominent members of the community. The family helped in the break away from El Dorado County and started Alpine County. Alvin and his son, Charles Grover, each held the position of sheriff at one time. The Grover's maintained ownership of the hot springs up to the 1900's. The property changed hands a few times before California State Parks...
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Probably the most well known attraction near Markleeville. The hot spring is unusually good smelling due to a lack of sulfur compounds in the water. There is a cute little boardwalk you can walk up to the source of the spring where there is some interpretive signage as well as a breakdown of all the minerals in the water.
The water is piped into a big cement hot tub/shallow pool that can fit a good number of people. Sometimes if the place is busy you have to wait in line for someone to leave to get in, but I've never personally had to wait longer than 5-10 minutes.
The tub is drained for cleaning every night, but they let you sit in it right up until it's empty. Additionally the whole place gets an in depth scrubbing every Wednesday, which is why it isn't open on Wednesdays. There is also a regular cool swimming pool, which is heated in winter and changing rooms/restrooms.
Other features of the park include a historic cabin from when there used to be a farm, a demonstration garden with native plants, campground, and a trail that they have been working on making ADA accessible, which should be finished soon and really nice, with pavers and boardwalk. There is also a nice trailhead on the other side of Hot Springs Meadow that heads up, passes a waterfall and leads into Charity Valley and eventually to...
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