The landscape surrounding Deep Creek is unique in a southern California context, and its recreation opportunities are valued at the regional and national levels. Thermal hot springs located here are unique and regionally important.
Deep Creek supports the greatest diversity of wildlife habitats of any drainage on the San Bernardino National Forest and has earned the State designation of a Wild Trout Stream. It also represents some of the greatest diversity of vegetation communities of any drainage on the national forest. The surrounding area represents a transiticonifer forest. The vegetation ranges from sparse creosote, chamise and California buckwheat at lower elevations to oak and pinyon woodland and scattered mixed conifer, healthy riparian habitats are also present.
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) follows the creek from the Lake Arrowhead area to the Mojave River Forks Dam for 16 miles as part of the 2,650 mile national scenic trail crossing Deep Creek twice on elevated bridges. For more information on the Pacific Crest Trail, visit their website at www.pcta.org
Also Deep Creek is home to the Southwestern Arroyo Toad, an endangered species who lives in the sandy shore of the creek. The toad is a small (2.2-2.9 inches), dark-spotted and light-olive green or gray to tan with dark spots and warty skin. The toad lives from confluence of the Mojave River up to an elevation of 4,300 feet usually spending the day burrowed in the sand and coming out at night to forage for food.
Directions
The Deep Creek Hot Springs are located in the Deep Creek drainage, outside the city of Apple Valley. The easiest access is through the Bowen Ranch Road, which accesses the site through private land (a fee is charged). The trail descends steeply for 2 1/2 miles to the springs. An alternative route is to hike the Pacific Crest Trail east from Arrowhead Lake Road, roughly a six mile hike.
Directions from Interstate 15
From northbound, exit Main Street in Hesperia, turn right and continue approximately 10 miles.
From southbound, exit Main Street in Hesperia, turn left and continue approximately 10 miles.
Turn left on Rock Springs Road and travel approximately 8 miles east. Rock Springs Road becomes Roundup Way and becomes a graded dirt road.
Turn right on Bowen Ranch Road. Bowen Ranch Road is a graded dirt road and may be subject to weather related damage such as washouts and rutting.
Bowen Ranch is private land. There are alternate routes around the ranch on Bureau of Land Management dirt roads. For directions on the BLM designated routes, contact the BLM Barstow Field Office at 2601 Barstow Road in Barstow, CA 92311 Phone: 760-252-6000
GPS for the trailhead: 34 21’08 N 117 10’03 W
GPS Coordinates
Latitude 34° 20′ 21.8148″ N
Longitude 117° 10′ 37.0668″ W