Part - 3 Northern Access : There are people who will always prefer to go through the Bowen Ranch to the springs but there are many others, for their own private reasons, who do not wish to pay a private landowner a fee to access their public recreational lands or even those who just like to explore differant routes for the adventure of it. The lower Forestry Parking Lot ( LFPL ) on the Bowen trail is basically not used by visitors to the springs since it is difficult to get to. Motorcycles and 4 wheel drive enthusiast do take Route 3 through the LFPL on east into other areas. You need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to access the LFPL from the east or from the west. Where I park on route 3 it is accessible by most 2 wheel drive vehicles. The extra two and a half mile drive past the ranch to the parking area does take about an extra 17 minuts at my driving speed which is a comfortable rate. This Route 3 trail represents a reasonable option for those who wish to access from the north of DCHS to the hotsprings, freely, with out passing through private property, and its completely legal. If you had explored the area as much as I have over the last eighteen years you would know just how much sense this route makes, and did I mention, a beautiful way to go too :-) Now you know the story of how I came to use the Route 3 trail :-)
