Crab Cooker Hot Spring
95–110°F
Pool temperatures
Short walk
Easy access
Free
No fee reported
Crab Cooker is a single man-made concrete or stone tub in the Long Valley Caldera, about 13 to 15 miles from Mammoth Lakes. Very hot spring water is piped in from a source well about 30 feet away, and a valve controls the flow. It is free, clothing-optional, has no facilities, and is reached by a rough dirt road and a short walk.
01 · Before you go
Plan your visit
What to expect on the ground: rules, facilities and when to go.
- Clothing optionalCommon here, not official policy
- Camping nearbyDispersed camping is reported in the area, but not right at the spring. Check current local rules before camping.
- 1 pool
- ModerateWeekdays are quieter than weekends.
- SeasonOpen year-round, but the unmaintained dirt access roads can be impassable with snow in winter. Visitors then park on Benton Crossing Road and walk or snowshoe in.
- Free to soakFree parking and free soaking.
Best time to go. Weekdays are quieter than weekends. Summer nights and weekends can be crowded. Spring is suggested for mild weather. Flow is reported to be best in winter.
02 · Live
Conditions
Access status, weather and hazards. Closure feeds are checked automatically every morning.
Access
No closures reported
No closure, fire or weather warning found in Forest Service, wildfire (NIFC) or National Weather Service feeds. That isn't confirmation it's open, so check with Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Checked 14 Oct · updated daily
Visitors reported no water in the tub in August 2025 and on Oct 30, 2025. Water supply is described as inconsistent, and the pipe or tub sometimes needs repair.
Source water is very hot, reported at about 150-156 F. Leaving the valve open can make the tub too hot to enter, so test the water first. A steaming source well sits next to the tub. The access road is rough, with deep potholes. Winter snow can block the road. Dehydration is a risk when soaking.
03 · Route
Getting there
Nearest town: Mammoth Lakes.
- 1
From US-395 between Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, turn onto Benton Crossing Road at the green church. Follow the rough dirt road past the cattle guards and take an unmarked dirt road to a parking area at its end.
- 2
From there a rutted track of about 0.2 miles leads to the tub. The last stretch is rough and potholed, so high clearance is advised.
- 3
Low-clearance vehicles can park at Shepherd Hot Springs and walk about a third of a mile.
37.6638, −118.8003 · nearest town Mammoth Lakes, CA
04 · Where to stay
Stay nearby
Start early and stay close. Places to stay near Mammoth Lakes, from campgrounds to cabins.
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