and remember the cost is per person not per car. $5 per person for day use and $10 per person for overnight parkingby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I meant to include this Victor Valley Daily Press link in my post. http://www.vvng.com/victim-in-fatal-apple-valley-accident-identified/by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I saw Sam D.'s post kind of hidden under a different string here on the forum and thought it was important that this story has it's own string. http://deepcreekhotsprings.net/dchs/forum/read.php?1,25018,25022#msg-25022 This is very sad and hopefully people will realize how important it is to slow down when driving on Bowen Ranch road. Is the Katrina shown on at the bottom of the Victorvillby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Also note that the $10 fee for camping at Bowen Ranch is $10 per person, per night, so if your group has four people in it and you plan on spending two nights you will be paying $80 to the Bowen Ranch gate keeper.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I was on Bowen Ranch road a few weeks back and my low riding car (which has over 240,000 miles on it's original suspension) made it through fine and never bottomed out. Even though the road gets pretty rough in spots as long as you take it easy there should be no problems, I usually average about 25 mph when driving on the Bowne Ranch road and slow to a crawl to get over some of the rough spots.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I arrived at the Bowen Ranch parking lot at around 12:30, there were about 8 cars in the lot and there was a tent set up in one of the ranch campsites. It was sunny and breezy in the parking area but there were no clouds in the sky and it was getting very warm. I free hiked down to the springs, I passed one couple heading back up and another gentleman free hiking back up also. When I arrived aby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I have been there and done that, slipped on the slimy rocks that were under the water and soaked everything I was carrying above my head. Rudedog, I don't think anyone thought you tried to wade across with your clothes on, the drift I got was that you might have been upstream and were crossing over on the rocks and slipped into the water. You cleared it up for us. I hope that I can string my rby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I totally agree with Paul, if I have not free hiked down I will strip at the beach then cross. Sometimes I will leave my clothes on the beach side so there will be no chance of them getting wet if I slip while wading across. Anything that I do take across that might get damaged from getting wet I try to put in zip lock bags, this would be my cell phone, iPod, electronic key fob for my car, etc.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks mohave, great picture of the road. Hopefully the road will still be in good condition on Thursday morning. I believe there is not suppose to be anymore rain between now and then. So I take it you parked in the Bowen Ranch parking area and did not have any issues between the house and the lower lot? Also were there many people at the springs on the day you took this picture? I looby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks for the heads up Paul! I was thinking about stopping at the Victorville 24 hour fitness center on my way in anyway to get in a short workout, now with your advice I will definitely make sure I do that to kill some time. Hopefully that should put me at the Bowen Ranch gate at around 8:30. Thanks again.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks Sam, if all goes well I will be heading up to the springs early Thursday morning and I will let you know how the roads were.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks Mohave, I get off of work at 5am. It is about 95 miles from Long Beach to the Bowen ranch, I should make it there right at 7am.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Does anyone know what the gate hours are to get in and out of the Bowen Ranch? I am pretty sure I remember the gate gets shut at 10pm but I can't remember what time it opens up in the morning. I work a night shift and will be driving up early Thursday and I am curious what time I will be able to get in.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Sam, did you end up going to the springs on Wednesday? I had planned on going up on Friday via Bowen Ranch but with all the rain I gave up on that idea. I have attempted this before when it had recently rained or was raining. Usually if it is just a few showers you can make it okay but if it has rained really hard the road gets pretty muddy. One time I drove all the way from Long Beach anby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I would not call it fixed but it is navigable in a normal sedan. I drive a mid 90's Saturn wagon that sits very low to the ground and I do not have any issues getting down and back to the lower Bowen Ranch parking lot. Just take your time and pick a line that keeps your tires up on the highest portions of the roadway. Do not let your wheels drop down into the deep ruts, stay on the top of theby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Wizard, I ended up having my poisen oak rashes for almost 2 to 3 weeks. It was interesting how it would break out in one spot for a few days then I would get a new breakout somewhere else a couple of days after that. The worst and longest lasting rash was on my groin area. I had tried different anti-itch sprays and lotions but they were not very effective. Thanks to your's and a few other peoby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Wizard, I totally agree with you on finding the quieter spots along the creek. When I hiked in from the dam back in April I could not believe how much more of nature there was to see and hear along the way. Nowadays the springs are always so crowded, not like it was just a few years ago. Back then I used to make it out midweek and I often had the springs to myself for a couple of hours. Now wby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Well I made it to the springs but got a later start than I had wanted. I did not get to the Bowen Ranch parking area until 9:30am. I tried a little different route on this trip, on my way up from Long Beach I got off the I-15 at the 138 and headed towards Silverwood Lake. I then took the 173 to the Mojave Forks dam and then I took Arrowhead Lake Road to Rock Springs road. It was a nice changeby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Confirming philly's report........Pan is BACK!! When I got to the springs on Friday 7/6 he was walking from the anniversary pool towards the trees just upstream from the beach. He stayed there the whole time I was at the springs. He had a clothes free female visitor with him most of the day. We may have to call the rangers again to let them know he has taken up residence again at the springs.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I made it to the springs on Friday but later than I wanted, it was almost 9:30 before I started my free-hike down. It was already super hot so I did not get to work on the graffiti, I was able to pick up trash on my way downby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks Wizard, I may just bring one small wire brush to see how it goes. Also if I can find a small pail I might try to locate some clay type mud near the springs and smear that over some of the graffiti to at least cover it over until the next rain storm. Not sure how hot it is going to be on Friday, I will be there from around 8am to about 3pm, probably not the best time of the day to be workby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Has anyone had any luck removing graffiti off the rocks with a wire brush? I am planning a trip to the springs on Friday and was wondering if it would be worth bringing a wire brush or two to try and work on the graffiti. I am sure the sun has really baked the paint on by now but I am not sure how soft the stone surface might be. If it is really porus maybe the brush could remove a little bitby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I plan on going to the springs this Friday, July 6, and I will let you know if Pan is still there. I have met Pan and know what he looks like, he was sleeping overnight in the Anniversary pool when I was there back in April.by lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Has anyone tried using a wire brush to remove graffiti off of the rocks? If so I was wondering how it worked. I seem to remember some post's a year or so back discussing graffiti removal at the springs but I could not locate the thread. I plan on making a trip to the springs on Friday and I will be there during the heat of the day from 8am to about 4pm. I would be willing to try and get someby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Most definately weekdays are more clothing optional than the weekends. There are usually less people on weekdays and the clothing optional ratio is generally higher than on the weekends. With the warming weather, on a weekday you should be able to free hike (aka clothes free) from the parking lot all the way to the springs without passing anyone. If you enjoy the "optional" experiencby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thank you so much for everyones suggestions on how to treat this poison oak breakout. This is turning out to be really miserable. Like Wizard stated in his comments, I have been breaking out in new and different places on my body days after the initial rash in my groin area and on my wrist. I now have it on the back of one leg in a long straight line from below my knee up to the top of my thigby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
During my hike on the PCT between the Mojave Forks dam and the springs there were a couple of sections where the trail had deteriorated from sand and gravel slides that went across the path. At some of these sections and I had to cross carefully placing my hands against the uphill side of the trail for extra support to make sure I did not slide down the hill. Some of these places had shrubs stiby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks Wizard for the information regarding the parking and hiking at the Mojave Forks Dam area. After reading your directions I checked out Bing maps and used the satallite and birds eye views to see where I was and how I lost track of where the PCT trail went. Also from looking up some websites describing the PCT trail around the dam I guess when the river is running pretty high there is a deby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Need some clarification: The parking area that I used for my hike was right at the bottom of the 173, just before the road closure at the bottom of the mountain. The PCT trail crosses the 173 right at that point with trail markers and small walk through gates on both sides of the 173. Is this the parking area that gets vandalized? I noticed during my hike that there also appears to be a parkiby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Well I failed to make it all the way up the Bowen Ranch road again on Saturday, 4/14. I left Long Beach at around 6:15am and got to the Bowen ranch road around 7:45am. The sun was out and the road appeared to be a little bit drier so I kept going on it. Farther up ahead I could see the snow was still sticking to the ground. By the time I got to the Oak Springs Road turnoff the road got reallyby lbcalrr - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California