Mercey Hot Springs

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—temperature

A natural thermal spring.

Scale30/60

Documentation14/20

Character10/20

The details

Soak: Temperature unrecorded
Area: Santa Cruz
Coordinates: 36.703, -120.86

Get directions →

About Mercey Hot Springs

Mercey Hot Springs is a natural hot spring in California.

At that temperature it's temperature unrecorded — check current conditions and always test the water before getting in.

Plungeworthy rates Mercey Hot Springs 5.4/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

A quiet desert-valley resort in the Panoche hills: outdoor tubs held at 102–106°F, an 85–90°F pool, and famously dark night skies with zero cell signal. Suits required generally; a few private tub areas are clothing-optional and adults-only.

Getting there

Parking: On-site lot
Road: Little Panoche Road off I-5 near Firebaugh — remote but passenger-car friendly; call ahead after heavy rain
Hike: 0 mi round trip (easy)
Heads up: Middle-of-nowhere is the amenity.

When to go

Open year-round; winter is the local favorite, when cold valley air makes the tubs earn their keep and the stars run edge to edge.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: Day use $50/person for a five-hour window (noon–5pm), reservation strongly advised
Dogs: Service dogs only under the current policy
Hours: Day use noon–5pm; quiet hours 9pm–8am
Camping: On-site tent, RV, and cabins
Warnings: Unannounced maintenance closures happen — call before driving out. No cell reception.

Researched from Mercey Hot Springs — day rates · Mercey Hot Springs — official. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Mercey Hot Springs recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.