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This hot spring took me by surprise. I had never heard of Remington Hot Springs, but I am new to California still. The Children of the Earth or Remington Hot Springs are a pleasant spot to stop at if you’re passing through. Here is everything you need to know to reach these springs and have a good time!
Remington Hot Springs in Southern California consist of three unique manmade geothermal pools that sit at the base of the Kern River in Sequoia National Forest. This is a hot spring gem to add to your next road trip!
Land Acknowledgement: Yokuts & Tubatulabal Lands. Find what Native Land you are visiting by using the app Native Land! I encourage you to read the history and culture of the Indigenous people who’s land you are visiting!
Please read my blog post on Hot Spring Etiquette if you have not already! Even if you are a seasoned hot spring goer – the refresh is good so you can let any one else know the etiquette that you recommend this place to.
Where is Remington Hot Springs in Southern California?
My girlfriends and I are always seeking out water destinations (especially hot springs) to enjoy! We were making our way to Death Valley and my friend Laura did a google search for hot springs and located this gem! It really is a perfect add on if you’re crossing through Southern California.
Located near Bodfish, California, Google maps took us right to the trailhead. It was a bit of a detour for us, but worth it since there is camping available nearby. Remington Hot Springs in SoCal sit along the Kern River in Sequoia National Forest, which is a 165 mile long river!
The Hike to Remington Hot Springs or Children of the Earth Hot Springs
We showed up in the dark and were quite confused on where the trail was. There were paths that seemed to go down to the river in every direction. Luckily I had a couple bars of 4G cell service and was able to look it up on AllTrails. I highly recommend downloading the AllTrails map beforehand as well, especially if you’re going in the dark!
Trail Details
As you pull straight into the parking lot, the trail will be to your RIGHT. You will want to make your way down towards the river, as the hot springs are located right up against the river. I recommend wearing shoes with good traction for this steep hike down.
- .4 mile trail downhill
- Out and Back trail
- 187 feet elevation gain/loss
- Dogs allowed on leash, but not in pools
- Heavily trafficked
- No parking pass required
Note: There are ~3 porta potties at the parking lot that are not the cleanest. There are also dumpsters that are usually full, so plan to take all your trash back out with you.
Children of the Earth Hot Spring Details
How many pools are at this Southern California Hot Spring?
There are ~4 pools total. 3 of the pools are manmade with detailed stone work and with the title CHILDREN OF THE EARTH on the wall shared by the top and bottom pool.
There are several other small, shallow pools that are naturally occurring near the main hot springs. We ended up in a very shallow pool the first night, as it was VERY crowded.
What’s the Temperature of These Hot Springs?
The top manmade pool is by far the warmest pool. Me and my two girlfriends hung out in that pool the longest when we went back the next day for sunrise.
The top pool runs about 104 degrees Fahrenheit and the rest get the water flowing down from the top pool. The bottom pool nearest the river is the coolest, but is still adequately warm. I’d recommend starting in the coolest and working your way warmer if you want to enjoy them all!
How Clean are these Hot Springs in Southern California?
The pools themselves are quite clean! However, the surrounding area was absolutely trashed when we arrived for sunrise. Clothing, beer cans, food wrappers and more littered the area. We cleared up some trash upon arriving to have the best experience.
As I’ve mentioned in previous hot spring blogs – bring gloves and a trash bag to clean up trash! This will give you a better experience and you’ll feel good about doing your part to protect this area.
Nudity at Remington Hot Springs
Nudity is of course something to expect at ALL hot springs regardless of legality. Same applies to this hot spring. There will be nudity. If you plan to get nude – there is a risk. Even though this spring lies on forest service land, Rangers do swing through this area and will ticket you if you are nude.
Best Time of Day to Visit Children of the Earth Hot Springs
SUNRISE. We got there and used headlamps to get down to the water just before it started to get light out. And even at the crack of dawn there was another person there with the same idea. We had two pools that we were able to hop between before a few other people showed up.
Camping Nearby the Hot Springs
- Camp at the Remington Hot Springs Parking Lot for up to 14 days. Minimal facilities and often quite noisy.
- Stay a few miles down the road for a quieter night. Click here for details.
- Black Gulch Campground
Want to Plan a Hot Springs tour of California?
Be sure to check out my other blog posts on California Hot Springs
Save for Later!
Remington HS is just another example how beautiful natural retreats get completely ruined by people who don’t understand why some things need to be kept a secret.
I’ve been going to these springs for a decade. It was lovingly build by locals over the course of 8 years, and the same local had an agreement with park services to keep them clean and safe. Very few people knew about it, and it was always clean, safe and peaceful. The few who found the springs were all experienced hot-springers, aware of the need to not wear any clothes or swimsuits in the water, to not bring glass bottles, to be quiet to respect wild life, and to keep the springs clean all around. Then some people felt the need to spread the word online.
Within the course of one year, the springs deteriorated to a party spot. Broken glass lines the bottom of the Kern, and every summer, people need to be carried back up because they cut their feet. The springs are so crowded that the bacterial count is in the highly unsafe levels- the springs don’t contain enough sulfur to kill all the pathogens. People drop food into the springs, get loudly drunk, and since there are no toilets, pee and poop all over the place.
The nearby Miracle Hot Springs were taken out by Forest service because being so close to Hobo campground, they had become a health hazard. They’ve been trying to do the same to Remington, and with the way it’s going, the same fate of Miracle is happening to Remington as we speak.
Nature is very different from city. Nature doesn’t have trash removal, flushable toilets, and chlorine to disinfect. It relies on people understanding that every place has a carrying capacity, and that this needs to be respected. And the majority of city folks I’ve seen out there in the past year or two really have no respect for nature whatsoever. They would be much better off at a public pool where the chlorine keeps their germs at bay and where their garbage is cleaned up by people who are paid for it. It’s a shame that this will be yet another wonderful natural spiritual spot that will fall victim to trashy unaware city folks. What a pity to see a spring go from 10 stars (yes, that’s how good it was before it was put online) to a 1 star.
It’s no longer legal to visit the springs or stay in the parking lot after dark. Some people risk being ticketed. Once the sun goes down, this place is to be avoided. It attracts a very rowdy, dangerous and disrespectful class of people.
Cars routinely get broken into in the parking lot. Do not have anything valuable in your car!