Sierra Mountain Times

Travertine Hot Springs 

Although the first couple weeks of June were unusually cool, the sun has finally turned up the thermostat a few notches and it looks like summer is officially here! With last week’s temperatures soaring above the 100-degree barrier and sunny skies and 90-degree days forecasted for this Fourth of July weekend, it is the perfect opportunity to start seeking out the soothing waters of the Sierra. 

The Sierra is home to countless lakes, ponds, reservoirs, springs, streams, creeks, and rivers, and one doesn’t have to travel far to find these liquid treasures. As most locals know, Tuolumne and Calaveras counties are ripe with mouthwatering swimming holes, and with 800 miles of rivers and creeks splashing through the Stanislaus National Forest, a fifteen-minute drive in any direction will nearly guarantee a crossing of one of these bodies of water, offering a variety of swimming selections. From the warm reservoirs in the foothills to the frigid snowmelt waters in the upper elevations, there are plenty of options to wet one’s appetite.

Let us begin by looking at the hot springs steaming out of slopes of the eastern Sierra for those who have an appetite for boiled water. While technically not considered “swimming holes”, these natural wonders are a great place to soak on a summer evening and are relevant to this article due to the fact that you can only access these magma-boiled baths when the passes are open. A drive over Sonora, Ebbetts and Tioga pass will lead you to hot destinations such as Travertine Hot Springs, Buckeye Hot Springs and Hot Creek. One of the easiest hot springs to get to on the eastern side is Travertine, located a few miles east of Bridgeport. As the sizzling water (90 to 110 degrees) seeps to the surface through cracks and crevices in the earth’s crust, it flows into a couple of delightful steamy pools, surrounded by the unusual rock for which the spring was named.

However, it is the cool, refreshing bodies of water that are most sought out when the temperatures begin to rise. While these are often lakes, ponds and reservoirs, the best, and most secluded swimming holes (in my humble opinion) are most often found in the rivers and creeks carving through the canyons. But of course, it’s not the water that makes these swimming holes so great. Although it is the water that gives you that refreshing, tingling sensation, it is everything that surrounds the water that makes a swimming hole so special. 

If you think about it, the water in the swimming hole isn’t much different than what comes out of the faucets at home – water is water! But most would prefer a splash in a river to standing under a hose or sitting in a bathtub any day. There is something about the way the water carved and sculpted the rock and formed the slides, the falls, and the pools. It is these characteristics as well as the deepness, the heights of the surrounding cliffs, the vegetation, the privacy and the overall natural beauty that makes swimming holes so unique. There is something magical about finding a good swimming hole. This is why hiking along a river is always an adventure! Sure, the water is the same, but you never know what you will find around the next bend.

I have spent countless hours exploring these beloved canyons and I am always amazed at what I find. Searching for swimming holes is unlike most hikes. Instead of hiking to a viewpoint at the top of a mountain with your destination in sight, swimming holes sneak up on you. A bend in the river can offer a magnificent piece of liquid that you had no idea was there, while you knew where the peak was all along. With the river and its canyon walls, often nearly vertical, as your only views, at times you can feel like you are in inside…while outside! These holes can become your own little world…and everyone has their favorite place to visit.

Some of the more popular holes, which have been mentioned in books containing the best of California’s swimming holes, are Cleo’s Bath (above Pinecrest Lake), Candy Rock (on the North fork of the Stanislaus), Rainbow Pool (on the South Fork of the Stanislaus), and God’s Bath (on the Clavey). Out of these four famed pools, I would have to say that the aptly named God’s Bath takes the prize. It is as if God himself scooped a bowl out of the granite so He could relax in the crystal clear waters of the Clavey on the 7th day. A waterfall feeds the deep pool, which rests in a narrow gorge in the cliff-lined canyon offering plenty of jumping rocks as well as a huge granite shelf to relax on.

Directions to these pools can be found in Pancho Doll’s book, Day Trip with a Splash, but to find directions to other local hot spots such as Three Pools, Hell Hole, Our Hole, White Bridges and Natural Bridges, you will have to ask around. Besides, I recommend finding your own hole! There are plenty of unnamed pools far superior to all the ones mentions so far, and they are waiting to be discovered. You will be surprised what awaits you in the remote Sierra canyons. For some good swimming hole hiking I recommend lower Rose Creek, Cherry Creek (my favorite) Eleanor Creek, Reed Creek, The Clavey, Beaver Creek, the North and South fork of the Tuolumne River and the North and South fork of the Stanislaus River. These are guaranteed to quench a thirsty soul! 

Remember, there is no age limit to getting wet! Whether you’re five or seventy-five, there is no greater feeling than immersing yourself into the lovely liquid of a Sierra swimming hole. So this weekend, take a hike and see what’s around the next bend! Enjoy! Happy 4th of July!