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One of the best adventures in my life!!! If you've ever been in the Mammoth Lakes area, highly recommend you check this place out! Just type "Wild Willy's Hot Spring" into Google Maps and it will show you how to get there. Turn left from Highway 395 S into Bento Crossing Road and drive down for around 3 miles. That's when you'll turn right into an unmarked and unpaved road. Trust yourself, you're not lost :) The road leading there is a bit bumpy though. Drive slowly and carefully. Our non-4WD survived this road. About a mile down, you'll see the hot springs parking lot. There were plenty of parkings when we came around 10am on Sunday. There are 2 smaller lots which is a bit further away from the hot springs for overflow purposes. From the dirt parking lot, it's a quarter mile easy walk along the wooded boardwalk path to the natural hot springs. OMG the VIBE!!!! Wooden pathway, surrounding mountainous background, white condensing matters among green grass. Even the walk was an adventure itself. You'll see the hot springs coming up in both your left and right. And you can literally smell it too! Now, ENJOY!!! The hot springs temperature was perfect for dipping and relaxing. Instragrammable spot as well! And it's good for your body. We were so sore with all the hiking and kayaking the day before. But within 20 minutes of dipping, our soreness was relieved 80%! The place was not crowded at all even for a Sundays so we occasionally had the entire hot springs for ourselves for like 5-10 minutes. Highly recommend! Can't gush enough about this place! It is truly one of the highlights of our Mammoth Lakes trip :)
We were in Mammoth Lakes for an adventure last weekend and decided to hit the hot springs on our last day there. These were lovely hot springs. Parking is a little difficult and there were a lot of people there, but I enjoyed going. Beautiful views. Water is a bit mossy (it is a natural hot springs) and my skin was a little irritated afterwards, but nobody else in my group had any issues. Water was nice and warm. The walk to the springs is super easy and short... some people are saying 30 minutes, but I disagree.... MAYBE 15 minute walk. Super easy. Great experience.
Bit of a trail to get there but was very beautiful! 3 hot springs spots next to each other, can be a bit muddy around the springs when there's not much snow, but was very worth it :)
Found this place by google, and decided to check it out since whether is nice. Driving is okay, a little over one mile of unpaved road, but okay. Then walk a little bit, i guess less than half miles, you will see the hot spring pond. Checked the water, probably at 102 Fahrenheit not very hot. I bet it might be feel cold in winter. There are people walk out of the hot spring with smile. It's free and great place to enjoy the Mountain View and everything around you.
One of the better natural hot springs that we've visited. A short dirt road that accessible with any vehicle to a small parking lot. From the parking lot, you take a nice boardwalk over to the hot springs. The water temperature differs in each of the shallow pools. The closer you are to the source, the hotter the water. It's like sitting in a natural hot tub and enjoying the gorgeous view of the surrounding mountains and meadow with cows in the distance. Wear bathing suits. And water shoes if you have them but the sandy pebbles at the bottom aren't too bad on bare feet. Bring water and make sure you stay hydrated. Definitely worth the trip!
There's a small parking lot by the entrance. There's also a small space by the road that you can park at too. There is a 1.5 mile walk to the hot springs which can take about 30 minutes. There are 2 main hot springs with smaller pools. The water is really nice and warm. It's shallow enough to stand in but be careful walking around as it can be muddy and slippery. There's no entrance fee, it's completely free and open to the public.
It's definitely a hot spring and one of the larger ones in the area, but it's not really a place to relax. Honestly, this is more of a novelty, but don't let that stop you from coming. The views of this area along the boardwalk are great and worth the short walk to the hot spring.. The water temperature is like a hot bath. Note: Some locals suggest that this is a clothing optional hot spring. I didn't see any of that, fortunately. Also, I can confirm that it appears that a few people do live in their RVs in the parking lot. Just keep valuables hidden. It's a long walk to the hot spring.
When I went to Mammoth I was expecting a lot of hiking, the gondola and lakes. What I didn't know until I got there was that Mammoth Lakes has a bunch of natural hot springs, some of which are unsafe for bathing, some are small and hard to find. Wild Willy's while a little off the beaten path is still easy to find and safe and large enough to visit. After a long day of hiking I thought a nice soak would be a welcome change of pace. Google Maps kind of knows where it is-the parking lot isn't where it says but it's actual before where the route tells you so you can always double back. The walkway is pretty easy to navigate and the springs are naturally divided. The larger one is the cooler one and the smaller, heart shaped one is hotter. During my visit there was one person there just soaking so it was pretty private.
We have been here twice and had a great time, every time! The area is kept clean and the walkway is good condition. We have been here during the week both times so it was never crowded and always pleasant. We will be back again for sure!
One thing many people don't realize is that Mammoth Lakes actually has natural Hot Springs that you can swim in. The largest and probably most famous is Wild Willy's! It's a relatively large, natural Hot Springs, that you can dip in, with different pools with varying temperatures. This place is really popular so I would highly recommend going either around sunrise or sunset to avoid the crowd. And make sure to have a car that can off-road, because the road to these Hot Springs is quite bumpy/ rocky! Be sure to go the next time you plan to visit Mammoth Lakes!
Amazing views and calm springs. The connections and friends we made there were special. It's something else to visit a timeless place.
Wild Willy's Hot Springs is amazing! We enjoyed the pool directly to the left. It's about 3 feet deep, and very warm. To get there, you do drive down a gravel road. There is a little parking lot. You then walk on a boardwalk to get to the pools. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous. The mountains surrounding the pool are stunning. It is a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. Can't wait to go back!
One of my new all time favorite places. Hard to describe how surreal it is taking a bath heated by the Earth, surrounded by a mountain view in the sunrise. The area was mostly clear, with some trash left over from the night before. It's clothing optional, but you can do whatever you're comfortable with. Will definitely be back!!
4 months ago
This is a wonderful remote location. There are two hot springs right off the main path. A smaller one and a larger one to the left. There was a large group enjoy enjoying the big one, so we just hung out in the little ones to the right. They have a free parking lot and it wasn't crowded. Very remote and peaceful - I hope it stays that way! read more
28 days ago
Found it easily, got a parking spot and headed down the marked path. Quite a few people here. Some nude, some suits. Note: Going skinny dipping is part of the culture. There are 3 ponds of hot water in a warm, warmer, warmest. The largest, to the right as you approach, was not as warm as I'd like. The middle pool was very nice and relaxing. My skin felt so soft after just 15 minutes. The pond to the west, tucked behind rocks is the warmest. Arriving just before sunset seems popular, but plenty of cars and RVs were also arriving as we departed. The unpaved road can get narrow in a couple of places, so schootch over as much as you can. All are welcome, so bring the family! Just don't gawk or stare or cover the eyes of your child to shield them from seeing the au natural bathers. Just, like, go with it, maaan. Cheers! "CC" read more
17 days ago
It is a beautiful place! I lost my cat there today while roadtripping with her. She is black with gray markings with white socks and a white belly. If you find her please email Kai.keevil22@gmail.com. Thank you read more
One of the best adventures in my life!!! If you've ever been in the Mammoth Lakes area, highly recommend you check this place out! Just type "Wild Willy's Hot Spring" into Google Maps and it will show you how to get there. Turn left from Highway 395 S into Bento Crossing Road and drive down for around 3 miles. That's when you'll turn right into an unmarked and unpaved road. Trust yourself, you're not lost :) The road leading there is a bit bumpy though. Drive slowly and carefully. Our non-4WD survived this road. About a mile down, you'll see the hot springs parking lot. There were plenty of parkings when we came around 10am on Sunday. There are 2 smaller lots which is a bit further away from the hot springs for overflow purposes. From the dirt parking lot, it's a quarter mile easy walk along the wooded boardwalk path to the natural hot springs. OMG the VIBE!!!! Wooden pathway, surrounding mountainous background, white condensing matters among green grass. Even the walk was an adventure itself. You'll see the hot springs coming up in both your left and right. And you can literally smell it too! Now, ENJOY!!! The hot springs temperature was perfect for dipping and relaxing. Instragrammable spot as well! And it's good for your body. We were so sore with all the hiking and kayaking the day before. But within 20 minutes of dipping, our soreness was relieved 80%! The place was not crowded at all even for a Sundays so we occasionally had the entire hot springs for ourselves for like 5-10 minutes. Highly recommend! Can't gush enough about this place! It is truly one of the highlights of our Mammoth Lakes trip :) read more
We were in Mammoth Lakes for an adventure last weekend and decided to hit the hot springs on our last day there. These were lovely hot springs. Parking is a little difficult and there were a lot of people there, but I enjoyed going. Beautiful views. Water is a bit mossy (it is a natural hot springs) and my skin was a little irritated afterwards, but nobody else in my group had any issues. Water was nice and warm. The walk to the springs is super easy and short... some people are saying 30 minutes, but I disagree.... MAYBE 15 minute walk. Super easy. Great experience. read more
7 months ago
Bit of a trail to get there but was very beautiful! 3 hot springs spots next to each other, can be a bit muddy around the springs when there's not much snow, but was very worth it :) read more
10 months ago
Found this place by google, and decided to check it out since whether is nice. Driving is okay, a little over one mile of unpaved road, but okay. Then walk a little bit, i guess less than half miles, you will see the hot spring pond. Checked the water, probably at 102 Fahrenheit not very hot. I bet it might be feel cold in winter. There are people walk out of the hot spring with smile. It's free and great place to enjoy the Mountain View and everything around you. read more
One of the better natural hot springs that we've visited. A short dirt road that accessible with any vehicle to a small parking lot. From the parking lot, you take a nice boardwalk over to the hot springs. The water temperature differs in each of the shallow pools. The closer you are to the source, the hotter the water. It's like sitting in a natural hot tub and enjoying the gorgeous view of the surrounding mountains and meadow with cows in the distance. Wear bathing suits. And water shoes if you have them but the sandy pebbles at the bottom aren't too bad on bare feet. Bring water and make sure you stay hydrated. Definitely worth the trip! read more
There's a small parking lot by the entrance. There's also a small space by the road that you can park at too. There is a 1.5 mile walk to the hot springs which can take about 30 minutes. There are 2 main hot springs with smaller pools. The water is really nice and warm. It's shallow enough to stand in but be careful walking around as it can be muddy and slippery. There's no entrance fee, it's completely free and open to the public. read more
It's definitely a hot spring and one of the larger ones in the area, but it's not really a place to relax. Honestly, this is more of a novelty, but don't let that stop you from coming. The views of this area along the boardwalk are great and worth the short walk to the hot spring.. The water temperature is like a hot bath. Note: Some locals suggest that this is a clothing optional hot spring. I didn't see any of that, fortunately. Also, I can confirm that it appears that a few people do live in their RVs in the parking lot. Just keep valuables hidden. It's a long walk to the hot spring. read more
When I went to Mammoth I was expecting a lot of hiking, the gondola and lakes. What I didn't know until I got there was that Mammoth Lakes has a bunch of natural hot springs, some of which are unsafe for bathing, some are small and hard to find. Wild Willy's while a little off the beaten path is still easy to find and safe and large enough to visit. After a long day of hiking I thought a nice soak would be a welcome change of pace. Google Maps kind of knows where it is-the parking lot isn't where it says but it's actual before where the route tells you so you can always double back. The walkway is pretty easy to navigate and the springs are naturally divided. The larger one is the cooler one and the smaller, heart shaped one is hotter. During my visit there was one person there just soaking so it was pretty private. read more
We have been here twice and had a great time, every time! The area is kept clean and the walkway is good condition. We have been here during the week both times so it was never crowded and always pleasant. We will be back again for sure! read more
One thing many people don't realize is that Mammoth Lakes actually has natural Hot Springs that you can swim in. The largest and probably most famous is Wild Willy's! It's a relatively large, natural Hot Springs, that you can dip in, with different pools with varying temperatures. This place is really popular so I would highly recommend going either around sunrise or sunset to avoid the crowd. And make sure to have a car that can off-road, because the road to these Hot Springs is quite bumpy/ rocky! Be sure to go the next time you plan to visit Mammoth Lakes! read more
2 years ago
Amazing views and calm springs. The connections and friends we made there were special. It's something else to visit a timeless place. read more
Wild Willy's Hot Springs is amazing! We enjoyed the pool directly to the left. It's about 3 feet deep, and very warm. To get there, you do drive down a gravel road. There is a little parking lot. You then walk on a boardwalk to get to the pools. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous. The mountains surrounding the pool are stunning. It is a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. Can't wait to go back! read more
One of my new all time favorite places. Hard to describe how surreal it is taking a bath heated by the Earth, surrounded by a mountain view in the sunrise. The area was mostly clear, with some trash left over from the night before. It's clothing optional, but you can do whatever you're comfortable with. Will definitely be back!! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
We visited the rock tub hot springs. It was absolutely the most relaxing and romantic little spot. We got lucky and had it to ourselves this day but we have visited on other occasions and other visitors were there too. We highly recommended this cute little spot and many others around the area as well. We have yet to visit with snow on the ground yet, but I can only imagine the beauty that would be with the snow. read more
Wow, how lucky are folks to be living nearby? It's absolutely free and still somewhat of a hidden gem - especially if you come during the right time. I can't imagine how amazing it would be to catch the stars under here, the sunset or sunrise as I came in the afternoon. The crowd on a Saturday wasn't too bad around noon, although it did get a bit crowded a bit later, but crowds came in waves. Everyone was super friendly. As mentioned, you park and then hike a half mile to the hot springs, which consist of a few natural bodies of water. The smaller heart shaped one is warmer and I generally found it fun to dip in both and get in/out to reset. People come, enjoy beers and friends. Although apparently this place is clothing optional, when we came - the few dozen or so people who were here were all dressed. We drove 6 hours all the way from LA to come here and were not disappointed. read more
3 years ago
This was the most beautiful hot springs I've ever been to. Being from the city, it is beautiful to escape it all and just be one with nature. If you are near the area, this is a great spot to camp and enjoy the hot springs. It does get a bit busy so I would recommend coming in the morning so you can enjoy the true sounds of nature. read more
3 years ago
PSA: It's clothing optional people. Be aware, don't be a prude, and let people just vibe and enjoy themselves :) That being said it's GORGEOUS! A bit sludgy on the bottom of the pools but u get over it read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
What a pleasant surprise! I have driven 395 before and didn't realize it was here. It is about 10 minutes off the interstate down a dirt road. There is a small parking lot (15 spaces or so) available. Once there, you walk down a short path and come to some natural hot springs. And, boy, were they hot!! Just like a hot-tub. I had a great time here and spent maybe 25 minutes in the spring. It was a little busy when I went so I didn't want to be selfish, ya know!! Dogs are allowed here. Beautiful springs in the valley and beautiful views of the mtns behind you. Definitely worth a stop! read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
We were looking for hot springs in the area and were so glad to find this place. It can get busy, but there were at least five different pools to relax in so we didn't feel like we were crowded. The walkway leading to the pools was part wooden planks and gravel. Really pretty and easy to navigate. The surrounding scenery is breathtaking beautiful. You will not be disappointed. read more
Cool secluded spot near mammoth mountains about 15 min off the 395. Parking is off the main road and hike in is about 3 miles. Relatively flat but wished the summer parking area was opened then the hike would only be about a mile or so. We went on Valentine's Day in the afternoon and there were a handful of people there. IMO the larger pool can fit 12-15 people comfortably with some distance inbetween and 5 in the smaller pool. Any more than that it would be somewhat crowded and may have to wait. The clay around the pools are very slippery, definitely watch your step and use the grass and other dry areas to get in. The pools in general are not very deep only about knee high all around so you'll have to lay in them to stay out of the cold. The water was pretty warm however some spots were warmer than others. There is quite a bit of gravel so expect to be exfoliated, you'll most likely find traces of human hair etc when sifting through the gravel. TIP: bring change of clothes, water and snacks, easy to change out of shoes, and towel to better your experience! Luckily we made it out before the sun had set or else it would have been too dark or cold trekking through the snow. However we had a great time and it is a nice experience in the winter! read more
3 years ago
Parking was open on 5.13.13! Once we drove to the parking area, it was a 5 min walk maybe . You'll see an area on the right (warm waters) and supposedly the water on the left was hot (too many people on that side that kept leaving to come to the right). We had no issues getting here. There were no kids and everyone was warning some kind of clothing read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
This is off the 395 and 3 miles east on Benton Road, make a right into 2 miles of gravel road. Plenty of parking and one porta potty. Then it's a nice walk down the boardwalk to the hot springs! The water was perfect temperature and so clean and beautiful! I would definitely wear water shoes here still as it's all pebbles and dirt underneath. It was so relaxing to soak in the hot springs!! read more
4 years ago
Free hot spring, only a couple other people there when I went.. one side is shallow and the other side is about knee high. Smell wasn't bad at all. Clean area and not a bad walk. I'd totally come again in the winter ! read more
9 years ago
I was seriously torn on leaving this review because Wild Willy's Hot Spring is the type of place you'd really just rather people seek out on their own without knowing you may be contributing to overpopulating this semi hidden gem but here it is... my 5 STAR review! This place was the freaken BEST! We left our hotel at around 615A to get here right before sunrise and it was perfect! Turn off 395 at the green church, pass the two (not counting the first) cattle grates - keep in mind - HARD Right after the second, or you'll pass it, drive a bit down the dirt road to the parking lot and you're there! The walk down the wooden path isn't terribly long but in below freezing weather, your toes will literally freeze so maybe bring something a bit warmer than flipflops to make it down there or a very warm pair of wool socks for after - I came prepared. We had changed at the hotel so didn't need to but of course there isn't a changing room, it's a fucken natural hot spring, lol so either come prepared or buck up and strip down. There were plenty of cars in the lot and overnight campers but only one person in the smaller heart shaped hot spring when we arrived, so we had the other larger hot spring to ourselves for around 20 or so minutes until others started to arrive. The water feels amazing!!! And just as there isn't a changing room, of course there's fucken dirt and mud!!! It's a natural hot spring for fucks sake! I loved every second of it! A magical steamy morning spent in the hot springs watching the sunrise and then dipping into the smaller ever so slightly warmer heart shaped spring with a few nice guys was the perfect way to start a Saturday. I'd highly recommend unless of course you have issues with nudity, strangers, dirt or an awesome time, then sure as hell keep away from this most beautifully stunning area. Items to bring: thermos of coffee, water, knit cap, jacket, towels, flipflops, warm socks or boots, warm outfit, friendly attitude read more
3 years ago
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More info about Wild Willy's Hot Spring
Hwy 395 Benton Crossing Rd
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
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http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGS271-066
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Ask the Community - Wild Willy's Hot Spring
Would I be able to access this spot with a sedan? I read there is dirt road access TIA
Yes, the terrain is not bad, just dusty.
Does anyone know if there is a place to rinse off and does it smell?
It's actually not that bad of a smell
Does anyone know as of June 2020 if the gate is open? Coming out on a camping trip next weekend. Fingers crossed.
Does anyone know if it's open tomorrow?
I don't think it ever closes? There's a gate at the entrance to the dirt road, if that's open it's open. It is open when it snows so I would imagine it is now. (It's super easy to get to so worth it to check it out)
Is it open year round?
I assume it is open all year because it's just a natural hot springs located in the middle of a huge field, that you have to hike too.
Anyone know if it is closed? tried getting there today and found the dirt road barred by a padlocked gate
Still closed.
Review Highlights - Wild Willy's Hot Spring
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