JMT Hot Springs

[coronan]

The JMT is home to many hot springs.
My friend skiied it in '83 and remembers a hot spring in Evolution valley or Le Conte Canyon. I can not find it on my map set.
Rumor has it; It is across the river from the trail.

Anyone have old USGS maps? Been there????

THANKS!!!

[Malto]

It is right across the river from Muir Trail Ranch

[Malto]

image.jpg

There is also a nice cool lake to swim in next to the springs.

[coronan]

MTR is next to Blaney hot springs. Ive seen it on maps, I have write up on it. My friend remembers the Ranch, they were not open yet for the season. He remembers the another springs south of there. He said crossed the kings river to get to it. Which puts it in Le Conte Canyon.

[DaFireMedic]

My kids didn't want to leave Blaney. It was all I could do to get them back on the trail. Its very muddy, but very refreshing. There is a map at MTR showing how to get there, as its across the river and through a few bushes, etc.

I'm considering a ponying up the cash for a rest day at MTR next year.

[Dogwood]

Sounds like Blaney Hot Springs near MTR which is legally accessable whether MTR is closed or open and whether or not you are staying at MTR although MTR itself has some hot spring pools that are only for paying guests. BHS is free. You wade across the South Fork San Joaquin River and several small hot(warmish) pools are in a grassy open field. These hot Springs are over rated in my opionion when compared to many other hot springs in the Sierras.

The small lake(pond) in the same area(same field) Malto refererred to is found by going past the small Blaney Hot Spring pools(there are several, nothing big though, very unimpressive IMHO!) along a very short(less than 300 yds) often muddy trail through dense willows where it's located at the base of a cliff. Although the pond is not as hot as BHS it is fed by a small warmish(not hot) spring on the bottom of the pond and at least doesn't have the bug juice, sunscreen etc floating on the surface as often is the case with BHS.

Mono Hot Springs is also close to the JMT. I have always gotten in free but I think they charge a small fee for these hot springs. MHS has a USPO where you can send packages and a SMALL store.I've always gotten to MHS by getting a hitch from Vermillion Valley Resort and back to the resort(apply that term loosely!).

Another hot springs which, IMHO, are much better than BHS, near but certainly not on the JMT, are the Kern river Hot Springs accessed off the High Sierra Trail. DO NOT confuse the High Sierra Trail with the Sierra High Route!

[wornoutboots]

I remember reading that there are several at the ranch & that the ones across the river & a little beyond are supposedly El Naturel

[Dogwood]

Oh, there are also a few hot springs along the Kings River on(near) the JMT that are not typically openly discussed. The few I've found would be hard for me to help you locate unless I gave GPS coordinates. Like the Kern River Hot Springs these few are so close to the river's edge(really part of the river's edge) that sometimes they flood over and can get silted up. And, no I don't have the GPS #'s.