We drove to the trail head up 18 and then on the paved part of 173. From LA it took us 1:50 to the trailhead. We drove down the unpaved section. It took us about 25 minutes to get down to the paved section, but we made it OK in the Prius. In total it took us 2:15 to get back to LA. I think in and out via 18 is the way to go.
Even with getting lost and having to bash through the bush to get back on the trail, it took us only an hour to get to the hot springs. Coming back took us 1:10. It is a really good workout on the way back.
It was a very mellow day. The crowd was small and the people were nice. There was some amusement provided by people using the float tube to get across the creek, as the creek was much higher because of the recent rain, and the water was cold. Several groups came down and decided not to come across. There was one Japanese family who searched around for about 30 minutes trying to figure out how best to get across. In the end, I took the float tube back across the creek for them twice, and waded back over myself. They were very grateful. One couple risked their lives by swimming across in the deep part of the pool just below where the rapids run in, after unsuccessfully try to work their way around the point on the Bowen Ranch side of the creek trying to find a better way to cross.
We had a visit from three forest rangers, who sat up on the cliff on the Bowen Ranch side and ate their lunch. They didn't come down and interact with any of the people at the springs.
There was a fly fisherman right at the springs. He was there a long time but didn't catch anything. I am not sure how serious he was about his fishing
On the way out, at 3pm, we heard motorbikes and spotted them upstream from the springs on the Bowen Ranch side. There were 3 of them.
