Highway 395 Hot Springs: An Eastern Sierra Road Trip
Updated September 2026 · 15 stops · verified status on every stop
US-395 through the Eastern Sierra is the densest hot-springs drive in the American West: 13 soakable springs sit on or near the ~90 miles between Bishop and Bridgeport, most of them free on public land. The core cluster is Long Valley Caldera east of Mammoth Lakes — six primitive tubs minutes apart. One stop is strictly view-only (Hot Creek — it erupts to 199°F), two are pay-to-soak (Keough's day use, Benton overnight tubs), and the best ones sit down unplowed dirt roads that close with snow.
The stops, in driving order
1. Keough's Hot Springs ResortOpen
Start — Bishop, ~7 mi south of downtown off US-395
The developed warm-up stop: the Eastern Sierra’s largest natural hot-springs pool complex (est. 1919), with a big lukewarm pool (~86–92°F) plus a smaller genuinely hot soaking pool (~104°F). Closed Tuesdays; day-use hours only. The reliable, easy first soak of the drive.
2. Keough Hot DitchOpen
Directly below the resort — same exit, minutes away
Free primitive rock-walled pools in the warm overflow creek just outside the resort fence — "the Ditch." Day-use only. Never submerge your head: Naegleria fowleri (the brain-eating amoeba) is documented in warm runoff like this, and the source side can scald.
3. Shepherd Hot SpringsOpen
~50 mi — north on US-395, then ~12 mi east on Benton Crossing/Whitmore Tubs dirt roads
First of the Long Valley Caldera cluster: a single concrete tub (fits ~4–6) on BLM land, valve-fed from a ~135°F source. Rough dirt road with deep ruts — high clearance helps; impassable in snow or mud.
4. Wild Willy's Hot SpringsOpen
A few minutes east — same Long Valley cluster
The famous one, also signed as Crowley Hot Springs: two natural pools reached by a flat boardwalk, with the hotter second pool sometimes running too hot to enter. Year-round, but the dirt road is gated shut or impassable after storms.
5. Crab Cooker Hot SpringReservation/permission
Minutes away — same cluster
A volunteer-maintained cement tub on a rise with 360° Sierra views. The ~150°F source enters through pipe plumbing that occasionally breaks or runs scalding — always test the water. Access is technically "tolerated," not formally designated.
6. Hilltop Hot Springs (Pulkey's Pool)Open
Minutes away — same cluster
Pulkey’s Pool: a stone-and-cement tub on BLM land, ~0.25 mi flat boardwalk from the dirt parking. Crowded at peak times; clothing-optional is customary here. Test the ~130°F source inflow before committing.
7. Rock Tub Hot SpringsOpen
Minutes away — off Whitmore Tubs Rd
Small rock-and-cement tub (fits ~2–4) steps from a dirt pullout — the quickest, easiest soak in the cluster when roads are dry. Impassable when muddy or snowy.
8. Alkali Lake Hot SpringsOpen
Minutes away — roadside off Benton Crossing Rd
A small volunteer-built slab tub right by the paved road — but it’s the most unreliable stop on the route: frequently plugged, dry, or scalding. Worth a look, don’t plan your soak around it. Watch for rattlesnakes in warm months.
9. Little Hot Creek (Siphon Hot Springs)Open
Minutes away — rough dirt road, high clearance recommended
Siphon Hot Springs: a small USFS (Inyo NF) rock-and-concrete pool with a flow valve, ~105–115°F. The ~180°F source feeds it — test first. Sedans risk damage on the final dirt stretch.
10. Hot Creek Geologic SiteView only view only
Minutes west — signed turnoff on the way back toward 395
NOT a soak — a view-only USFS interpretive site. Springs erupt up to 199°F without warning and entering the water is prohibited by order through at least Dec 31, 2026. Worth 15 minutes to see; dangerous to touch.
11. Benton Hot SpringsClosed
Side trip — ~25 mi east of US-395 on Hwy 120
Overnight guests only — no day use. The Inn at Benton rents ~15 private clothing-optional tub sites (~$95/night): each fenced campsite gets its own geothermal tub. The only stop on this route where you pay to soak, and the only one with a genuinely private tub.
12. Buckeye Hot SpringsOpen
~50 mi north on 395 to Bridgeport, then ~10 mi on Twin Lakes Rd + washboarded dirt Buckeye Rd
Creekside pools on Buckeye Creek in Humboldt-Toiyabe NF — hot water seeps down a hillside into pools beside the creek. The steep eroded trail down is the tricky part, and spring floods can chill the creekside pools. Winter access is unreliable.
13. Travertine Hot SpringsOpen
Back through Bridgeport — ~3 mi southeast of town
The most famous free soak on the corridor: travertine-ridge pools ~2 mi from Bridgeport with Sierra views. Very popular. BLM locks the gate for multi-day Tribal ceremonial closures around solstices/equinoxes — check ahead near those dates.
14. Grover Hot Springs State ParkOpen
North spur — ~45 mi via CA-89 through Markleeville
California State Park pool complex in an alpine meadow at 5,900 ft — the family-friendly, lifeguarded option. Runs Fri–Mon when operating; ~$10 adult day use, first-come tickets. Note: the pool takes an annual September maintenance shutdown — verify before detouring.
15. East Fork Carson River Hot SpringsOpen
Same north spur — trailhead ~8 mi south of Woodfords
For hikers: riverside pools on the East Fork Carson at the CA/NV line, normally a ~10 mi round-trip walk. ~148°F source — test pools, watch spring river flow, and expect zero services or cell signal.
Plan the drive
Roads & vehicles
US-395 is a good paved highway, but the best pools sit down ungraded dirt: Benton Crossing Rd spurs, Whitmore Tubs Rd and Buckeye Rd have deep ruts and are impassable when wet or snowy — high clearance strongly advised for the Long Valley cluster, and avoid the dirt entirely after storms. Keough’s, the Ditch and Travertine keep the mildest approaches.
Seasons & reservations
April–November is the reliable window; winter soaking is possible but the unplowed dirt roads decide for you. Nothing primitive on this route takes reservations — the only bookable stops are Benton’s overnight tub sites and Grover’s first-come day tickets (plus its September maintenance shutdown). Travertine closes for multi-day Tribal ceremonies around solstices and equinoxes.
Safety notes worth reading
Several sources run 130–180°F at the inflow pipe — test every pool before committing, and never submerge your head in warm runoff (the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri is documented at the Keough ditch). Cell service is unreliable east of 395; bring water, layers, and tell someone your route. Crab Cooker access is tolerated rather than officially designated.
Highway 395 Hot Springs FAQ
Are the Highway 395 hot springs free?+
Most are. The Long Valley cluster (Wild Willy’s, Crab Cooker, Hilltop, Rock Tub, Shepherd, Alkali, Little Hot Creek), Buckeye, Travertine, Keough Hot Ditch and East Fork Carson are all free on public land. You pay only at the developed stops: Keough’s Resort (day-use fee, closed Tuesdays), Grover State Park (~$10), and Benton (~$95/night, overnight guests only).
Can you soak in the Hot Creek hot springs?+
No. Hot Creek Geologic Site is view-only — entering the water is prohibited by a standing USFS order (through at least Dec 31, 2026) because the springs can erupt to ~199°F without warning. People have been badly burned there. Look, don’t touch.
Do the Highway 395 hot springs close in winter?+
US-395 itself stays open year-round, but the dirt access roads — Benton Crossing Rd spurs, Buckeye Rd, Whitmore Tubs Rd — are unplowed and often impassable in snow or mud. Keough’s Resort and Travertine (short paved access) are the most winter-reliable soaks. Grover’s pool closes for September maintenance annually.
Do you need a 4WD or high-clearance vehicle?+
Not for everything: Keough’s, the Hot Ditch and Travertine are reachable on paved or mild dirt roads. But the best Long Valley tubs (Shepherd, Little Hot Creek, parts of the Wild Willy’s/Crab Cooker approach) have deep ruts — high clearance is strongly advised, and any sedan risk doubles when wet.
Are the 395 hot springs clothing optional?+
Customarily yes at the free primitive pools — Wild Willy’s, Hilltop, Crab Cooker, Shepherd and Travertine all have a decades-long clothing-optional tradition, especially early and late in the day. Benton’s private tubs are explicitly clothing-optional. Keough’s Resort and Grover State Park require swimwear.
How many days do you need for a 395 hot springs trip?+
Two to three days is comfortable: Bishop + Keough’s on day one, the Long Valley cluster as a full second day (the tubs are minutes apart), and Bridgeport’s Travertine + Buckeye on day three. Add a fourth day for the Markleeville spur (Grover/East Fork Carson) or the Benton overnight.
Can you camp at the hot springs?+
Not at the springs themselves — dispersed camping is restricted near most Long Valley pools (watch posted buffers). Bridgeport has USFS campgrounds (Buckeye, Twin Lakes) and dispersed options along Buckeye Rd; Benton’s tub sites are paid overnight stays. Brown’s/Owens Valley dispersed areas cover the Bishop stretch.
Is it safe to soak in these springs?+
Mostly, with real caveats: several sources run 130–180°F at the inflow pipe — always test before entering and never dunk your head in warm runoff (the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri is documented at the Keough ditch). Dirt roads strand vehicles when wet, cell service is spotty, and high-desert sun + cold wind is a real combination. Bring water, tell someone your plan.
Sources & verification
Every stop's status pulls live from the same researched record as its detail page — verified against official sources where available, dated September 2026. Key references:
- USFS Inyo National Forest — Hot Creek order & site page (official)
- BLM — Travertine Hot Springs & Bishop Field Office (official)
- California State Parks — Grover Hot Springs (official)
- Keough’s Hot Springs — official site (operator)
- Inn at Benton Hot Springs — official site (operator)
- Humboldt-Toiyabe NF — Buckeye recreation info (official)
Conditions change — each spring's detail page carries its own named sources and last-checked date. · How we verify · All California springs · Springs near Mammoth Lakes