Golden Trout Wilderness Adventures - Jordan Hot Springs
So I heard about a hot springs in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains from a friend and fellow youtuber davidsquall351.
(David's channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd6DvWHUFgacm1lMXqg08pA)
It was called Jordan hot springs and after hearing about it I had to check it out myself. I drove up highway 395 to Nine mile canyon rd. Which is the road to Kennedy meadows. I drove up into the mountains passed Kennedy meadows and all the way out to the Blackrock trailhead where we started our adventure. The trail started nice and gradual as we hiked through beautiful Casa Vieja meadows.
Pup checking out Casa Vieja meadows
Reaching Nine Mile creek
From Casa Vieja we headed down Nine Mile creek. Crossing it several times before reaching our destination at Jordan Hot springs!
Wildflowers and butterflys
Dropping down Nine Mile creek
Arriving at Jordan hot springs
Once we got there we had to walk around and check it all out. The place is full of old cabins and other ruins from the early 1900's when "Jordan Junction" was a popular resort.
(Here's a couple links where you can read more about the interesting history - http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/sierra_names2/jordan_hot_springs_history.pdf and
https://goldentroutwilderness.wordpress.com/inyo-nf-trips/1-day/jordan-hot-springs/ )
We also found some of the hot springs, and we found a spot to setup camp not far from the springs.
The remains of the Jordan Junction resort
Old cabins
Nine Mile creek near the hot springs
More old cabins
Views from camp
After setting up camp I decided to go and explore up Redrock creek. I had wanted to try to get all the way up to Redrock meadow but the trail was really tough. (There was no trail pretty much) It was covered in brush and down trees and just completely washed away for the most part, but the creek was flowing good and was a great place to relax and cool off in the water. After that little adventure we made our way back down to camp and walked around and explored along Nine Mile creek, finding a bunch of the many hot springs that dot the area. Some of them are really really hot!! A little later once it cooled of I headed over to the main hot tub and had a nice evening soak before heading back to camp for the night.
Some cool wildflowers by Redrock creek
Climbing up above Redrock creek
Redrock creek
More wildflowers
Indian Head (the red dome) from Redrock creek
Back down at Nine Mile creek
Jordan Hot Springs
The hottest spring I found measured at 125* F!
Hammock shadow
Moonrise
The next day our plan was to hike down to explore the Kern river. So we headed down the trail through the remnants of the McNally fire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McNally_Fire) that had scorched the area in 2002. We got down to the creek crossing and then left the trail and headed downstream for our first little adventure of the day. Nine Mile canyon falls. An incredible 200 ft waterfall that plunges down into a deep rocky gorge!
Hiking through the burn zone from the McNally fire
Crossing Nine Mile creek
Small waterfall on our way down to the big one
Looking off the top of Nine Mile canyon falls
Nine Mile canyon falls
Nine Mile canyon falls
From the falls we hiked backed up to the trail and continued along across Soda flats where there there are some privately owned cabins that are still used. From Soda flats we continued down along the trail dropping more steeply now and taking the southern split in the trail down to the bottom of the canyon and the Kern river. We headed up river and found even more old cabins that I think are still used by horse packers. We kept going up river all the way up to the Falls of the Kern where the entire Kern river plunges over a 40 ft waterfall. It is an incredible sight to see, the power of the water is just incredible! Below the falls we found some really nice pools and I spent some time fishing and swimming in the river.
Cabins at Soda Flats
The Kern river
The Falls of the Kern
The top of the falls
Kern River above the falls
Rock outcrop above the falls
The nice pools below the falls
After enjoying my time at the pools we went back down to the horse packers cabins and from there we took the northern split in the trail up passed lower Nine Mile canyon falls. Another very awesome waterfall coming in at around 60 ft. We got back to the main trail and climbed back up and across Soda flats and back up through the burn zone to our camp at the hot springs. I spent the end of the day just relaxing at camp and enjoying a nice long soak in the hot springs!
Lower Nine Mile Canyon falls
View from the top of the falls
Soda Flats
The kids in full adventure mode
Cold creek falls
Climbing back through the burn zone
Getting back to the hot springs
Soak time!
Views from the hot springs
Full moon
The next morning we got up and got our camp all packed up and headed up the trail. We climbed back up Nine mile creek, up through Casa Vieja meadows, and back to the Blackrock trailhead where we started. 18.2 miles of fun and adventure in a beautiful area of the Sierra Nevada mountains. And with a hot spring to top it off, oh man, it doesn't get much better than that!
Going by the old cabins on our way out
Climbing up the trail
Crossing Nine Mile creek
Casa Vieja meadows
Casa Vieja meadows
Selfie with the wilderness sign
Thanks for reading!
Youtube video -
Thanks for watching!
https://www.californiamountainadventure.com
https://www.facebook.com/CAmountainadventures
https://discord.gg/g22zkFD
!steemitworldmap 36.229646 lat -118.302445 long Jordan Hot Springs d3scr
Congratulations!
That's so awesome, thank you @ocd!!
Wow, you don't mess around, and you really get out there in the world! Thanks for taking us with you...<3 <3 <3
EPIC SHOT!!!!
Very nice picktures
Keep it up :-)
Thank you @tommyhansen! I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. I have many more adventure posts coming, so stay tuned!
We will be waiting
Reidar is coming soon to :-)
This looks like an amazing place to visit!!!! I am going to recommend this to my son - he loves hiking and this is just the beauty he loves :) Thank you so much for sharing . These photos are AMAZING!!!!! Great job Friend .. SUNSHINE247
It is an amazing place to visit, if your son is into hiking in the mountains he will love it! If he has any questions about the area feel free to ask me. I am always more than happy to help out a fellow hiker. Thank you so much @sunshine247 for all your kind words. I'm so happy that you enjoyed my photos!
Wonderful!!! Thank you so much for offering :) SUNSHINE247
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Beautiful place to be, great dogs.:-) and most likes me moon rise. Very good moment.
Yup, you pretty much summed it up! Those amazing moments when I am out on a mountain adventure with my doggies and the beauty of the natural world just makes you pause and appreciate it... thats the stuff I live for.
That is an epic trip, thank you for all the photos. I want to visit Jordan Junction now!!!
If you do plan to go, feel free to ask me any questions you might have. I am more than happy to answer them!
Thanks! I may take you up on that this spring. Cheers!!!
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. If you are ever in that area and you can handle the 5.2 mile hike in, I'd highly recommend checking it out!
Heya, just swinging by to let you know you're being featured in our Daily Travel Digest Post!
If I got it right it's your first time being here, so congratulations!!! I was hitchhiking in the states give or take two years ago, passed so close by this place without knowing it! But there is always next time right, haha!
Thanks!! That's so awesome. I follow @theaustrianguy and I saw his posts featured on there so I had to try it out for myself. And I can't believe I'm getting featured on my first try! Heck ya! And yes, if you ever find yourself on highway 395 in California again you should take a day or two and check out Jordan hot springs if you can. It is totally worth it!
You're so welcome! I'm glad the word is spreading through other travelers! Today we've actually updated the auto-comment to add a little "how to" in it, that should help for others trying to use it as well!
Definitely will do, from your post it looks hella amazing!
aaaww the doggie 😊. Beautiful place, amazing photos!
Those doggies are my kiddos. My hiking partners and my best friends. I really like the shot of them up on top of that big log. Full adventure mode! lol. Thanks for your comment, I'm really glad you enjoyed my photos!
Fantastic post. That place looks amazing. Love the pics
Thank you! It was amazing.