Wild Willy's California

I'll begin with my first hot springs experience. I was on a road trip through California this past February and my route took me through the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains. As I was plotting the trip on Google maps, I noticed a ton of hot springs in the area, so I decided to swing by one of them. Wild Willy's seemed to be a favorite online so that's where I went.

Accessibility: There was a dirt parking lot just off the main road with quite a few vehicles in it. At the end of the lot was a gate, blocking off a long dirt road. As I was grabbing my stuff, a couple who were just returning to their car told me it's about 20-30 walk to the springs. They said that normally the gate is open and you can drive much closer to the springs, which leaves you with just a 5 minute walk. It was closed now due to snow, making the dirt road difficult for most vehicles. I made the walk, which was actually more like 45 mins.

I saw lots of people walking back to the parking lot on my trip there, mostly a younger crowd. By the time I got there, it was pretty much empty except for 1 young woman in one of the lower pools. I kept my clothes on since she was also clothed and since it was my first time, I wasn't too sure of the etiquette. We ended up making small talk for awhile and after a bit, she started gathering her things and said she had to head back. Before she left, I asked if the springs were clothing optional and she said yes. I waited for her to get back on the trail before I stripped down. She turned back to give a smile and a wave and I settled back into the main pool. I cracked a beer and enjoyed the springs all by myself for about 15 or 20 mins before I saw a group of about 4 girls and 4 guys crest the hill. I reluctantly slipped my shorts back on and finished my beer. They came over and half of them got in. The other half walked to the other side of the trail and got into another pool, which I didn't even notice before. About 10-15 mins later I had to start making my way back since I had a long drive ahead of me.

The pools themselves are large enough for big groups, or to be spaced out from others. However, each individual pool is pretty small, and most of them are fairly shallow. The hottest one, near the top, is the deepest, which is still only about 2-3 feet deep.
The other pool across the trail is the biggest and deepest and not quite as hot as the hottest in the other pools. I wish I would have spent more time in that one.

Overall, it was a great experience. The water felt nice, and the views were amazing. It is a beautiful location. And of course, being nude in nature is always so refreshing. The obvious downside is the long walk out there which cut into the amount of time I could spend in the water. I'm not sure if you can check the status of the gate beforehand, but if so, I'd recommend checking that. Either way, bring good footwear.

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