California South
WARNING: There seems to be lots of confusion between Bowen Ranch and Deep Creek Hot Springs. My current understanding is that Bowen Ranch has no hot springs, but that it is a popular access point to Deep Creek Hot Springs.
According to one knowlegable sounding person name Mike (see comments for details)
Bowen Ranch is not a hot spring but rather a place for the public to safely park their vehicles and to camp overnight at. It is by far the best place to hike to the hot springs from. A small parking and/or camping fee is charged. There are very limited facilities there... My friend Michael Castro owns and manages Bowen Ranch... When Mr. Castro is not present, there are easy to follow directions posted on the front door of the historic and rustic structure. Day time parking is $4 per person. Overnight Camping fee is $5 per person. Campsites are on a first come first serve basis. Some sites have picnic tables. Very limited facilities on property... It is prohibited by the U. S. Forest Service to bring glass containers to the hot springs or into the Deep Creek drainage area. Also prohibited by USFS, is overnight camping and campfires at the hot springs.
If you post a comment, please clarify if you mean Bowen Ranch, or Deep Creek Hot Springs (via Bowen Ranch).
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8 comments:
09/14/2000- ...I was told that Bowen Ranch was one of the 10 best spots in the country.
Nathalie Akiya
07/02/2002- There is a hot springs in Apple Valley, it crosses over property called Bowens Ranch. The owner of the property charges $5.00 per person to park. The trail is marked and it is about 45 min hike down (1 hour hike up) and decends about 1000 feet. There is a pool which is warm, and several side hot springs. People can tent camp which is also a nominal fee charged at the entrance. I have not found information about this hot spring on any site, but have been there each summer for the past 4 summers. (Just thought I would share this with you :o)
anonymous, USA
6/18/2003- The Bowen Ranch is pretty much just a barren piece of High Desert property with a couple of very old buildings on it. The Bowen Ranch business should not be confused with the public place called Deep Creek Hot Springs. Bowen Ranch is a private piece of land owned by a public person... an 80 acre, piece of land, and on BLM lands.
There are no hotsprings at the Bowen Ranch. The Bowen Ranch is an 80 acre piece of private land that can be parked on, for a fee, as an access point to hike from, to DCHS. The hotsprings called Deep Creek Hot Springs ( or DCHS ) are about 2 miles from the Bowen Ranch. I don't know who suggested that DCHS was also referrenced by people as The Bowen Ranch Hot Springs, but in my 20 years of visits, alot of visits, I've had many conversations and have never heard someone call DCHS that. So my suggestion would be to keep your listing of Deep Creek Hot Springs as is, and eliminate the Bowen Ranch Hot Springs listing. I think you mention directions to the Bowen Ranch along with its name, within the information on Deep Creek Hot Springs, and that makes sense, because it is the main general access point that people use to reach DCHS. I hope that makes my suggestion more clear. DCHS in all the hotsprings books I have ever seen, and in all of the internet sites ( besides yours ) that I have ever seen has always just been referred to by its official USFS name of Deep Creek Hot Springs.
Van, CA, USA
Beware of Mike Castro. The man is a desert bum and a violent jerk. He routinely carries a pistol and does not think twice about brandishing it in a threatening manner. There are other ways to enter the hot springs and avoiding Bowen Ranch and Castro. I recommend if approached by Mike....shoot first and ask questions later!
Thats a bunch of crap! I've known Mike for over 10 years. He has always treated me with kindness and respect. Mike lives in an isolated area and carries a weapon for personal safety as would I under similar circumstances. Obviously you have an axe to grind with him for some provocation that you initiated.
Last Monday I was trail riding in the hills above Apple Valley when my motorcycle broke. I hiked about 2 miles when I happened upon a ranch. The owner(Mike Castro) not only retrieved my bike but repaired it so I could continue. He would not accept money. I am deeply indebted to this person for his help. Makes me glad there are still people like him around
Back in 2006 when I was riding my CR 500 down to Deep Creek Hotsprings, my buddy Dan and I had a blast. But riding out was difficult, no traction for roaring up the hills, even with the CR 500.
I leaned the bike against the canyon wall, and jutted piece of the cliff touched my petcock. IT BROKE OFF!
The needle tip connecting to the fuel line snapped like a twig. I had to hold the hose up to the petcock, fill the carb with fuel, and blast out of there. After stopping every 200 feet to fill the carb, I finally made it to Mike's house.
Just like this other guy said, Mike fixed my bike so I could get it back to my truck near Grapevine Canyon Road. He zipped, safety wired and glued it in place.
Mike's an A+ guy. I'll be riding dirt bikes up there in early October on a vacation to the desert (I live in TX now), and I wanna stop by to say hi to Mike again.
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