Little Hot Creek Hot Springs

Checked October 2026 · Sources

Little Hot Creek Hot Springs is a wild soak in the Inyo National Forest, California, about 29 minutes' drive from Mammoth Lakes: 171 F water at the source (1980 survey), a 1.07-mile walk from road access on Antelope Springs Road, snow likely November to April.

Wild
Walk 1.07 mi

Directions

Drive timecomputed

about 29 min
10.8 mi from Mammoth Lakes, no traffic

From your town or ZIP

Drive times computed with GraphHopper; map data OpenStreetMap contributors.

The facts

Water: 171 F at the source, not the pool
Quoted from the NOAA Thermal Springs List, checked Oct 11, 2026 (1980 survey), entry HOT CREEK SPRINGS
Walk: 1.07 miles one way from road access on Antelope Springs Road
Computed on an OpenStreetMap foot route · start 37.68536, -118.84555
Fee: Not paying a recreation fee is prohibited, and the fine for a first offense of nonpayment may not exceed $100. Forest Service general rule
No fee posted for this spring that we found (checked Oct 13, 2026)
What the Forest Service says
Exact wording: Forest Service rules page.
Permit or reservation: None posted by the agency
Checked on the Forest Service, checked Oct 14, 2026
Clothing: Being publicly nude is prohibited on a national forest only when an order says so; the regulation lists it among the things a forest order can prohibit. Forest Service general rule
What the Forest Service says
Exact wording: Forest Service rules page.
Dogs: At Forest Service developed recreation sites, an animal other than a service animal must be crated, caged, on a leash of 6 feet or less, or otherwise under physical restrictive control, and may not be brought into a swimming area. Forest Service general rule
What the Forest Service says
Exact wording: Forest Service rules page.
Snow: Likely November to April
Computed from NOAA snowfall, 2023 to 2026 seasons
Managed by: USDA Forest Service, Inyo National Forest
Closures: Forest Service alerts, Inyo National Forest
Last checked: October 2026

Trail and trailhead

Road access (Antelope Springs Road)

Distance: 1.07 mile one way
Computed on an OpenStreetMap foot route
Climb: About 50 ft up and 160 ft down, one way
Computed from USGS 3DEP elevations at 27 points on our route, Oct 14, 2026 (rough)
Start: Road access (Antelope Springs Road)
37.68536, -118.84555

Water temperature

171 F at the source, from NOAA's Thermal Springs List (1980 survey). That is where the water leaves the ground; the pool you sit in is cooler.

Quoted from the NOAA Thermal Springs List, checked Oct 11, 2026 (1980 survey), entry HOT CREEK SPRINGS

Fees and rules

Do you have to pay to go to Little Hot Creek Hot Springs?

No fee posted for this spring that we found (checked Oct 13, 2026). Forest Service general rule

Forest Service general rule: see The facts.

Do you need a permit or reservation for Little Hot Creek Hot Springs?

None is posted. not posted

Checked on the Forest Service, checked Oct 14, 2026

Clothing and dogs

Clothing

Forest Service general rule Forest Service general rule: see The facts.

Dogs

Forest Service general rule Forest Service general rule: see The facts.

Seasons and winter access

Snow likely November to April at the spring.

Snow likelySnow not likely

Computed from NOAA snowfall, 2023 to 2026 seasons

Road and gate closures: check Forest Service alerts, Inyo National Forest.

Before you go

No permit or reservation is posted.
Snow likely November to April.
Check Forest Service alerts, Inyo National Forest before you drive.

Getting there

Drive times from each town's center, no traffic (computed).

Mammoth Lakes, CaliforniaHot springs near Mammoth Lakesabout 29 min10.8 mi Bishop, CaliforniaHot springs near Bishopabout 59 min41.4 mi Yosemite, CaliforniaHot springs near Yosemiteabout 2 h 51 min105.2 mi

Google Maps Apple Maps

Both open at the start, road access on Antelope Springs Road, not at the pool.

California. Tap the map for directions. Outline: US Census, public domain.

Nearby hot springs (6)

Keough Hot SpringsNear Bishop · Californiaabout 70 mindrive Travertine Hot SpringsNear Mammoth Lakes · Californiaabout 80 mindrive Buckeye Hot SpringsNear Mammoth Lakes · Californiaabout 1 h 36 mindrive Grover Hot SpringsNear Lake Tahoe · Californiaabout 2 h 41 mindrive Walleys Hot SpringsNear Lake Tahoe · Nevadaabout 2 h 46 mindrive Saline Valley Hot SpringsNear Bishop · Californiaabout 3 h 41 mindrive

All 13 hot springs in California Eastern Sierra hot springs (6)Northern California hot springs (10)

Questions

Is Little Hot Creek Hot Springs free?

Forest Service general rule Forest Service general rule: see The facts.

How long is the hike to Little Hot Creek Hot Springs?

1.07 miles one way from road access on Antelope Springs Road, computed on an OpenStreetMap foot route.

Is Little Hot Creek Hot Springs clothing optional?

Forest Service general rule Forest Service general rule: see The facts.

Can I bring my dog?

Forest Service general rule Forest Service general rule: see The facts.

Sources and last checked

Page last checked October 2026 (the oldest date below).

ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/iso: water temperatureChecked Oct 11, 2026
Walk: 1.07 mi, computed on an OpenStreetMap foot route (FOSSGIS routing, foot profile) from 37.68536, -118.84555Map data OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL
Drive times from Mammoth Lakes, Bishop, Yosemite: computed with GraphHopper 11.1, car profile, no trafficOpenStreetMap extract of Oct 12, 2026
Snow months (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr): computed from NOAA snowfall, 2023 to 2026 seasonsMethod page explains the rule
Climb: computed from USGS 3DEP elevations along our OpenStreetMap foot routeComputed Oct 14, 2026
Photo: Eeekster, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0Checked by eye Oct 12, 2026

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