Crab Cooker Hot Spring
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Crab Cooker Hot Spring is a primitive hot spring listed near Mammoth Lakes, California. Reported soak temperature: 104°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Stop on Highway 395 Hot Springs — see all stops, ordered south to north.
Current status
Famous free primitive soak in Long Valley Caldera ~12-15 mi east of Mammoth Lakes off Benton Crossing Road: a volunteer-maintained cement/stone tub on a small rise with 360-degree Sierra views, fed by a ~150F source through an adjustable valve — on LADWP land where day use is tolerated (no camping at the spring itself), reached by a rough dirt road that needs high clearance and becomes impassable in winter snow.
Checked October 2025 · inferred — not yet confirmed · 9 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Choose town lodging for the Long Valley springs reached from US-395 and Benton Crossing Road.
Mammoth Lakes is about 10 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Tolerated access — verified below — confirm via BLM — Recreational Hot Springs (Tubs), Long Valley (official page confirming hot springs on BLM-managed land off Benton Crossing Rd).
- Cost: Reported free access — fees and permits can change, confirm before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 104°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; pets reported not allowed — confirm current rules.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None — free, no fee, no reservation. Day use on LADWP land is tolerated; overnight camping only on adjacent BLM land (14-day limit applies on BLM).
- Best time to go: Sunrise and weekday mornings year-round for solitude; late spring and early fall for best weather. Summer brings mosquitoes and crowds; winter is beautiful but the dirt road may be snowed in.
- Clothing reality: No posted policy — clothing-optional by long custom at all Long Valley springs; nudity is common and uncontested, though this is one of the busier tubs so suits are equally normal.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: spotty — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — rough dirt road plus a 0.2-mi uneven path to a tub on a rise.
- SOURCE IS ~150F — never touch the spring source or unmixed inflow; the tub has a valve to adjust hot-water inflow (usually lands ~95-110F, often on the hotter side). Test before entering and re-check after others adjust the valve
- Tub is volunteer-maintained and breaks: reports include graffiti, a broken pipe, and 'no water at all' in August 2025 — it may be dry or non-functional on any given visit
- Tub is small — realistically 3-4 adults comfortably, up to ~8 max; expect to share or wait on weekends
- NO CAMPING at the spring — it sits on LADWP land (marked by large white boundary signs) where only day use is allowed; dispersed camping is legal on adjacent BLM parcels and at the parking area fringe — know which side of the signs you're on
- Rough final dirt road — high clearance recommended; ruts, dips and rocks. Alternative: park at Shepherd Hot Springs and walk ~0.4 mi. Benton Crossing Rd itself is paved but unplowed sections/drifting snow can block access Dec-Mar — check Caltrans District 9
- Route: US-395 to Benton Crossing Rd (green church landmark), ~1.1 mi to gravel Whitmore Tubs Rd, ~1.7 mi to unsigned dirt road on the right, ~0.9 mi rough track to parking, then 0.2 mi walk
- No toilets, no water, no trash — pack out everything; cattle graze the area (close the gates)
- Shepherd Hot Spring is an ~8-minute walk away — a good fallback if Crab Cooker is crowded or dry
- Hazard: Scalding ~150F source water and unmixed inflow — test water before entering
- Hazard: Broken/vandalized plumbing — tub occasionally dry or malfunctioning
- Hazard: Deep ruts/rocks on final dirt road; impassable when snow-covered
- Hazard: Winter storms and drifting snow on Benton Crossing Rd
- Hazard: Exposed site — high wind, no shade, mosquitoes in summer
- Hazard: Cattle gates and open range livestock on roads
About this spring
Single man-made cement soaking tub on an elevated hilltop in the Long Valley Caldera ~12-15 miles east of Mammoth Lakes, with 360-degree views of the Sierra Nevada and Long Valley. Geothermal water is piped in through an adjustable valve (typically ~95-110°F when flowing). Sits higher than neighboring springs — the hottest source in the cluster. Tub is sometimes found empty or cold — check recent reports. Source water is scalding; adjust the valve carefully. No facilities or cell service.
Crab Cooker Hot Springs is a single oval rock-and-concrete soaking tub on an elevated rise in the Long Valley Caldera, roughly 12–15 miles east of Mammoth Lakes off Benton Crossing Road — the hilltop position gives the best 360-degree views of the Eastern Sierra and Long Valley of any spring in the cluster. The source is enclosed in a concrete well housing on Los Angeles Department of Water and Power land (camping is prohibited at the spring, though dispersed camping is allowed on adjacent BLM parcels); the source's surface temperature has been measured near 150°F, the hottest of the group. Water is piped to the tub, which fits roughly four to eight people, and a red valve controls inflow — local etiquette holds that you close the valve before leaving. The spring is the least predictable of the Long Valley tubs: it sat empty in summer 2021 and has run intermittently full, cold, or dry since, so checking recent reports is wise. Reached by a rutted dirt road (high clearance advised) or a roughly half-mile walk from Shepherd Hot Springs.
Directions & trailhead access
From US-395 turn east onto Benton Crossing Road at the green church; continue ~2.5 miles and turn left onto an unsigned rough dirt road to a small parking area, then walk 0.2 miles to the tub. Last stretch needs high-clearance/4WD — easier to park at Shepherd Hot Springs and walk ~0.4 miles southeast.
California geothermal context
California spans several geothermal provinces: the volcanic Cascades and Modoc Plateau in the northeast, Sierra Nevada granite seeps along the eastern front, Mojave and Colorado Desert springs in the south, and the famously mineral-rich Big Sur coast. Fire season (roughly June–November) closes access to many backcountry springs without warning — always check for current fire restrictions.
What a primitive site means here
Primitive springs have no facilities: no changing rooms, no trash service, often no maintained road to the pool. Expect natural rock or gravel bottoms, water temperature that varies by spot and season, and other visitors who may treat the site informally. Pack out everything you bring, test the water before entering, and leave the pool cleaner than you found it.
Best time to visit
Year-Round (Best: May – October)Pool temperatures and access can change with weather and season. Outdoor ambient temperatures fluctuate significantly across California. Late spring through autumn offers the most comfortable road access.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 104°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 150–156°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | BLM — Recreational Hot Springs (Tubs), Long Valley (official page confirming hot springs on BLM-managed land off Benton Crossing Rd) |
Crab Cooker Hot Spring FAQ
Is Crab Cooker Hot Spring open right now?
Famous free primitive soak in Long Valley Caldera ~12-15 mi east of Mammoth Lakes off Benton Crossing Road: a volunteer-maintained cement/stone tub on a small rise with 360-degree Sierra views, fed by a ~150F source through an adjustable valve — on LADWP land where day use is tolerated (no camping at the spring itself), reached by a rough dirt road that needs high clearance and becomes impassable in winter snow. (Status inferred — not yet confirmed, last checked October 2025.)
Is Crab Cooker Hot Spring free?
Crab Cooker Hot Spring is listed as free to access in Mono County, California. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Crab Cooker Hot Spring?
Crab Cooker Hot Spring has a reported soak temperature of 104°F and a historical source temperature of 150–156°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Crab Cooker Hot Spring clothing optional?
Crab Cooker Hot Spring is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Crab Cooker Hot Spring?
Public use of Crab Cooker Hot Spring is tolerated rather than formally authorized — there is no reservation system. Follow posted rules and keep a low profile to preserve access.
Where to stay in Mammoth Lakes
Choose town lodging for the Long Valley springs reached from US-395 and Benton Crossing Road. The pools are outside town on separate access roads.
Mammoth Lakes is about 10 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- BLM — Recreational Hot Springs (Tubs), Long Valley (official page confirming hot springs on BLM-managed land off Benton Crossing Rd) — official · 2025
- LADWP — Eastern Sierra Land Use Regulations (camping only in designated campgrounds on LADWP land; day use) — official · 2025
- Hot Springs Guides — Crab Cooker (LADWP parcel, no camping at spring, valve-adjustable ~150F source, 3-8 person tub) — community · 2025
- Wanderlog — Crab Cooker reviews (Aug 2025 'no water' report, broken pipe/graffiti, rough road, winter treacherous) — community · 2025-08
- TheDyrt — Crab Cooker Hotsprings dispersed camping reviews (LADWP forbids camping on its parcel, BLM adjacent; Oct 2025 road/vehicle notes) — community · 2025-10
- Where Are Those Morgans — Crab Cooker guide (free, clothing optional, 95-110F, winter road closure notes) — community · 2025-03
- Hot Springs Locator — Crab Cooker (Whitmore Tubs Rd turn-by-turn, Shepherd fallback hike) — community · 2024
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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