Hot Creek Geological Site is located behind the Mammoth Airport via Hot Creek Hatchery Rd which is paved for the first 2 miles, then the remaining 3 miles are gravel.
The magma chamber 3 miles below the surface powers this creek, which is boiling. Groundwater percolates deep underground, become superheated and pressurized, then rises back up to the earth’s surface. Hot Creek is known for geysering or water occasionally shooting up from the ground as high as six feet. The water in the thermal springs is 199 degrees, and here at 7000 ft, that's the boiling point.
This shooting water can be intermittent, unpredictable, and sometime produces an audible popping sound. Hot Creek Geological Site has been closed in previous years when the site became too geologically active and unpredictable. People used to swim in the creek, but this is no longer allowed after the pools began to occasionally geyser with super-heated boiling water.
Back in March, I tried to reach Hot Creek Geologic Site. That I could even attempt that in March at 7000 feet shows how little snow we had last winter. But it's now June, and we rode right up to the site. No one had ever seen the site hidden behind the Mammoth Airport.
