Hike-in Required
No
Open Year-round
Yes
Water Temperature
105.00 °F (40.56 °C)
Sensitive Habitat
Yes
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The town of Tecopa lies in a hot springs-rich stretch of desert south of Death Valley. And while there are numerous campgrounds and RV resorts with private pools and bathing opportunities in this area, the Tecopa Mud Baths, along with the nearby Tecopa Hot Tub, make up a free option for soaking.

The mud baths are a collection of springs that bubble up into a pool that is 2 to 3.5 feet deep. The water is approximately 105 degrees near the source, and it gradually cools as it flows down a ditch past and through one more large pool that sits at about 90 degrees. Eventually the water flows beneath the nearby road to a lake bed on the other side.

The water leaves a slick feeling on the skin, and the bottom of the pool is a bed of fine silty mud that bathers commonly apply to their skin. The springs can have a slightly sulfurous smell when the mud on the bottom is stirred up and air bubbles float to the surface.

From the parking along the shoulder of the road, it is a short and easy 500-foot walk to get to the springs. There are no facilities or trash cans at the springs themselves. 

Logistics + Planning

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Very large. Temperatures vary so you can find your ideal temp.

Cons

Can be crowded.

Features

Natural
Sensitive Habitat

Number of pools

1

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

03/09/2017
This spring is located in a beautiful and unusual desert setting. The surrounding mud hills are stunning, but extremely fragile. According to local residents, the pools used to be clear when the usage was low. Since being "discovered", the spring is nearly always occupied and the pools are murky. Sadly this unique natural feature is being loved to death. The "mud mites" of the warning sign appear to be real, causing painful bites and burrowing under the skin.
In spite of the signs forbidding driving off established roads, there are numerous vehicle tracks on the soft and fragile mud hills, including fairly recent ones. These tracks will likely be visible for decades. If you do visit this site, please respect it.
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