Deep Creek Hot Springs Trailheads
Your parking choice picks your route. Bowen Ranch (from Apple Valley): dirt lot on private ranch land, $10 per person, cash at the gate, rough dirt-road drive in, shortest hike down. Bradford Ridge Path (from Hwy 173 north of Lake Arrowhead): free, but roadside parking is limited and unsigned. Neither trailhead has water, facilities, or shade worth mentioning.
The facts
- Trail served
- Deep Creek Hot Springs (~5 mi RT either route, hard climb out)
- Cost / pass
- Bowen Ranch: $10/person cash. Bradford Ridge: free (forest land)
- Lot size
- Bowen Ranch: dirt ranch lot. Bradford Ridge: a handful of roadside spots
- When it fills
- Weekend middays are busiest at both; weekdays easy
- Overflow option
- None at either — this is remote country, not a lot system
- Tow / citation risk
- Keep clear of travel lanes on Hwy 173; ranch parking is at the ranch's rules
- Restrooms
- No
- Road to the lot
- Bowen Ranch: miles of washboard dirt from Apple Valley. Bradford Ridge: paved Hwy 173
- Busy season
- October–May; summer heat here is genuinely dangerous
Getting there
Bowen Ranch side (Apple Valley)
The most popular access crosses private Bowen Ranch: drive washboard dirt roads out of Apple Valley, pay $10 per person, cash, at the gate, park in the ranch's dirt lot, then hike ~2.5 miles down to the creek. The fee surprises people every weekend — it's private property, not a Forest Service site, so no pass covers it. Low-clearance cars survive the road but hate it.
The ranch also allows paid camping if you're making a night of it.
Bradford Ridge side (Hwy 173)
From the mountain side, the Bradford Ridge Path starts off Highway 173 north of Lake Arrowhead and drops ~2.6 miles to the creek. Parking is free — it's national forest — but it's informal roadside space for a handful of cars, unsigned and easy to miss. Park fully clear of the travel lanes.
Whichever side you park on, read the safety notes — no shade, 100°F+ summer afternoons, and a keep-your-head-above-water rule at the springs — in the full Deep Creek guide on our sister site.
Frequently asked questions
How much is parking for Deep Creek Hot Springs?
Via Bowen Ranch: $10 per person (not per car), cash only, paid at the ranch gate. Via the Bradford Ridge Path off Highway 173: free. The springs themselves are national forest with no fee.
Which Deep Creek trailhead has better parking?
Bowen Ranch has an actual lot but a rough dirt-road drive and the $10/person fee. Bradford Ridge is free with a paved-highway approach, but only a few informal roadside spots. On a busy weekend, Bowen Ranch absorbs more cars.
Do I need an Adventure Pass for Deep Creek?
No — Bowen Ranch is private property (the $10 is their fee), and the Bradford Ridge roadside isn't a designated fee site. Neither route uses an Adventure Pass lot.
Facts on this page last verified July 18, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.