Travertine Hot Springs

What to expect

Travertine Hot Springs is the soak most Eastern Sierra road-trippers stop for when they pass through Bridgeport. It sits on open sagebrush ground about 2 miles southeast of town, at roughly 6,700 feet, and the view west takes in the jagged Sawtooth Ridge and the high peaks above Twin Lakes. On a clear evening the light on those mountains is the main event.

The name comes from the rock. Hot water rising along fissures here carries dissolved calcium carbonate, and as it cools and loses gas it leaves that mineral behind as travertine. Over a very long time the spring has built pale, banded ridges. The longest is about 850 feet long and around 15 feet high, with a crack running along its spine where the hot water flows.

The soaking pools are not natural basins. Volunteers have built them from rock, wood and concrete over the years, and they divert water into them through stepped channels so that each pool can be cooled to something bearable. That means no two visits are quite the same. Some pools are big enough for a group, others hold two people. Some run hot, some lukewarm, and some may be empty or blocked off when you arrive.

There is no staff, no lifeguard and no drinking water. A geocaching description of the site notes restrooms near the parking area. Do not count on trash service: pack out what you bring.

Getting there

The springs are on Bureau of Land Management land managed by the Bishop Field Office. Wikipedia describes the site as state park land, but BLM issues the closure orders here and federal land-status data shows the pools on BLM ground.

• From Bridgeport: Drive south on US 395 to the southern edge of town and turn east (left, if you are heading south) onto Jack Sawyer Road. From there, Travertine Hot Springs Road continues east and south for roughly a mile to a small dirt parking area. There is a gate on the access road near the Jack Sawyer Road junction. It is normally open, but BLM locks it during closures.
• From Mammoth Lakes or Lee Vining: Head north on US 395 to Bridgeport and turn right onto Jack Sawyer Road just before town.

The last stretch is a bumpy dirt road. A normal car usually manages it in dry weather if you take it slowly. After rain or snow it can turn muddy or icy. The main pools are only a couple of minutes’ walk from the lot, and further pools lie along the ridge. The ground around the pools is uneven and slick, and the travertine is fragile, so stay on the existing paths.

When to go

The springs are open year-round in principle, but Bridgeport gets real winters. Nights below freezing are common for much of the year, which is part of the appeal: a hot pool under a sky full of stars, with snow on the Sierra. In winter, think about the road surface and whether you can get back out if it snows while you soak.

Summer weekends are the busiest time. Bridgeport fills with anglers, campers and US 395 travelers, and the pools near the lot get crowded from late afternoon on. Weekday mornings are much quieter. Spring and fall bring cooler air, fewer people and some of the best light on the mountains.

Two kinds of closure have happened here. BLM signed an emergency order on May 26, 2023 that closed the Cement Tub and the area around it after its water climbed to between 110°F and 160°F43°C and 71°C. The order stays in place until conditions allow safe use, and we found no notice lifting it. Separately, BLM closed the whole site from October 30 to November 6, 2024 for ceremonial use by a local Tribe, under an order that barred vehicles, walkers and camping and locked the gate. We found no 2025 or 2026 notice, but a late October or early November trip deserves a call to the Bishop Field Office (760-872-5000) first.

Rules and etiquette

• No camping. You cannot camp at the springs, and there are important Native American cultural resources in the area. Do not disturb artifacts or stone features.
• Respect closures. Closure orders here carry federal penalties of fines and up to 12 months in prison. If a pool or area is signed closed, stay out of it.
• Clothing is optional in practice. Nudity is common and generally tolerated. Swimsuits are equally normal. Do not take photos of other people without asking.
• Protect the travertine. The ridges are delicate and easy to break or stain. Do not chip rock, dig new channels or build new pools.
• No soap or shampoo in the pools. Pack out every piece of trash, including bottle caps and food scraps.
• Share the space. Pools are small. If people are waiting, cut your soak short.

Where to stay nearby

There is no overnight option at the springs. The town of Bridgeport, a few minutes away, has motels, inns and restaurants along US 395, plus a grocery and fuel.

For camping, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest has campgrounds west of town on the road to Twin Lakes, and Buckeye Hot Springs has a Forest Service campground about a mile beyond its creekside pools, open roughly mid-May to mid-September. BLM’s Bishop Field Office limits dispersed camping to 14 days a year within its boundaries.

Safety notes

• Scalding water. The source water is near 180°F82°C, far hotter than skin can take. Never step into a channel or the source fissure, and test every pool with your hand before getting in. Temperatures can change after earthquakes, as the Cement Tub showed.
• Altitude and cold. At 6,700 feet, a long hot soak hits harder than at sea level. Drink water, keep soaks short and watch for dizziness when you stand up. In winter, have warm clothes ready for the walk back to the car.
• Footing. Wet travertine is slippery. Wear sandals with grip, and carry a headlamp if you are staying until dusk.
• Keep your head out of the water. Do not dunk or swim underwater in any natural hot spring.
• Car security. Do not leave valuables visible at any trailhead lot.

History

The Paiute used these springs for a long time before settlers arrived, and the area still holds cultural sites. In the mid-1890s, about 60 tons of travertine were quarried here, and the stone went into interior facings for San Francisco City Hall and other buildings. In the early 1900s a wood-lined pool was built for dipping sheep, and Wikipedia notes some of the old planks are still on site. Quarrying ended long ago, and the ridges are now protected as the Travertine Hot Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern under a 1995 BLM management plan.

Nearby stops worth adding

Buckeye Hot Springs, about 10 miles west of Bridgeport, is a free creekside soak under a travertine overhang in the national forest. Bodie State Historic Park, a preserved gold-mining ghost town, is reached by State Route 270 off US 395 south of Bridgeport. Note that Fales Hot Springs, about 15 miles northwest of town on US 395 below Devil’s Gate Pass, is private and not open to the public.