Deep Creek still rocks southern California...40 years after the hippie invasion

View attachment 46937

View attachment 46938

View attachment 46939

Deep Creek is a stunning tributary of the Mojave River with miles of deep pools and cascading waterfalls flowing from pine forests into a true western California desert. The creek is flanked by a chaparral ecosystem and beautiful rocky hills, while the well known hot pools are situated in fascinating rock outcroppings with incredible opportunities for viewing the surrounding geology. The stream was a major entry point to the San Bernardino Mountains for the Vanyume Serrano Indians who once traversed from the Mojave Desert to the mountains each summer to collect acorns. There are many archaeological sites. It is home to the Southwestern Arroyo Toad and supports the greatest diversity of wildlife habitats of any drainage on the San Bernardino National Forest. Black bear, mountain lion, raccoon, ground squirrel, coyote, beaver, and bobcat visit the creek and numerous fish species are found in the water.....and this is all within a 90 minute drive from the Los Angeles basin and 12 million people. Like getting a dose of the Sierra Nevada range, but farther south and much closer. Check out this photo album of 54 images:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59573003@N06/

Back in the late 1960's and early 1970's hippies were always tripping off to awesome places up in the mountains, and one of the most popular spots for folks around Los Angeles was Deep Creek. A great outing was to catch a concert at the Swing Auditorium in San Berdoo, with acts like: Zeppelin, Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, The Doors or Janis Joplin.... then just a short hop in your VW Bus up to Deep Creek for a few days to digest the music and play in nature. Those old bands might be gone now, but over 40 years later Deep Creek still is a magical destination with nice pools & sandy beaches, no fog, waterfalls, massive granite boulders, pine forests, desert-scapes and the famed natural hot springs.
When the warmer weather arrives every year from May through October there is still a healthy flow of nature lovers into this creek, and the friendly crowd is out for serious fun. Of all the mountain ranges in southern California none of them are as high as the San Bernardino's, and this includes over 17 peaks that exceed 10,000 feet, covered with snow in the winter months. The Pacific Crest Trail meanders from Mexico to Canada and passes through this range and hugs the canyon walls of Deep Creek for over 20 miles. For upper Deep Creek, the access by car is surprizingly easy, and there are pristine pools and sandy beaches even within 15 minutes walk of the parking lot, and if you walk 30 minutes you can have your own private beach & pool.
The best thing about the stream is that it virtually never dries up, but is fed from the high peaks and valley's to the east, and is one of the most perrenial flows of water in southern California.
The upper portion Deep Creek is accessible from Lake Arrowhead/Cedar Glen area via Hook Creek Road:
From the greater Los Angeles area take the 210 Freeway east until you reach San Bernardino area, take Waterman Avenue (Highway 18) exit towards the mountains and follow the signs to Lake Arrowhead...then turn right on Hwy. 173 and go towards Cedar Glen, then right on Hook Creek Road until the pavement ends, and then it becomes a good dirt forest road # 2N26Y, when you reach the fork go left, cross the stream then at the first right park at the locked gate for Splinter's Cabin, and walk the last half mile....(The road washed out around the bridge in this years heavy rains). Any passenger car can handle this road. The trails begins there, and the Pacific Crest Trail is 4 minutes away. You need to display an adventure pass in your windshield, and you can either get one for the day or the entire year at the Arrowhead Ranger station on Highway 18...at 28104 Hwy. 18 in Skyforest, near Lake Arrowhead. Call them if you want any info: 909-382-2782 Also, there's a Hostel in Big Bear if you wanna spend the night on the mountain.
15 miles downstream the lower portion of Deep Creek is accessible from the other side of the mountain via the Mojave Desert and town of Hesperia, off Interstate 15. This part of the stream includes Hesperia Falls, and the ever popular Deep Creek Hot Springs.

Upper Deep Creek is where you want to be in the summer months....while lower Deep Creek in the Mojave desert is nice during cooler weather. Check it out. Remember, this is flower power at it's most organic, where the mountains meet the sky and hippie lore still echos through the canyons. Pick up the thread and tap into the vibe...and pass it on.
　
　

 

I'd like to go there! I would like to visit the deep creek hot springs in, which from what I'm reading is the lower end outside of Hesperia. Do you know how far from parking to hike in? Or is it a hike at all. I have a scooter as well and was curious how much are dirt roads as well.

I am looking up information but haven't located the deep springs area for the hot springs yet.

 

Directions to the Bowen Ranch and hot springs:

From LA, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego County, take the easiest route to the I-15 and follow it north through Cajon pass. Exit at Bear Valley Road and turn right. If you are coming from Barstow or Victorville come south on I-15, exit at Bear Valley road and turn left.
Go east on Bear Valley Road for about 10 miles, after passing the Apple Valley Plaza make a right at the traffic light on Central. Drive about 3 miles on Central, across a railway line and over a steep hill to Ocotillo Way. Turn left on Ocotillo and continue for 2.2 miles, starting on a paved road but turning into a dirt road, until you hit Bowen Ranch Road. Turn right and drive 6+ miles to Bowen Ranch.
It is not too far of a walk and you can camp at the ranch too if you need to. I forget the fee, maybe $5, but worth it. The cool pools are divine right now too.
Here's the forum link for the hot springs:

http://deepcreekhotsprings.net/dchs/forum/

 

Thank you so much for that. I found it on the map, I'm looking at the dirt road, hard to tell if the scooter would make it or not. I would like to go this weekend coming up but not sure if i will have enough time yet. If i do it will definitely be camping. Sounds like a great place!

 

Been there with a 4WD & dirt bike.

 

Is the terrain heavily sandy or have sandy steep inclines? What I am worried about is getting the scooter in but not out. lol I know it will go on dirt roads but I don't think it would handle to steep of incline on a heavily sanded road. If the road is solid, just loose dirt/rock, I think she can handle it.

 

Hey Easy Rider no worries about the dirt road in. Tons of cycles use it regularly. This weekend (Memorial) will be a major crowd, but these Deep Creek folks take the trouble to clean up the local environment. You'll have a great time, and wanna go back again soon. Only a coupla hours from San Diego.
See, even Olympic-Bullshitter has been there.
YOW

! View attachment 47046

 

Thanks so much for the advice, (to everyone). I look forward to this, knowing the type of road was the biggest concern.

Does anyone recommend which place would be better to go to, the upper region which you park at the state parking lot, I already have a annual adventure pass, so no problem there. Or perhaps the lower end going to the ranch? I hope that there will be others there, i'm looking for a good conversation or company while I'm there. I would like to visit the hot springs part of it which I believe is closest to the ranch but the trip may were on me, i don't know.

 

Easy Rider,
The Bowen Ranch is where the crowd is gonna be, lots of people every weekend, but this one particularly.
If you get tired of the mass of humanity then head for the high country, it's not too far. More mellow crowd and cooler temps.
Give us a trip report on this post when you come back next week.

 

I'm in! The ranch it is!! I can't wait, i have to work tomorrow, I think it will be a saturday trip for me, could take all day. This will be my first long trip on the bike, I'm not sure what to expect but I hope to get in by evening. I have put about 170 on her once or twice in a day before but it was for work, very broken stops.

I will take pics for sure, I enjoy doing landscape and wildlife photography and take lots of pics.

Hope to meet all of you out there.

Peace!

 

Hey ER, have a great time and tell us how it is. And be safe :sunny:

Peace

 

I had a great time out there. The road was heavily sandy in spots but clear for most of the way. If you can get through the first 1-2 miles of the road the rest wasn't so bad. It took me a hour and a half to ride the 6-8 miles of dirt road on that scooter. Cars didn't seem to have a problem.

Lots of people out there, it was really windy the day I arrived. It collapsed several peoples tents, a lot of people left late night because of it. It took me 12 hours by scooter and back roads to get there, 10 hours to get back. Keep in mind that I did stop multiple times throughout the entire trip to take it easy on the scooter, let her cool down, move around myself.

Beautiful hot springs! It was worth the trip, several different pools to choose from, all ranging from lobster tank hot to nice soaking bath hot. I didn't take too many pics of the hot springs themselves because there was so much people,nudists who don't like it. My comment is, "No, I'm not trying to take a pic of your naked butt but the pools are nice!" I did get some good scenery and a funny story about a kangaroo rat! I will try to post the video.

This little guy or gal was my camping buddy, i kept stepping in this hole next to my camp site, so I covered it over, pretty sandy soil, leveled out nice. So I get up early the next morning to break down camp and get out of there before daybreak, step in this hole again. Thought nothing of it, covered it back over to keep from continuing to step in it, went on with my business. About 20 minutes later I saw movement, this little kangaroo rat was frantically circling the area but staying close. I had my headlamp on, so I don't think it could see me but knew i was there, it realized I wasn't a threat and even almost walked over me, looking for the door to it's house! I grabbed the camera to film it finding it's hole and dig it's door back open. If it's cheeks hadn't been so full I'm sure it was cursing me in it's tiny little voice!

The video doesn't want to upload here but if you want to see it, pm me for my facebook...

 

The creek that you have to cross to get to the hot springs, the pipe that leads from one of the hot springs draining down as well and just some trail shots.

 

View attachment 47117

Easier Rider,
Wow, what a trip! Thanks for that report, it made my day. When you said "scooter", I thought you meant a big Harley or something. But hey ya made it and that's what counts bro. That wind can be nasty, but it was windy everywhere that day. Those Kangaroo Rats are the only real locals, but as you can see the Hot Springs is a popular spot, even all through the summer.
There are still a few late Pacific Crest Trail hikers tropming northwards along the creek and they all agree it is worth the stop.
Weekdays are not as busy at the Hot Springs, and early morning is often the quietest.
~~~~CHEERS~~~

 

Thanks for the heads up on the location, nobody here mentions it, even tho when I bring it up they say "oh yea, I know the place".

While I was there I heard mention of some other locations of hot springs, one being closer to me at Salton Sea. That will be another trip for sure.

By the way that's Sis!

Peace!

 

I heard they closed down Niland so I haven't been out there in years. That tub is at least 110 -112. Thousands of people are camped out at the slabs every winter just down the road. There's a light show from the bombing range at night and if you checkout the bunkers don't fall in. Why not head up the coast to the rainbow gathering?

 

View attachment 47142

View attachment 47143

The hot pool at Slab City is about 110 degrees, not so lovely like Deep Creek, but still a hot soak for free.
From Niland take Main Street east, once across the railroad tracks it becomes Beal Road. Another 2 miles you cross over the East Highline Canal go about another mile and turn right at the big concrete cylinder (in the photo) and you are there. This is about a mile before you reach Salvation Mountain & the Slabs.

 

Schedule your trip during one of the city's two main music festivals: the Monterey Jazz Festival or the Monterey Pop Festival, whose inaugual show in 1967 drew the likes of the Who, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

 

:hippy: pass pass

 

We did a trip to Deep Creek on the 27th of December, and the conditions were incredible. Just enough chill in the Mojave air to make the pools feel like heaven. The Arizona Pool was above the cold creek level, rare for January, and due to the lack of rain/snow this past few weeks.
The Anniversary pool was awesome too. Crowd was about 25 to 30, and even included 7 Japanese tourists, but plenty of space in the pools all day long.
Crowds will increase by April, so get it while it's hot, and cool.