Dear One...,

I've been driving to the Bowen Ranch and hiking to the hot springs for almost 42 years. I don't believe anyone still alive has been making the trip longer than that. I've never had a 4 wheel drive vehicle and I've never been stopped by the road conditions. Since this is your first time I suggest that you spend the $5 per person and park at the ranch. I've never had my car broken in to parked there. Once you become an oldtimer you can park in weird, secret places, but quite frankly, I don't believe it's worth the worry.

The hike in is about 2 miles and it's a breeze getting there and sometimes a bitch getting out, because it's a 900 ft elevation drop getting there and a 900 ft elevation climb hiking out. If you're in even moderate shape, you'll do fine. Carry a good lunch (not a banquet!) with you and get by with a couple bottles of water. (The creator provides pure, microbe-free hot spring water squirting right out of the ground at the crab cooker pool.)

You'll have to walk/wade across the creek, which will be cold, but will not kill you. The creek should be low, due to the lack of rain/snow, so the cold agua should not reach your "nuggets." Deep Creek Hot Springs is a clothing optional site so you can wear clothes, a dress or whatever, or you can enjoy being buck naked. Many of the regular visitors do not wear "textile," but newbies sometimes wet their pants because there are naked folks in the hot pools. I always hope that they'll mellow out, but it takes time and maturity to dig the place without threads. Jump in, and have a great time. Like I wrote, I found the divine place in 1970 and it really changed my life..... for the better!