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 iby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks for the warning, Rick. I've seen the plant in the desert, but, luckily, I probably never touched one.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
For more than 40 years I've been making the hike from Bowen's Ranch, Moss Mill (now gone, thanks to Mike Castro) and other approaches, including the PCT from the Mojave Dam. Like most people, the first thing I do is strip to the birthday suit and soak in the hot pools, but as the crowd grows my friends and I move upstream to one or more of the prettiest beaches and swimming pools one can imagine.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Dear Rudedog, Campfires at the creek and springs..... ? Eff No!!! At the campground on Mike Castro's land? Well, that's up to Mike, so ask him. Please do not show maximum disrespect to Mother Nature by setting fires at her sacred creek and hot springs. PLEASE DON'T!by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Nearthling, any weekday is good. The crowds are gone and the uniform of the day is....Skin! Do yourself a favor and explore upstream (my favorite!) or downstream, as the creek and the surrounding terrain changes constantly. I'm amazed that, over the years I've been making the hike, some of the folks I've met at the springs have never left the area of the creek crossing and the hot springs. Therby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Saturday, May 21, 2011 was a busy day at Deep Creek Hot Springs. My little Honda Shoebox (also call "The Element) was mostly full of hiking gear, backpacks and people (Sonja, Tina , Jasper and yours truly). We departed Irvine at about 7:00 AM. The drive was pleasantly quick and we stopped at McDonalds in Hesperia for pit stops, coffee and to pick up another passenger, Nic, from L.A.. The dayby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Great report, Jobe. I wish I'd been there, but I hope that Saturday, the 21st will be also be a wonderful day at the springs. Now that I think of it, I don't ever remember a bad day at the springs, just some are a bit better than other days.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Lighten up, Rick. One typo of the date doesn't require a rebuke.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Good report, Coyote. I expect that the fellow you met, Rodney, was Jobe, who posts here often, visits the hot springs several times a week and more and is a beneficial force who cleans up trash and repairs the pools.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Geez, Rick (the keeper of this forum), Lighten up. What are you, the Mother Superior here? The writer described what he observed in the vicinity of Deep Creek Hot Springs. Censorship in his case is inappropriate. Boomboxes at the hot springs are a disgraceful violation of the music of Mother Nature. I remember a time several decades ago when a stoned visitor was crossing the creek carrying aby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Yes, "stud," we are for real. If Scotty is a convicted child molester I do not want him anywhere near children or teens. Deep Creek Hot Springs is a place where many law enforcement agencies may have jurisdictional powers, but in this day of tiny budgets, many of those agencies may hope the the "other guys" take charge of problems. The best we can do is report any clearly susby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I saw him last November hanging out near the Arizona Pool. He told me that he was going to move to Hawaii, but more recent reports point to Scott still hanging out at various locations along Deep Creek. In November he looked like he'd lost a fair amount of fat in his abdomen and showed a lot of loose skin hanging off his lower belly. I report that so that he could be recognized by that characteriby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Does Scotty have a last name? I think that with the complete name and other ID like a photo from Utah law enforcement the local cops just might drop their donuts and get to work on eliminating one potentially dangerous child stalker.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
If you're planning on camping, partying and setting illegal fires most of us on this list hope that you not only get busted , but will also be carted off to jail. Thanks for the heads up on the date of your "party." The Forest Service Rangers and SB Sheriff now know, too.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
As far as I know the road to Bowen Ranch is just fine for motorcycles, of course you have to get around mild ruts and washouts at times, and if you are skilled even minimally, you'll do OK. Mike Castro, the proprietor and gatekeeper at the ranch, has a particular dislike for dirt bikers who have no regard for rules or private property. If he doesn't chase you away with one of his armed tantrumsby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
As I communicated to you last week, Tasha, I would be happy to meet up with you along the way to Deep Creek and ride share. The weather is quite chilly now and this rain has turned the creek into a dangerous swirl of mud and debris. I feel we should wait for warmer weather and shallow water before we embark. Let's talk, soon.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I'd love to be at Deep Creek Hot Springs anytime, but I broke my wrist five weeks ago and I have some healing and physical therapy to go through before I can make the lovely trip again. I live in Orange County, but in future I could meet fellow travelers from LA at a location near the junction of the I-10 and 57 Freeways. I'll post again when I'm physically ready. Have a great time this weekend,by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Let there be no doubt, swift and severe justice was dealt to the trespassing spammer by our own Internet Jedi Knight, The Rickinator!by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
No fires are allowed anywhere near the creek and no camping within 1 mile of both sides of the creek. If these restrictions were not in effect the creek and hot springs environment would be a trash dump and sewer. As it is, many of us who love the place spend much of our time and energy cleaning up every time we visit it, as many of the users actually abuse it with discarded trash, unburied fecesby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks, all, for the directions to Horse/Whore Springs.. Yes, Bear Who Laughs, I did know Mrs. Bowen. She lived in the ranch house with a her daughter, a middle aged woman with a deformed back. Gertie was a wonderful woman and folks treated her with respect. The ranch house was in great shape, painted white with flower beds around it. I knew some of the folks who lived there after Gertie andby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks for the history, LB. Do you know the Lat & Long coordinates of Horse/Whore Springs?by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
And Jobe being Jobe, I expect that you took many photos of the lovely little female elves while they were frolicking in their birthday suits. We do expect you to duteously post those photos so all of us can view them, well, for academic purposes, of course.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The woman who was injured at Deep Creek Hot Springs on Saturday, 12-04-2010, and then evacuated to hospital by San Bernardino Sheriff Department helicopter now has a name: Amanda K. Ballard. Amanda is in her early 20s, having graduated from Florida State University last year and then boogied her buns out here to God's country to work and play, play, play. Since being in the Meetup Group, Amandaby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Well, I tried to move the Rescue photos to the Flickr account but it crashed part of the way through. I'll try again tomorrow. If you have a Facebook account, search for the Group (little search box on the top of every page) Deep Creek Hot Springs. Click on the Group, not on the Landmark Icon. My photos will be the first ones you see. If you do not have a Facebook account, Sign Up. Believe me, Itby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Sorry, Wiz. I believe that one must log into Facebook to see the photos. I'll move them onto my Flickr account. The trail that the San Diego Meetup Group came in on is probably the Bradford Ridge Trail, one I've never hiked. The photos from the group are here, Meetup San Diego, Deep Creek Hot Springs Trip (12-4-10) Photosby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks, Wiz and Jobe, I posted the best of my photos of the helicopter rescue on the Facebook group, "Deep Creek Hot Springs." The photos seem to be placed out of order no matter how hard I try to place them in order, but they look as good as when I placed them. The URL of the Photo Page is: Deep Creek Hot Springs Photosby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Kevin, what was the ratio of skinny dippers to textiles present? I'm just curious about the sociological shifts in the DCHS culture. Thanks.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
It's a short, cold wade across the stream and then there's the Womb pool just waiting to warm you up. Only wussies worry about the cold water. Enjoy!by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Sam, if you do contact the Apple Valley Police, find out his real, complete name. Thanks.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Funny thing about the creek temperature. In years past, the chilly waters made me grit my teeth and almost scream when the frigid liquid hit my "stuff." Now, this early in the fall/winter days, the water just feels cool and even pleasant to swim in. Don't get me wrong, I do not like crossing in the middle of winter when the creek temperature is just above freezing. I do it, but I damnby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California