Tecopa Mud Baths, California

Where are the hot springs?

When searching for the place in the desert, I found a man walking wrapped in a robe.

On the Bottom of Ancient Lake

Most cell phones do not have reception in Tecopa.

I came to the small town without clarifying the exact place of Mud Baths.

I happened to find a man sweated in a robe in the desert, and started to follow him thinking that he should know where they are.

The deserted area is considered to be the bottom of the ancient Lake Tecopa ten thousand years ago.

The very fragile soil tells that history.

Reed communities are seen only around the hot springs gushing from the ground.

Complete Silence

It was only a few minutes’ walk from the street to the bog.

It can be said accessible even though the trailhead is hard to be found.

The soil around the pond looks poisonous-looking with mineral deposits.

The long and thin bog is tepid (90 degrees F) in the front side.

The water temp shows higher when going further.

There is a caution statement.

According to this, a threatened species, Amargosa Vole inhabits the marshes.

It is explained that they live only around the natural hot springs in Tecopa, CA.

"Amargosa" came from the Spanish Amargo, meaning biter; the Amargosa River flows into the Death Valley after the heavy rainfall.

The water is opaque, which is not from the mineral deposits, but due to fine muds soaring from the bottom.

In the most remote part, hot water is gushing with periodic bubbles.

It was 111 degrees F, which is even hotter than a comfortable soak.

Not only endangered species, but many creatures survive in the marshes.

Some reports show that mud mites bite around the pond.

I was wondering whether to soak in the muddy water, while the man was swimming having nothing on.

I made up my mind, and dipped in the bog quietly not to astonish the voles.

It was 2 to 3.5 feet depth.

The bottom was soft, but not like a bottomless swamp.

I enjoyed the hot enough water with the slight sulfur smell.

As he left, I was fully alone in the desert.

I was in complete silence, even feeling the beat of my heart.

Summary