Hot Springs Near Mammoth Lakes: 7 Worth the Drive (and My “Secret” One)
The best-known hot springs near Mammoth Lakes, how to get there, what they cost, and the etiquette that keeps them nice. Plus my “secret” spot, Shepherd (it’s not actually secret).
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The short answer
The easiest hot spring near Mammoth Lakes is Wild Willy’s, about 25 minutes from town off Benton Crossing Road, with an 8-minute boardwalk walk out to the pools (longer in winter if the road is closed). If you want a sure thing with no dirt roads, go to Keough’s near Bishop (a real pool) or book a private tub at Benton Hot Springs. Travertine and Buckeye near Bridgeport are worth the drive. Hot Creek is beautiful, but it’s look-only. Swimming isn’t allowed there anymore.
After a day of riding dirt or snowboarding around Mammoth, all I want is a hot soak. The Eastern Sierra sits on top of a giant volcanic system, so hot water pops up everywhere out here.
Quick note before we get into it. Some of the best hot springs around here are small local spots that people keep quiet on purpose, and I’m not going to be the one who gives those away. Everything in this guide is already well known, on the map and easy to find. And yes, at the end I’ll tell you about my secret one. (It’s not actually secret, lol.)
I’ve been to every spring on this list, so this is the honest rundown: how to get there, what it costs, and what to know before you go.
Hot springs near Mammoth at a glance
| Hot spring | Drive from Mammoth | Walk | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Willy’s | ~25 min | ~8 min on a boardwalk (up to ~25 min if the road’s closed in winter) | Free | The classic. Big views of the Sierra |
| Hot Creek | ~15 min | Short paved path | Free (look only) | Steaming blue creek. No soaking |
| Benton Hot Springs | ~1 hour | None | Reserve a private tub | A private tub, no crowds |
| Keough’s Hot Springs | ~50 min | None | ~$12 day pass | A real pool, family friendly |
| Travertine | ~1 hr 15 min | Short walk | Free | Sunset over the Sawtooth Ridge |
| Shepherd (my “secret” one) | ~25 min | None. Park right by the tub | Free | A small tub at sunset or under the stars |
| Buckeye | ~1.5 hours | Short, steep walk | Free | Creekside pools, summer and fall |
1. Wild Willy’s Hot Springs
This is the one everyone means when they say “the hot springs near Mammoth.” It’s out in Long Valley, about 13 miles south of town on US-395 and then a few miles of dirt down Benton Crossing Road. When the road is open, you can park right before the path starts, and it’s about an 8-minute walk on a boardwalk across the sagebrush to the pools. In winter the road sometimes gets closed, so you might be parking farther back and walking about 25 minutes instead. It just depends on conditions.
There’s a big main pool that fits a crowd and a smaller heart-shaped pool that’s usually the hottest. Water is roughly 95–105°F depending on the day. The view of the snowy Sierra from the water is the whole reason to go.
- Go early. Sunrise on a weekday is the best shot at having it mostly to yourself. Weekends and summer evenings get packed.
- Summer mosquitoes are no joke. Bring bug spray.
- Winter: the dirt road in sometimes gets closed, and Benton Crossing Road isn’t plowed, so it can be snowy, muddy or impassable. Plan for the longer 25-minute walk, bring warm layers for the walk back, and have a vehicle that can handle it.
- Clothing optional. You’ll see both. Just be respectful either way.
2. Hot Creek Geological Site (look, don’t soak)
Hot Creek is about 15 minutes from Mammoth and it’s one of the prettiest spots in the area: a bright blue creek steaming through a little canyon. People used to swim here, but soaking and swimming are no longer allowed because the water can suddenly spike to boiling and the ground is unstable. Fenced-off means fenced-off.
It’s still worth a stop for the walk down and the views, and it’s a good fly-fishing spot. Just don’t plan your soak around it.
3. Benton Hot Springs
If you want hot water without dirt roads, crowds or strangers, this is it. Benton Hot Springs is in a tiny old mining town about an hour from Mammoth. The Inn at Benton Hot Springs has private tub sites (you can camp at many of them) plus rooms and a few houses with their own tubs. The source water comes out around 140°F and gets cooled into the tubs.
You have to reserve ahead, so it’s not a spontaneous stop, but it’s a great move if you’re tired of fighting for space at Wild Willy’s.
4. Keough’s Hot Springs
Keough’s is about 50 minutes south of Mammoth, just past Bishop. It’s the least “wild” option on this list: a big warm swimming pool (around 86–92°F) and a hotter soaking pool around 104°F, plus a campground. It’s been running for about 100 years. A day pass is around $12 for adults, and it’s usually closed on Tuesdays, so check hours before you go.
It’s a good pick if you’re traveling with kids, want a guaranteed soak in bad weather, or are already in Bishop.
5. Travertine Hot Springs
Travertine is just outside Bridgeport, about an hour and 15 minutes north of Mammoth on US-395. It’s named for the cream-colored mineral ridges the water has built up over time, and there are a bunch of small pools at different temps. Go at sunset. The view of the Sawtooth Ridge is unreal.
- It closes a few times a year. The BLM has closed Travertine for about a week around the solstices and equinoxes so a local Tribe can hold ceremonies there. Check the BLM Bishop Field Office before you drive up, and respect the closure if it’s on.
- Stay off the travertine ridges. They’re fragile and took a very long time to form.
- The dirt road in is about a mile and can get rutted. Most cars make it in good weather.
6. Buckeye Hot Springs
Buckeye is also near Bridgeport, on dirt roads off Twin Lakes Road. Hot water spills down a hillside into rock pools right along Buckeye Creek, so you can sit in the hot pool and dunk in the cold creek. There’s a short, steep scramble down from the parking area.
It’s best from late spring through fall. In winter and early spring the road can be snowed in or a muddy mess, so check conditions first.
7. My “secret” hot spring: Shepherd (it’s not actually secret, lol)
Okay, here it is. My secret spot, the one I keep going back to…
…it’s Shepherd Hot Spring, a little concrete tub out off Benton Crossing Road, not far from Wild Willy’s. It fits maybe four to six people, you park right next to it, and there’s a valve on the pipe so you can control how hot it gets. I love it at sunset and at night. One night we even got the northern lights over the tub. So yes, it’s on Google Maps and in basically every hot springs guide. I just like pretending it’s mine.
- It’s small, so share. If people are waiting, keep your soak short or scoot over.
- Test the water before you get in. The source is way too hot to touch. Open the valve a little, let the tub settle around 100–105°F, and check with others in the tub before changing it.
- The last bit of road is rough dirt. A high-clearance car is best, and after rain or snow it can be impassable.
- There are no toilets or trash cans. Pack out everything, and don’t camp in the little parking area.
If you were hoping for coordinates to some hidden pool, sorry. Those spots stay hidden because the people who know about them don’t post them. Go explore, and if you find one, keep it to yourself too.
Hot spring etiquette (please read this one)
These pools are mostly on public land and maintained by nobody except the people who use them. Keep them nice:
- Pack out everything. Trash, cans, bottle caps, food scraps, all of it.
- No glass. Broken glass in a pool you can’t see the bottom of is a nightmare.
- No soap, shampoo or sunscreen in the water. Rinse off somewhere else.
- Share. If people are waiting, scoot over or take a shorter soak.
- Keep it chill. Lots of people go for quiet. Leave the speaker in the car.
- Stay on boardwalks and trails. Don’t dig new pools or reroute the water.
- Keep dogs out of the pools and on a leash, and pick up after them.
- Test the temperature before you get in, and don’t soak for too long. Drink water.
- Don’t drive in after rain or snow if the road looks sketchy. Getting stuck in the mud out there is a long night.
What to bring
- A quick-dry towel (microfiber towels on Amazon)
- Sandals or water shoes for the walk and slippery rocks
- Plenty of water and a snack
- A warm layer or robe for getting out. It gets cold fast once the sun goes down.
- A headlamp if you’re going at sunrise or sunset
- A trash bag to pack out what you bring (and anything you find)
- Bug spray in summer
Where to stay
Mammoth Lakes is the easiest base for Wild Willy’s, Hot Creek and Benton. Check places to stay in Mammoth Lakes. If you’re doing Keough’s, Bishop is closer and usually cheaper. For Travertine and Buckeye, look in Bridgeport.
Riding while you’re out there? Here’s my solo dirt bike trip to Mammoth, with where I camped and rode.
Hot springs near Mammoth: FAQ
What is the closest hot spring to Mammoth Lakes?
Hot Creek is the closest at about 15 minutes, but you can’t soak there. The closest one you can actually get into is Wild Willy’s, about 25 minutes from town.
Can you swim at Hot Creek?
No. Soaking and swimming are no longer allowed at Hot Creek. The water temperature can change suddenly and the ground around it is unstable.
Are the hot springs near Mammoth free?
Wild Willy’s, Shepherd, Travertine and Buckeye are free. Keough’s charges a day-use fee (around $12 for adults), and Benton Hot Springs requires a paid reservation.
Can you go to the hot springs in winter?
Yes, and a winter soak with snow around you is amazing. The catch is the roads. Benton Crossing Road and the roads to Buckeye aren’t plowed, so check conditions and bring the right vehicle. Keough’s and Benton are the easiest winter options.
Are the hot springs clothing optional?
At the natural springs like Wild Willy’s, Shepherd, Travertine and Buckeye, yes, and you’ll see both. Keough’s is a family pool, so bring a swimsuit.
Sources
- Mono County Tourism: Hot Springs
- BLM: Travertine Hot Springs temporary closure order (2025)
- BLM: Wild Willy’s Hot Springs access road
- Bishop Visitor: Keough’s Hot Springs celebrates 100 years
- Hot Springs Guides: Shepherd Hot Springs
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, I’m Lindsey. I learned to dirt bike in Virginia, have been snowboarding since the East Coast and surf whenever I can, and I write the trip guides I wish I’d had.
