DesertCAT,
First, thanks for that excellent report ;~)
The Bowen ranch is near BLM land and they have once again tried to confuse the public by numbering and then change the numbers again and again of the roads around the ranch. You live in California you MIGHT get used to being confused by the government. Before there were about 4 numbers to remember, now about 14 numbers for the roads around the ranch. And they are longer numbers... something like 22316jf5643 ! And harder to remember.
Any way to get to the Freedom trail.
Just before the Bowen ranch about 100 yards on the right hand side of the road is a gate. Turn on this dirt road and go up the small hill . Exactly at .75mile and there is a 90 degree turn to the left and a gate on the right. Turn left, but Not through the gate. Go another @ 1.5 miles and a small road appears on the left with no number. Turn left this road goes about 100 yards this road dead ends into another road. Turn left. Go about 1/2 mile through the sage valley plants. When you get to the top of a hill and a parking lot appears below. Park there and look south east for some granite boulders. The trail to Deep Creek hot springs starts there. It is 1.2 miles to the springs. This is a legal place to camp also. This parking lot is mostly on San Bernardino Forest land. But on the North side of this road is BLM land. You can most likely get cell phone service there also.
It is @ a 1000 ft drop in elevation to the springs from here. So it may be absolutely necessary to get naked to hike back up the hills.
There is a reason we call this the Freedom trail ;~)
Copy these directions exactly to avoid confussion. And keep those trip reports coming.
Glad to help !