Buckeye Hot Springs
- Free
- Roadside
Undeveloped pools beside Buckeye Creek in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, about 10 miles from Bridgeport and just east of Buckeye Campground. The Forest Service says the 140°F spring spills over a rock overhang into a cave-like pool, with a smaller spring upstream. A 2022 project added a vault toilet, a formal parking area, a single trail to the pools and interpretive signs.
- Price
- Free
- Nearest town
- Bridgeport
- Hike (one way)
- Roadside
Plan your visit
Hours & season
| Season |
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|---|
Tickets & booking
| Price |
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|---|---|
| Access | Free public access |
On site
| Lodging | No |
|---|---|
| Camping nearby | Yes |
| Land manager | USFS |
Not stated by the land manager: swimwear, ages, dogs.
Soak responsibly
- Pack out everything, including food scraps and toilet paper. Use WAG bags where required.
- No soap, shampoo or sunscreen in the pools; rinse away from the water.
- Check permits and closures with USFS before you go.
- Keep groups small and give others space. Respect posted dog and camping rules.
Water temperature
This venue doesn't publish pool temperatures.
What's here
- pools along Buckeye Creek
- spring flows over a rock overhang forming a cave-like pool
- second small spring upstream
- vault toilet and formal parking area (2022)
- interpretive signs incl. Bridgeport Indian Colony cultural info
- Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Getting there
| Elevation | 6,943 ft |
|---|---|
| Road |
|
| Trail |
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| Parking | Stabilized parking area built in 2022 |
Things to do near Bridgeport
Bodie State Historic Park
Gold-mining ghost town southeast of Bridgeport, run by California State Parks.
Campgrounds
- Buckeye (Upper)1 mi
- Buckeye1 mi
- Buckeye Group1.3 mi
- Honeymoon Flat Campground2.7 mi
Trailheads
Straight-line distances. Campground and trailhead data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nearby springs
Travertine Hot Springs
Hot springs and soaking tubs on BLM land off Jack Sawyer Road just southeast of Bridgeport, managed by the Bishop Field Office. The site has a long history with the region's Native people, and BLM has closed it to all public access for Tribal ceremonial use (Oct 30-Nov 6, 2024). BLM's closure map shows a gated access road, a parking lot and a trail to the tubs.
Grover Hot Springs State Park
A California state park 4 miles west of Markleeville with a concrete hot mineral pool fed by six springs and a separate cooler swimming pool, run with a lifeguard on duty. The hot pool is kept at 102-104°F, and pool entry is sold separately from the $8 vehicle day-use fee. The park also has a forested campground, picnic area and trails to a waterfall and Burnside Lake.
Wild Willy's Hot Springs (Crowley Hot Spring)
Undeveloped hot pools on BLM land in Long Valley, reached by a dirt road off Benton Crossing Road and a short boardwalk walk from the parking area. The BLM and Mono County maintain and rerouted the access road, which the BLM says carries more than 500 vehicles on busy days. Mono County notes that natural pools like this are not maintained and asks visitors to pack out what they bring.
Travertine Hot Springs: 7 mi · Grover Hot Springs State Park: 42 mi · Wild Willy's Hot Springs (Crowley Hot Spring): 50 mi
Sources (6)
· checked November 2026
Prices, hours and rules are checked against the official site and land-agency pages. Spot something out of date? Let us know.