Perfect Time for Hiking | October Mountain Hot Springs Trip Near LA 🌄

Deep Creek Hot Springs There are several routes to access these natural hot springs, but I personally recommend starting from the Deep Creek Hot Springs Trailhead & Campground—it’s the shortest trail and offers the most facilities. 📍 Address: 5900 Bowen Ranch Rd, Apple Valley, CA 92308. Just a 2-hour drive from Los Angeles! 🚗💨 ⛺ Camping This starting point is part of the private Bowen Ranch. Entry is allowed from 7 AM to 12 PM, and you must depart by 7 PM. Check-in at the entrance for day use or overnight camping. Simple meals and drinks are also available! 🥪☕ The left side of the ranch has standard campsites and day-use parking. On the right, you’ll find premium campsites at Juniper Flats and glamping tents! 🏕️✨ These include composting toilets and free instant hot water showers (let the water run for 1–2 minutes first—and remember to hang the shower curtain yourself!). Each site has natural shade. The standard campsites, on the other hand, only have pit toilets and solar showers, with no shade—which can be brutally hot in summer (as noted in several YouTube vlogs). 😅☀️ No reservations are needed—there’s plenty of space! Payment is per person, cash or Zelle only. Premium sites are 25 per person, standard sites are 15. Day-use parking is $10. 🥾 Hiking The trail is of moderate difficulty—wear grippy shoes and be prepared for steep sections. Not ideal for the elderly or young children. The hike down takes about 1 hour; the return uphill takes 1.5–2 hours. ⏳📶 There’s cell service at the campground but not on the trail, so download an offline map and use GPS for navigation. The official advice is to avoid hiking between 11 AM and 3 PM in summer and to bring at least 2 liters of water. That’s why spring and fall are the best seasons to visit! 🍂👣 We went in October—the weather was comfortable, but temperatures drop significantly in the evening, so bring a jacket for the return trip! 🧥❄️ The official website provides three route maps: 🔗 https://deepcreekhotspringscampground.com/maps The main trail from the standard campground is easy to follow—it’s the yellow route on the official map. If you’re starting from the premium campsite: drive to the entrance behind the pit toilet area, park before the iron gate (shown on Map 9), and walk into the Back Trail. At the three-way junction (Map 11), turn left to merge onto the main trail. The main trail is well-marked and hard to miss. One tip: on the final descent into the river valley, stay on the right side of the ridge for an easier path. ♨️ Hot Spring Soaking Before reaching the springs, you’ll need to cross the river from the right side of the bank. In October, the water was waist-deep! 💧 There are 5.5 pools in total: • 1 pool is deep on the left side of the riverbank (no crossing needed) • 2.5 pools are along the rock wall on the opposite shore • The last 2 require a short climb behind the rock wall The natural hot spring rocks are covered with algae—very slippery! Some algae also float in the water (likely stirred up by visitors), but the water itself is clear. 🙌 Just remember: this isn’t a resort pool—it’s all natural! 🌿 We arrived on a non-holiday Saturday around 4 PM. It wasn’t crowded—each pool had about 3–4 people on average. Have you visited a natural hot spring before? Which one is your favorite? Share your experiences below! 👇💬 #Travel #PerfectTimeForHiking #LAAround #LAWeekend #HotSprings #HotSpringBenefits #CaliforniaCamping #CaliforniaHiking #CaliforniaHotSprings #NatureLovers #OutdoorAdventure #SoCalEscapes #HikingTrails #Wilderness #WeekendGetaway