Deep Creek Hot Springs

It was definitely freezing last night. I went to brush the condensation off my sleeping bag this morning, only to find the droplets were all frozen. So I didn’t get quite the early start I wanted for my 22.5 mile day, but was hiking soon after 7:00. There were a lot of water crossings, first Holcomb Creek and then Deep Creek.

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I spent most of the day hiking through a canyon on a ledge high above Deep Creek. I couldn’t help but think it would’ve been more fun to float down the creek instead.

I made it to the hot springs by 6:30 and did my camp chores before anything else: set up my tent on the beach, filter water from the creek, cook dinner. I soaked my feet in one of the pools built around a hot spring while I ate dinner, then got in all the way. It was amazing!

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I had been debating whether to go in the springs or not since there was a warning not to drink the water or submerge your head in it. That made me think maybe the rest of my body shouldn’t go in it either. But everyone kept telling me they say that for all natural hot springs. I was able to get a cell signal in the afternoon and do some research and it did look okay, so I went in.

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Going to bed after a soak feels amazing. It would be cool to go back out for a starlit soak, but highly doubtful I’ll get up for it.

4 Comments

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  1. Sounds like the best day so far! Hot springs are amazing and that beach setup looks sweet. You are moving right along! 🙂

  2. That sounds so nice & refreshing! 🙂 I want to go in one!

  3. Yes!!! Told you the hot springs would be awesome!

  4. You mention filtering water from the creek – PCT thru hikers should know that when they reach the springs, they can drink the water from the source of a few of the pools. The one I use most is in your last photo above, where the water comes out of the ground before flowing into the Phoenix Pool (used to be called the Arizona Pool). The highest part of the flow, right where it comes out of the ground. There is also often a copper pipe tapping the source in the rock face just above the Crab Cooker pool (the hottest pool, and smallest, not in your photos here). Most don’t filter this water, but just to be safe you could. All the regulars I know (myself included) drink from the sources.

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