Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs is a town in Riverside County in the California Desert. Most visitors are here to chill in the desert, and relax at one of the many hotel/spas. The naturally hot mineral waters flowing into the soaking pools is heated by the earth's magma and is unusual that it contains no sulfur smell and is tasteless.
The hot water table is actually above the cold water table and in some places is so near the surface it leaks out of the earth. Soaking in the naturally hot mineral waters proves therapeutically beneficial to those suffering arthritis, bursitis, muscular fatigue or damage and is generally healing to the body. In some places the wells measure temperatures as high as 140 degrees requiring cooling of the waters before they flow into the soaking pools.
The waters that flow into the pools also flow out of the pools into retention basins that allow the waters to slowly soak back into the earth. By this method the pools are constantly refreshed with new waters flowing in, so less chlorine is required.
The city of Desert Hot Springs, once known as Spa City, was founded by Cabot Yerxa and came into being in the 1950s due to the hot mineral springs. This makes it a unique destination among all cities of the Coachella Valley. Nearby cities of Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Palm Desert, La Quinta and Indio do not have hot mineral springs.
Get in
Having a car is definitely the easiest option.
From Los Angeles take the I-10 East, exit Palm Drive, and head north.
From Palm Springs, take either Indian Canyon Drive north, or Gene Autry Trial north, which turns into Palm Drive. Either route will take around 30 minutes.
Get around
See
- Cabot's Pueblo Museum.
Do
Buy
Eat
- The Capri Italian Food and Steakhouse.
- Palm Korean Bar-B-Que.
- South of the Border.
- Thai Palm Restaurant, 12106 Palm Dr, ☏ +1 760-288-3934. A decent little Thai restaurant, with a traditional menu accompanied by a not-so-traditional specials menu. Mains $8-15.
Drink
Sleep
Most of the hotels double as spas.
- El Morocco Inn & Spa. Moroccan inspired 12 room inn with 2 hot minneral pools.
- Living Waters Spa and Condos (Living Waters), 13340 Mountain View Rd., ☏ +1 760-329-9988, info@livingwatersspa.com. A European-style clothing optional spa. Massage treatments, including couples massage as well as other spa offerings. The hotel was built in 1960 as the Kismet Lodge in typical mid-century modern style. It was fully restored, even the Kismet Lodge neon sign in 2003. The mineral water well produces water and flows to both pools 18 hours a day, 20 gallons per minute. The small pool is always 100 degrees and the larger pool mid to upper 80s. Living Waters Spa is the only clothing-optional mineral water spa in Southern California.
- The Sea Mountain Inn Spa Resort. A nude swinger resort for couples only.
- Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa, 67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, ☏ +1 760 329-8791. This sprawling resort set on 50 acres. Their pools are fed by a 140F natural hot spring, which is cooled and divided into a large 98F pool and a smaller 104F pool. The spa is fantastic, with top-notch masseuses and a host of other offerings. They bill themselves as a retreat, so cell phones are banned in the public areas, and whispering is preferred. Rooms and suites start around $150-200.
- Desert Hot Springs Spa Hotel (Spa Hotel).
- Miracle Springs Spa and Resort (Miracle Springs).
Go next
- Joshua Tree National Park – stunning landscapes. The western entrance is about 30 minutes drive.
| Routes through Desert Hot Springs |
| San Bernardino ← Banning ← | W  E
|
→ Palm Springs → Indio |