Trip Notes - Holtville (CA) Hot Springs
We could throw rocks at the I-8 traffic, but you'd never know driving by
Nov 2010
Typical of the sites at the LTVA managed by the BLM we found this spot for our first night, and
moved the second night to a more shady location. You could move every night if you liked.
For all of the improvements: fence, vault toilets, concrete pool, weekly cleanings by volunteers- the pool feels like a backwoods secret. The pools are fed by a drilled geothermal well that keeps them full, with the warmer of the two a perfect height to soak my 5' 9" frame exactly to the middle of my neck while standing. No benches or seats in the water of this hot one- it's all one depth- and about 104 degrees. The cooler second pool is shallow enough to sit in. Runoff from the second pool goes into what appears to be a tropical pond oasis rimmed with palm trees which gets used on hot days to cool off. The hot pools are fed by the submerged well pipe, which is connected to a shower setup that looks like it's always on, spraying water from a horizontal pipe upwards in an adjustable arc, so it falls onto bathers next to the pools- cooling somewhat as it descends through the air. Soap is not allowed in the pool area, but come prepared with a couple of water jugs to fill and wash up with soap outside of the area marked by posts and cable- just like the regulars seem to do it. The unwritten protocol seems to be for you to rinse off under the shower when you arrive, and after taking a dip in the cool water pond. We enjoyed the hot springs and swimming pond with our 7 kids- and everyone but one grumpy man were OK with it. The kids engaged in as much conversation with the older crowd as we did, only to be interrupted by a trip to the cool pond, or a hummingbird that hovered just above the arcing hot water shower and seemed to bathe itself- what an awesome sight to see!
The cooler pond adjacent to the hot springs is truly an oasis in the desert. Shallow entry, perhaps 6' deep at the center. Look closely for the rope attached to a tree on the West side and swing into 5' deep water carefully.
The BLM manages the land through a camp host, whose location is clearly marked when you arrive at the camp area. We paid $40 for a 14 day pass that is apparently good at any BLM fee camping area. They also offer a year pass for $180. Parking is wherever you want within the boundaries- except the first location we selected that the camp host shooed us away from since Mexican illegals are suspected of hiding in the bushes against the canal, and the border patrol will set up there some nights. It is probably the shadiest spot in the whole area.
Here's the BLM info on the springs, and a related map.
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