April 21

I hiked to the hot springs on Saturday morning along the Bradford Ridge Trail. It was already warming up at 7:15 am or so when I started my hike. There was one car parked in Highway 173 at the trailhead when I arrived and there was a pretty good flow over the waterfall in Kinely Creek. The hike in was quiet, no one on the trail but lots of lizards and a ground squirrel or two. Oh, and lots of spider webs across the trail.

I arrived at the springs around 8 or 8:15 and you could tell it had been a busy night. There was one couple on the beach across the creek from the springs just starting to hike out. There were 2 tents on the beach over there as well. There were 3 tents on the beach above the Arizona Pool, a couple hammocks in the trees above the Anniversary Pool, a couple hammocks up canyon and lots of folks just in sleeping bags. I can’t tell how many may have been camping, but I would guess 25 or more (not counting those who may have been even further up canyon). There were lots of empties around as well. When I arrived there were already a lot of soakers up, which is kind of unusual at 8:00 am, but then there was quite a crowd already. I sat in the Serenity Pool for a while and as best as I could tell I was the only one being “optional.”

By 9:00 most of the campers were up and about and it was getting very busy, so I decided to free hike up canyon on the PCT as I sometimes do. I usually never see anyone up here, but the season for hiking the PCT has begun and I passed a couple hiking toward the hot springs. During my hike I noticed several groups hiking down the Bowen Ranch Trail including a free hiker. When I got back to the springs, the crowd was still growing, but at least a couple more were getting good tans.
The creek is a foot or so higher than my last visit and still pretty cold, but still an easy crossing. There a couple rocks in the creek by the beach crossing that I like to sit on and watch the day and creek go by (sometimes, people build stone columns on these rocks). A few weeks ago these rocks were exposed and now they are a few inches underwater. Nonetheless I sat there for a while enjoying the warm sun and the cool water all at once. The water is still pretty cold, but the day was getting pretty hot and most everyone was in the creek at one time or another to cool off. A few had inflatable rafts.

A couple more clothes free hikers arrived as the morning passed and some of the women decided top free would be okay. Johnny was busy cleaning out the Anniversary Pool and moving rocks around and trying to keep the creek out of the Arizona Pool. Good work Johnny! Windsailor arrived and we sat and talked for a while. It had been a long time since I have seen Windsailor… good to see you!!

I started hiking out about 11:45 am or so. As usual, I regretted having to leave, but I really regretted having to leave at 11:45. It was a very hot hike out. I soaked my towel in the creek and wrapped it around me as I started, but it was still very hot going back up Bradford Ridge. I have done this hike many times and I am used to the climb, but it and the heat really whipped me yesterday.

As I was leaving I noticed several large groups hiking down from Bowen (maybe 25 or more soakers) and I passed a couple groups (total of 10 or so) hiking in on Bradford Ridge. The springs were busy when I left and they must have been really busy later.

Still, a nice day.

See you on the trail or at the springs.