Tecopa Hot Springs Campground, California

Albert Einstein said “Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.”

A public bath house in California reminded me of the word of wisdom.

The Racetrack Playa

Strange happenings can be seen in the wilderness of Death Valley National Park.

Photo by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center – Mysterious Roving Rocks of Racetrack Playa (2010) / CC BY 2.0

Rocks slides by themselves and it leaves dragged marks on the land.

This phenomenon far beyond the common knowledge has been a research object among geological scientists.

In 2014, it was finally revealed that very specific requirements of the weather condition enable rocks rolling.

Tecopa Hot Springs Campground

It is 1.5 hours’ drive from the central Death Valley National Park to Tecopa hot springs.

In the isolated spa village, there is a bathhouse governed by the country.

The rate had been complimentary, but currently is $9.

Amazingly, this facility next to a campground opens 24 hours of a day, every day of the year.

Even more surprising thing is that they offer perfect Japanese bathing method.

When entering the premises, you will see gender-separated bathhouses.

On the wall of the bathrooms, there is a cautionary statement of “No clothing in water.”

It is an out of common rule in the United States, where mixed bathing with clothing required or clothing optional is widely accepted.

The men’s bathroom is divided into two.

Indeed the quality of spring water is superior; in terms of the smooth texture and moderate (106 degrees F) temperature.

However, even though I was from Japan, I felt restless by the gender-separated, clothing-prohibited bathing rule that is common in Japan.

It seems much easier to have a new concept of value.

Related Hot Springs

It is ten minutes’ drive from the bathhouse to a complimentary open-air bath.

Tecopa Hot Tub, Tecopa, California, USA

The scenery of a tub on the vast empty desert may look insane.