About this campground
The landscape surrounding Deep Creek is unique in a southern California context, and its recreation opportunities are valued at the regional and national levels. Thermal hot springs located here are unique and regionally important. Deep Creek supports the greatest diversity of wildlife habitats of any drainage on the San Bernardino National Forest and has earned the State designation of a Wild Trout Stream. It also represents some of the greatest diversity of vegetation communities of any drainage on the national forest. The surrounding area represents a transit conifer forest. The vegetation ranges from sparse creosote, chamise and California buckwheat at lower elevations to oak and pinyon woodland and scattered mixed conifer, healthy riparian habitats are also present. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) follows the creek from the Lake Arrowhead area to the Mojave River Forks Dam for 16 miles as part of the 2,650 mile national scenic trail crossing Deep Creek twice on elevated bridges. For more information on the Pacific Crest Trail, visit their website at www.pcta.org. Also, Deep Creek is home to the Southwestern Arroyo Toad, an endangered species who lives in the sandy shore of the creek. The toad is a small (2.2-2.9 inches), dark-spotted and light-olive green or gray to tan with dark spots and warty skin. The toad lives from confluence of the Mojave River up to an elevation of 4,300 feet usually spending the day burrowed in the sand and coming out at night to forage for food. No Bicycles on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)!
Getting there
The Deep Creek Hot Springs are located in the Deep Creek drainage, outside the city of Apple Valley. The easiest access is through the Bowen Ranch Road, which accesses the site through private land (a fee is charged). The trail descends steeply for 2 1/2 miles to the springs. An alternative route is to hike the Pacific Crest Trail east from Arrowhead Lake Road, roughly a six mile hike. Directions from Interstate 15 From northbound, exit Main Street in Hesperia, turn right and continue approximately 10 miles. From southbound, exit Main Street in Hesperia, turn left and continue approximately 10 miles. Turn left on Rock Springs Road and travel approximately 8 miles east. Rock Springs Road becomes Roundup Way and becomes a graded dirt road. Turn right on Bowen Ranch Road. Bowen Ranch Road is a graded dirt road and may be subject to weather related damage such as washouts and rutting. Bowen Ranch is private land. There are alternate routes around the ranch on Bureau of Land Management dirt roads. For directions on the BLM designated routes, contact: BLM Barstow Field Office 2601 Barstow Road Barstow, CA 92311 Email BLM_CA_Web_BA@blm.gov Phone 1-760-252-6000 Fax 1-760-252-6098 GPS for the trailhead: 34 21'08 N 117 10'03 W or 34.3396053 -117.1790641 Directions via Google Maps
Activities
- HIKING
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Crab Flats OHV Road 3N34San Bernardino National Forest3 mi
- Pinnacles OHV Staging AreaSan Bernardino National Forest3 mi
- Willow Bypass OHV Road 3N34XSan Bernardino National Forest3 mi
- Arrowhead Fish & Game - Shooting RangeSan Bernardino National Forest4 mi
- Ash Meadows OHV Road 2N75San Bernardino National Forest4 mi
- Banff OHV Road 2N28YSan Bernardino National Forest4 mi
Explore more California camping
Deep Creek Hot Springs doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby California campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse California camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.