This California Creek Was Once a Swimming Spot Until Boiling Geysers Started Appearing Without Warning

Hot Creek Geological Site, California

There’s a reason the old Hot Creek swimming hole is now off limits. This is one of California’s most unpredictable geothermal areas.

Underground temperatures can spike without warning, geysers appear in new spots, and the creek can suddenly turn scalding. But that’s exactly what makes it fascinating to visit. Here’s more about Hot Creek Geological Site, plus how to visit.

People could swim here until 2006

You could swim at Hot Creek until 2006, when unpredictable hot spots and geyser eruptions became more common. Back then, safe swimming areas were marked with ropes to keep visitors away from dangerous hot zones.

On summer weekends, up to 400 people would visit daily. The Forest Service closed it after three people got seriously burned in just one month when previously safe spots suddenly started shooting hot water.

Water temperatures can jump 200 degrees in just seconds

At Hot Creek, water can go from cool to scalding within inches of each other. While the main creek stays around 68°F, the hot spots can reach 200°F. Scientists have recorded temperature changes of 200°F happening in mere seconds.

These sudden shifts have caused 14 deaths since people started visiting. The hottest water underground reaches 430°F and stays liquid only because of intense pressure before it bubbles up to the surface.

The water makes its own natural soundtrack

You’ll hear unique sounds all around Hot Creek. The bubbling springs make constant gentle gurgling noises that change depending on how deep and active they are. Some steam vents make loud hissing sounds at 85 decibels when releasing pressure.

These sound patterns actually change with weather – getting louder before storms roll in. Since 1985, sound artists have been recording these natural sounds for art installations and background music in relaxation tracks.

Water colors change depending on time of day

The colors you’ll see at Hot Creek shift throughout the day based on sunlight and how active the springs are. In the morning, pools show deeper blues because of minerals and how light passes through the water.

The brightest yellow edges come from sulfur, with levels up to 14 parts per million. The stark white borders around pools are made of travertine, which is 92% calcium carbonate.

These mineral edges grow between 0.3 and 2 inches every year, depending on water flow.

Steam creates special effects for stargazing

When you visit Hot Creek at night, you’ll experience unusual stargazing because of the steam rising from the water. On freezing nights, this steam makes a natural filter that creates halos around the moon and stars.

This effect works best when temperatures drop below 20°F, as ice crystals form in the rising steam. Many photographers come to Hot Creek during winter new moons specifically to capture unique star trail photos. The steam typically rises 12-18 feet before disappearing into the air.

Three different types of hot features exist in one small area

You can see three different kinds of hot features all within a small area at Hot Creek. Fumaroles release gas and steam without water, hot springs form constant pools of heated water, and geysers occasionally shoot up without warning.

The site has 47 active hot spots within just 200 yards of creek. The fumaroles reach 215°F, making them the hottest features you can see. All these appear along two fault lines that run north to south through the gorge.

The air feels different as you walk around

Your skin will notice subtle changes in the air as you move around Hot Creek. The hot vents release hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and minerals into the air. In some areas, carbon dioxide levels reach 1.2% – that’s 40 times higher than normal air.

This creates spots where breathing feels slightly harder. Right above active vents, the air contains 85% more moisture compared to areas just a few feet away.

The colorful crusts contain rare mineral combinations

The white, yellow, and orange crusts along the creek edges contain dozens of minerals rarely found together anywhere else. Heat-loving bacteria create these vivid colors. Scientists have identified 27 different mineral compounds in these deposits, including rare arsenic forms not found elsewhere in California.

Some deposits contain antimony and selenium at levels 2,000 times higher than in nearby rocks. Different minerals build up at various rates depending on the water temperature.

Native Americans considered this spot sacred

The Paiute and Shoshone people used Hot Creek for healing for thousands of years. They knew which mud pools worked best for treating arthritis and kept them at specific temperatures.

Native healers identified 12 different healing zones based on what minerals were in each pool and how hot they were. Archaeologists have found evidence of tribal use dating back to 3200 BCE, with ceremonial items discovered along the creek banks during a 1978 dig.

The geysers never follow a regular schedule

Unlike Old Faithful, Hot Creek’s small geysers erupt randomly and can shoot water up to 6 feet high without warning. The longest continuous geyser eruption lasted 47 minutes in August 2012.

Scientists have tracked an increase from 5 to 23 eruptions per day since 2000. These geysers are unpredictable because of the complex mixing between cold creek water (42-68°F) and super-hot water (190-220°F) coming up from below.

Locals used to collect drinking water from specific springs

Before the area was restricted, people would collect water from certain springs along Hot Creek for drinking. Some springs contained high levels of silica, potassium, and magnesium that many believed helped with health issues.

Each spring had up to 317 parts per million of dissolved minerals, giving the water distinct flavors. A 1973 survey found 27 families regularly collecting water from five specific spots, with many claiming it helped their digestion and skin when they drank it regularly.

The mud here works like expensive spa treatments

The gray mud along certain parts of Hot Creek contains the same therapeutic minerals found in pricey spa treatments. This natural mud is rich in sulfur, silica, and trace minerals soaked up from the hot waters.

It stays 8-12 degrees warmer than the surrounding air because of the heat activity below. Tests show the mud is made of 43% clay minerals and 12% organic compounds from special bacteria that thrive in the hot environment.

Visiting Hot Creek Geological Site

You’ll find Hot Creek Geological Site 8 miles east of Mammoth Lakes, California, just off Highway 395. Take Hot Creek Hatchery Road for 3 miles to the parking lot, where you’ll need a $10 recreation pass from the self-service machine.

The site opens daily from sunrise to sunset, but you can’t stay overnight. In winter when snow blocks the road, you can still get there by snowmobile or cross-country skiing. You’ll find restrooms and picnic areas at the main parking lot.

The walkway to the viewing platforms is steep, dropping 120 feet over just 0.4 miles. Make sure to stay on marked paths since ground temperatures can get hotter than 200°F in unmarked areas.