One of things we love about travelling is when you stumble on something incredible in the least likely spot. When driving down route 395 you’ll see the stunning views of the eastern side of the Sierras: huge flat plains backed by picturesque mountains. In one of these big, seemingly empty plains are the incredible Mammoth Lakes hot springs.
Hidden in a myriad of dirt roads are these beautiful, natural hot springs. And it’s not just one spring either, there are loads of them, all tucked away in the most stunning spots. After hiking in Yosemite or exploring the Sierras, there is nothing better than relaxing your aching muscles with these beautiful views.
Here’s our favourite Mammoth Lakes hot springs and everything you need to know to plan your visit.
The Best Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs
1. Wild Willy’s
Temperature: 1 warm, 1 hot
Size of the hot springs: Big
The biggest of the bunch and the most manicured, Willy’s is a great introduction to the hot springs in the area. To get there, you’ll drive along a short dirt road and arrive at a parking lot. Then it’s a very short walk (five minutes) along boardwalk to get to the springs.
There are two to choose from: a smaller pool and one that looks more like a creek. The smaller pool is the hotter and deeper of the two and when we say hot we mean hot. Unless you’re really good in hot water we’d recommend trying the bigger one first and then venturing into the smaller pool when you’ve already been semi cooked and won’t feel the heat so badly!
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs: The big hot spring at Wild Willys
The bigger pool is pretty shallow and unless you lie down in it you’ll feel the air temperature a lot more than any of the other hot springs in Mammoth Lakes. The water is a really nice temperature though, hot but not too hot, so if the air temperature isn’t too cold as it wasn’t for us, then it’s perfect.
We also had the unique experience of a Chinese woman who sung traditional songs in the pool which really added to the atmosphere!
In terms of how busy it gets this is the most popular hot springs in Mammoth Lakes which means unless you are lucky or go very early midweek you won’t be alone. Having said that Wild Willy’s is also one of the biggest so there is actually quite a bit of room to handle a decent number of people.
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs: The smaller, hotter spring at Wild Willys
2. Hilltop tub
Temperature: Hot
Size of the hot springs: Medium
Of all the hot springs we visited at Mammoth Lakes, Hilltop was the only one we got to ourselves! Despite being really close to Brenton Crossing Road, this tub was overlooked by everyone! Result!
This is one of the hotter hot springs in Mammoth and a good choice for a cold day.
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs: Hilltop Tub
Hill Top hot springs were a very short, flat walk from the parking lot and sat in a huge open field with panoramic Sierra views. It felt randomly plonked into a huge open space, but this meant you had 360 views unlike some the springs.
The pool is quite small so if there are many people around it would feel very crowded. We visited at sunset and it made for an incredibly beautiful spot to watch the sun go down.
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs: The Hilltop Tub at sunset
3. Crab Cooker
Temperature: Very Hot (the hottest)
Size of the hot springs: Medium
The dirt road to the Crab Cooker is the roughest and this hot spring isn’t the easiest to find, but it rewards those who go out of their way to get there.
As the name suggests, the Crab Cooker is seriously hot and the one to head to if you are wanting to relax seriously aching muscles.
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs: The Crab Cooker
The spring is tiny and can’t take more than four-six people without feeling very packed, so you will want to hope there are not many people around! The water is so hot that this would be a great one in the early morning or late evening or on a particularly cold day. We visited in the middle of the day and couldn’t stay in the water for too long which was a shame because it’s a great hot spring.
To get to the Crab Cooker, follow the dirt road on the map at the bottom of this post. At the end you’ll find a small parking lot and a path that leads south-east downhill. The hot spring is about 50-100 yards away, so if you’re walking for more than five minutes you’ve gone the wrong way (as we did first time round)!
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs: The Crab Cooker
4. The Rock Tub
Temperature: Warm
Size of the hot springs: Small
The Rock Tub was the hardest to find and had a really wild feel to it. It was the only hot spring we visited in Mammoth that was nestled into the rocks which gave it a more intimate feel, the other springs are all quite exposed.
It is another small tub that can fit 3-4 people in it, but after that would feel cosy.
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs: The Rock Tub
This is also one to go for if it’s really hot outside as the water temperature is a lot cooler than the Crab Cooker and Hill Top. It’s comfortable in a warmish air temperature but I don’t think it would feel hot enough on a very cold day.
It is marked on Google Maps, but it looks like it’s in the middle of a field. However, there is an unmarked dirt road which leads right to it.
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5. Shepherd Hot Springs
Temperature: Hotish
Size of the hot springs: Tiny (2 people max!)
Shepherd Hot Springs is tiny, two people fit nicely and after that it would be a real squeeze. If you get it to yourself though it’s a great spot.
It generally has the least amount of people visiting from all the springs on our list. The hot springs are a few metres from the parking lot, meaning you will have cars nearby you on one side if you get unlucky and there are others around. However, you’ll also have mountains on the other!
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs: Shepherd Hot Springs
The hot springs are down a dirt road off Whitmore Springs road and you can find the exact location on the map below.
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Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs essential info
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs Map
As finding the hot springs isn’t that straight forward, we’ve created a map for you. All of the roads (apart from Brenton Crossing Road) are dirt roads, so you will want to drive slowly. The majority are accessible with a small 2wd, but you may want a car with high clearance for the Crab Cooker as the road has a lot of big rocks on it.
You can access the locations at this link.
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs Map
Getting to the Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs
The Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs are 9 miles (10 minute drive) from the centre of Mammoth Lakes town and are clustered around Brenton Crossing Road and Whitmore Tubs road.
Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs opening hours
Happily the Mammoth Lakes hot springs are all open 24 hours a day and have no entrance fee. We visited during the day but imagine it is pretty special to be there at night.
Best time to visit the Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs
The best seasons to visit in are spring, summer and fall. In winter the roads will likely become inpassable due to snow. You could cross country ski to get to them if you are so inclined!
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Are you planning a trip to California? Which is your favourite Mammoth Lake Hot Springs? Let us know in the comments below!
