Mammoth Hot creek hotsprings

[etaniyani]

Hey, all. I am planning a trip to mammoth at the end of december. Last year i did a lot of wheeling right near the 395 203 interstate junction. This year i was hoping to wheel to the hot creek hotsprings behind the mammoth airport. I am looking at my Forest service map and see that there is a gate there. Does anyone know whether that gate is open during the winter? Does the forest service allow people back into the hotsprings? I also noticed that the gate they posted is only a 1/4mile from the hotsprings. If that gate is closed can i wheel to that gate and just leave my jeep there and hike the rest of the way?? Any info would be great.

 

[basalt51]

There is a graded dirt road (might even be paved) to the hot springs in Hot Creek. That gate is probably at the parking lot where there is a trail down a fairly steep embankment to the creek. So yes you can go to the Hot Springs, but if it is closed due to snow it may not be safe to hike down the trail. And if the gate is closed it probably means the springs are closed to people as well since it is a sensitive fishery and highly regulated.