Keough Hot Ditch
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Keough Hot Ditch is a primitive hot spring listed near Bishop, California. Reported soak temperature: 100°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Stop on Highway 395 Hot Springs — see all stops, ordered south to north.
Current status
Free primitive rock-walled soaking pools in the warm overflow creek ('the Ditch') just below and outside the fence of Keough's Hot Springs resort, ~8 mi south of Bishop off US-395 on LADWP-owned Owens Valley land — day-use only, clothing-optional by custom, busy on weekends, and POSTED-WARNED for Naegleria fowleri (brain-eating amoeba): keep your head and nose above water.
Checked September 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 10 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
An overnight stop on the southern US-395 leg, including visits to Keough’s.
Bishop is about 7 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: Open — last verified below — confirm via Data Basin — Managed Land in Inyo County (LADWP owns ~48% of Owens Valley land; most open to public recreation).
- Cost: Reported free access — fees and permits can change, confirm before visiting.
- Getting there: Reported 0 mi trail — confirm the route, road, and seasonal access.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 100°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; reported dog-friendly.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None — free, informal day-use on LADWP land (most LADWP Owens Valley land is open to public recreation); no fee, no reservation.
- Best time to go: Year-round, daylight hours only. Weekday mornings are quietest; weekend afternoons and warm evenings draw crowds. Winter soaking works — water stays warm.
- Clothing reality: No official rule — informal spot on LADWP land. Swimsuits common by day; clothing-optional/nudity is customary, especially evenings; technically legal at an undeveloped site but the site sits beside a public dirt road.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: ok — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: 2-minute walk from the parking gate over uneven dirt ground to the pools; no ADA infrastructure.
- POSTED WARNING SIGN ON SITE: Naegleria fowleri (brain-eating amoeba) has been documented in these warm runoff pools — do NOT submerge your head or let water up your nose; infection is rare but fatal
- DAY USE ONLY — no overnight parking and no camping at the ditch; posted and enforced
- Don't confuse the free Ditch with Keough's Hot Springs resort up the road — the resort (est. 1919, LADWP-leased) is a paid facility (~$12 day use, closed Tuesdays) with chlorinated pools; the Ditch is free, raw, untreated runoff below it
- Water temp: spring source ~124-130F but the ditch reaches the pools around ~95F at the inflow pipe and cools downstream — upper pools ~90-95F, lower pools ~75-85F; hotter pools are higher up the creek
- Access: Keough Hot Springs Rd ~0.8-0.9 mi west off US-395 (7.5 mi S of Bishop / 7.6 mi N of Big Pine), then right on the second/third dirt road to a gate/parking area; 2-min walk in. The dirt road crosses a cold stream — occasionally rutted/high-clearance-favorable; park at the gate and walk if unsure, and NEVER park right beside the pools — the saturated ground has swallowed/slid vehicles in
- Popular — locals use it as a warm swimming hole; expect company on weekends and nice evenings; more pools downstream along the path if the first ones are taken
- Broken glass reported — wear footwear to the pools; pack out all trash; no toilets, no facilities, no trash service
- Huge power lines overhead detract from the otherwise big Eastern Sierra views
- Hazard: Naegleria fowleri (brain-eating amoeba) documented — never submerge head / get water up nose
- Hazard: Soft saturated ground beside pools has trapped vehicles
- Hazard: Broken glass in/around pools
- Hazard: Scalding water higher up the ditch near the source inflow
- Hazard: No facilities, no enforcement of conduct — occasional sketchy late-night scene per local reports
About this spring
Free primitive soaking pools in the geothermal runoff ditch just outside the Keough's Hot Springs Resort fence, 7 mi south of Bishop off US-395 — warm mineral water (95-105°F) in shallow stream-side pools. Distinct from the paid resort pools inside the fence; watch for Naegleria risk in warm stagnant sections.
The 'Hot Ditch' is a chain of free, primitive soaking pools in the geothermal outflow just outside the fence of Keough's Hot Springs resort — an Owens Valley facility operating since 1919 and described as the Eastern Sierra's oldest continuously running hot-springs resort. Water leaves the source at about 130°F — the spring feeds roughly 600 gallons per minute — and normally spills through a resort aerator that cools it in a waterfall effect; when the aerator is off, flow runs straight into the roadside ditch, where rock dams create a ladder of pools that grow cooler with distance (roughly 95-105°F). The ditch carries a documented, serious hazard: Naegleria fowleri was linked to a child's fatal 2018 infection here, so never submerge your head. At about 4,100 feet in the high desert with Sierra views, the pools are clothing-optional and daylight-use; no camping at the ditch.
Directions & trailhead access
From Bishop, drive 7.5 miles south on US-395 to Keough Hot Springs Road; turn right and continue ~0.9 miles. The ditch pools are beside the road, below/outside the resort property.
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 | 100°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 110°F |
| Hiking distance | Roadside — no hike required |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported dog-friendly |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Data Basin — Managed Land in Inyo County (LADWP owns ~48% of Owens Valley land; most open to public recreation) |
Keough Hot Ditch FAQ
Is Keough Hot Ditch open right now?
Free primitive rock-walled soaking pools in the warm overflow creek ('the Ditch') just below and outside the fence of Keough's Hot Springs resort, ~8 mi south of Bishop off US-395 on LADWP-owned Owens Valley land — day-use only, clothing-optional by custom, busy on weekends, and POSTED-WARNED for Naegleria fowleri (brain-eating amoeba): keep your head and nose above water. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked September 2026.)
Is Keough Hot Ditch free?
Keough Hot Ditch is listed as free to access in Inyo County, California. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Keough Hot Ditch?
Keough Hot Ditch has a reported soak temperature of 100°F and a historical source temperature of 110°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Keough Hot Ditch clothing optional?
Keough Hot Ditch is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How far is the hike to Keough Hot Ditch?
Keough Hot Ditch near Bishop, California is roadside/drive-up — no trail hike is required from the parking area.
Where to stay in Bishop
An overnight stop on the southern US-395 leg, including visits to Keough’s. Spring entry is separate from a town room.
Bishop is about 7 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- The Outbound — Keough Hot Springs Creek (photos of the on-site WARNING sign naming Naegleria fowleri; pool temps 75-95F; 2-min walk from gate) — community · 2026-09
- Owens Valley History — 'Keough Hot Springs, Once Upon A Time' (1926 sale of property + water rights to City of Los Angeles; LADWP leases the resort to tenants) — community · 2015
- Data Basin — Managed Land in Inyo County (LADWP owns ~48% of Owens Valley land; most open to public recreation) — official · 2015
- Ultimate Hot Springs Guide — Keough Hot Ditch (Naegleria case, clothing optional, no camping, dogs leashed, 600 gpm source) — community · 2026-09
- Total Escape — Keough Hot Ditch tag page (posted no-overnight-camping, dirt-road/stream crossing, vehicle slide-in warning, power lines) — community · 2026-09
- Keough's Hot Springs resort — official site (pool hours, closed Tuesdays; confirms upstream resort operating) — operator · 2026-09
- CA Travel Times — Keough's Hot Springs 2026 guide (day use $12; ditch free; source ~130F cooling downhill; GPS 37.2573,-118.3722) — community · 2026
- The Simple Bliss — Keough Hot Ditch guide (June 2024 fees; no overnight parking strictly enforced) — community · 2024-06
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- hotspringslocator.com/keough-hot-springs-ditch
- www.hotspringsguides.com/hot-springs/keoughs-hot-springs
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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