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California has hundreds of natural hot springs and dozens of commercial resorts with soaking pools. One location in Southern California near the Nevada border is Tecopa Hot Springs.
Whether you want a resort-style experience or an organic, all-natural mud bath, you’ll have three great options for healing and relaxation. Let’s dive in!
About Tecopa Hot Springs, CA
Tecopa Hot Springs is a community just north of Tecopa, California. Highway 127 runs along the west, and the South Nopah Range Wilderness Area runs along the east.
The California-Nevada border is less than 30 miles from Tecopa Hot Springs. It’s also about an hour from the Furnace Creek Visitor Center at Death Valley National Park.
Tecopa was first established as a mining city but has become well known for the hot springs just north of town. Many consider them some of the most therapeutic hot springs in the country.
Are Hot Springs Safe?
People have enjoyed the mineral-rich hot spring waters for thousands of years. Native Americans believe the waters have healing properties. Additionally, professional athletes, government officials, and military personnel regularly visited Hot Springs, Arkansas, before it became a federally protected area.
However, the dangers of soaking in a hot spring include temperature and sanitation. These thermal springs can reach over 100 degrees.
If you enter a spring that’s too hot, you risk burning your skin. Most commercial springs will have the water temperature regulated and posted for guests to know just how hot the water is.
Also, natural hot springs aren’t regulated like hot springs at resorts. Commercial hot springs are required by law to treat and purify their water. However, natural hot springs pose potential risks associated with mites and amoebas.
If the water remains stagnant, it’s more prone to infestation. A good flowing hot spring will generally be safe.
Where to Soak Your Bones in Tecopa Hot Springs
At Tecopa Hot Springs, you can enjoy a resort experience or a more natural, organic experience.
If you’d like an overnight location, Tecopa Hot Springs Resort and Delight’s Hot Springs Resort provide campsites, cabins, motel rooms, and other accommodations.
Tecopa Hot Springs Resort
Address: 860 Tecopa Hot Springs Rd, Tecopa, CA 92389
Rates: Rates range from $35 to $45 for a campsite, $105 to $135 for a cabin, and $125 to $150 for a motel room.
The hot springs at the resort are only open to overnight guests. It has five private rooms with soaking tubs that maintain a 104-degree water temperature.
Because these tubs are first-come, first-served, most people soak for about 5-30 minutes at a time so other guests can enjoy it. A shower is required before entering the hot spring tub room.
Delight’s Hot Springs Resort
Address: 368 Tecopa Hot Springs Rd, Tecopa, CA 92389
Rates: Rates at Delight’s Hot Springs Resort range from $20 to $30 for day/night passes, $35 for a campsite, and $98 to $290 for a cabin, trailer, or house.
Here, you can get day or night passes for guests not staying overnight. However, when staying at the resort, guests have 24/7 access to the hot springs.
The resort has an outdoor hot springs swimming pool and four private hot spring bathhouses. Guests can enjoy 30-minute private soaks. The resort also has food options and a gift shop on-site.
Tecopa Mud Hot Springs
GPS Coordinates: 35.8859, -116.2341
Rates: You can visit the Tecopa Mud Hot Springs for free.
An oasis in the California desert, this clothing-optional hot spring is free and open to the public. The large pool averages 95 to 110 degrees year-round. However, this hot spring is very muddy, and signs warn of mud mites. Enter at your own risk.
You can’t camp here. To get to the springs, follow I-15 S and NV-160 W to Tecopa Road. Then take Old Spanish Trail Hwy to Elias Road in Tecopa.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Tecopa Hot Springs?
Tecopa Hot Springs is located in the desert of Southern California. This means temperatures in the summer can be deadly. The town is just outside Death Valley National Park, which has the highest recorded temperature in the world.
So the best time to visit this part of the country is in the winter when the area has mild temperatures.
But if you don’t have the option of choosing when to visit Tecopa Hot Springs and have to venture out during the summer, you might want to book a hotel or cabin reservation instead of a campsite. RVs in 100-degree heat won’t cool as well as a hotel room.
Things to Do Near Tecopa Hot Springs
If you visit Tecopa Hot Springs for a few days, it’s in a great location to enjoy outdoor recreation. The area has many local attractions, from hiking and off-roading trails to stargazing and wildlife viewing.
Death Valley National Park
You can’t visit Tecopa Hot Springs without taking the hour trip northwest to Death Valley National Park. Just make sure to visit early in the morning if it’s the summer.
Sign up for a ranger-led program to learn more about the area’s geology, wildlife, and history, or take a guided tour. Go hiking, biking, or horseback riding. Watch a sunrise or sunset. You have multiple ways to enjoy this unique national park.
Keep in Mind: Before you head off to Death Valley National Park, make sure you know Where To Camp With Your RV!
Red Rock Canyon, NV
Red Rock Canyon, designated as Nevada’s first national conservation area, is just 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip. It also lies less than 90 minutes from Tecopa Hot Springs.
You can drive the 13-mile scenic drive, hike, rock climb, mountain bike, and more. It also has a visitor center with indoor and outdoor exhibits. Pack a picnic and head out to Red Rock Canyon to enjoy the beauty of this part of Nevada while staying in Tecopa Hot Springs.
The Amargosa River Trail
If you want to stay nearby, head south to Tecopa and hit the Amargosa River Trailhead. This 6-mile dirt trail goes from Tecopa to China Ranch Date Farm on China Ranch Road.
It also follows part of the Old Spanish Trail and passes by a waterfall. You’ll also likely see wildlife, so bring your binoculars.
Dumont Dunes
Finally, the Dumont Dunes is an excellent location to go off-roading. The 7,620 acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management remain open for public use. You can go open desert riding on ATVs, UTVs, motorcycles, dune buggies, and sand rails.
Enjoy this open playground or take the Sperry Wash Route, which traverses the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River north from Dumont Dunes along the path of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. For more information about rules and regulations, visit the BLM website.
Keep in Mind: If the White Sand Dunes isn’t on your bucket list, then it should be! Here’s Why You Should Visit The White Sand Dunes
Relax Your Mind, Body, and Spirit at Tecopa Hot Springs
Many people praise the healing properties of hot springs. They feel “whole” after a soak from their mind to their soul. So the next time you need to get away from the stresses of daily life and escape to an oasis in the California desert, consider visiting Tecopa Hot Springs.
Make a reservation at a resort or head out to the muddy waters of the natural mud springs. Allow your mind to drift away and your body to relax completely.
Have you ever soaked in a hot spring?
