Travertine Hot Springs - Bridgeport, California
After driving across the country, soaking in Travertine Hot Springs sounded absolutely fantastic! After our plans to visit Lassen National Park fell through (the wildfires were going crazy at this time), we decided to head on to the next stop and relax at the Travertine Hot Springs.
Travertine Hot Springs is located right outside Bridgeport, near Mono Lake, following the underrated Highway 395.
Now, you can use google, trip advisor, or, as I did, Roadtrippers to map your way to the location. However, to get there, you’ll be coming off Highway 395 onto Jack Sawyer Road, and depending on where you’re coming from, it will either be just before you run into Bridgeport or right after. After that, you’ll follow the signs. It wasn’t complicated for us to find. The first bit of the road will be paved, but the road going uphill at the intersection will be dirt. We were sporting our minivan for this road trip across the country and had no troubles without 2WD.
Though, after rain or even if there is some snow on the ground, 4WD would be recommended.
Once you arrive, there is a small parking lot. From there, follow the well-used path. You’ll see a smaller spring before coming upon the more popular cluster of springs. The deeper they are, the warmer they’ll be. There were a few people when we got there, but it was not crowded at all. We did learn that clothing is optional at these hot springs.
Overnight camping is not allowed at the Travertine Hot Springs location, but you certainly can find some nearby camping in Bridgeport, Mammoth Lakes, Willow Springs, or June Lake.
When visiting, remember to bring:
Swimsuit (or not since clothing is optional!)
Beach towel
Reef Safe Sunscreen
Water shoes or flip-flops worked well for me
Cold or Hot Beverages with a thermos to keep the temperature
Don’t let the Travertine Hot Springs be your only stop! Additionally, you can find Buckeye Hot Springs in Bridgeport, Wild Willy’s Hot Springs -Mammoth Lakes, Hot Creek Geological Site, and Whitmore Pool In Whitmore Hot Springs. Again, be mindful of the weather and the vehicle you’re using. We attempted to visit Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, but our van couldn’t make it. Two large humps and insufficient clearance prevented us from getting to the hot springs.
In the time it took us to turn around, four other vehicles had passed us—much more populated at the time!
