Imagine you’re visiting the urban sprawl of Los Angeles on a foggy spring morning, and you decide to go for a day trip to the coastal mountains where you’ll hike for a couple of hours and soak in a natural hot spring pool. This day trip is possible at Gaviota Hot Springs, located in Gaviota State Park on California’s Central Read more...

Deep in the mountains of the Los Padres National Forest near Santa Barbara is a long and dusty backpacking trail that will take you to the hidden Sespe Hot Springs. Because this trail requires at least one day of hiking in warm, exposed conditions, most people do not visit or even know about Sespe. Yet, for those brave enough to Read more...

If you’re looking for an adventurous weekend backpacking experience to a secluded hot spring, you’ll want to visit Sykes Hot Spring in Big Sur. The trailhead is a couple of hours south of San Francisco and the Bay Area; these hot springs reopened in April 2021 after five years of closure, prompting mixed reactions. One thing is true; these springs Read more...

Adventure into the rain shadowed desert foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains to a cluster of undeveloped hot springs on the Deep Creek fork of the Mojave River. Surrounded by lush vegetation of willows and other various trees, the natural hot pools transport you into a parallel universe. The cool waters of the Mojave River provide a refreshing reprieve while Read more...