Whitmore Hot Springs EXPLAINED: Other Names & Exact Location

There is a lot of confusion about where and what Whitmore Hot Springs is.

If you try to use most navigation options, including Google Maps, you will be delivered to a long dirt road outside of Mammoth Lakes, California, with no hot spring in sight.

Is it Rock Tub Hot Spring? Or Whitmore Pool? Or is it the name of the entire region? Are all the hot springs in Mammoth Lakes part of Whitmore Hot Springs?

This short guide has been created to clear up the confusion on where to find Whitmore Hot Springs, explain the discrepancies you’ve likely encountered, and answer every question you probably have.

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♨️ What is Whitmore Hot Springs?

Technically speaking, Whitmore Hot Springs is the source of all the geothermal heated water in the Mammoth Lakes region. This was the natural result of volcanic activity which occurred more than 760,000 years ago.

In other words, Whitmore Hot Springs it is not an individual location, nor is it a region, but rather the source of the geothermally heated water in the Long Valley Caldera. It is the name of the large spring that feeds into the many small tubs and pools nearby.

🧭 Where is Whitmore Hot Springs?

Understanding that Whitmore Hot Springs is not an individual tub but rather the source of the superheated water that circulates throughout the region, you cannot “drive to” or “soak in” Whitmore Hot Spring.

Or if you prefer to think of it this way, you are soaking in it every time you ease into one of the many natural hot tubs near Mammoth Lakes. Many of these are located off of Whitmore Tubs Road, aptly named after the spring.

The Whitmore region is located east of Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra, surrounded by the Inyo National Forest.

You will find that if you type “Whitmore Hot Springs” into Google Maps, you will be directed to Whitmore Pools. This is a public swimming pool and despite there being a “Whitmore Tub” listed, it is disappointingly not a hot spring. We made this mistake on our visit and ended up on a dirt road with no tub in sight!

🌲 Is The Rock Tub Hot Springs the same as Whitmore Hot Springs?

Many blogs and individuals will use the names “Rock Tub Hot Spring” and “Whitmore Hot Spring”interchangeably.

Officially, they are not the same (as described above) but if you have seen photos of Whitmore Hot Spring and are wondering where to find it, you are likely actually looking for The Rock Tub Hot Springs.

You can find all the information for finding and visiting The Rock Tub in this comprehensive guide.

🏊‍♂️ Is Whitmore Pool and Whitmore Hot Springs the same thing?

While some people and travel blogs use the two names synonymously, they are not the same thing. Whitmore Pool is essentially a public swimming pool for use by local swim teams and the general public of the Mammoth Lakes region.

You can find more information, including entry fees and times, at the Mammoth Lakes government website.

As mentioned above, Rock Tub Hot Springs is also often referred to as “the” Whitmore Hot Spring. If you have landed here in search of a specific spring, you are likely looking for this one.

♨ General Information about the Whitmore Hot Springs

Now that we’ve answered most of the FAQs, we can discuss what Whitmore Hot Springs actually is! This large spring is located in the Long Valley Caldera, east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

The waters that are sourced here are mineral-rich and naturally heated by geothermal activity deep in the earth. This entire region was created as a result of volcanic activity more than 760,000 years ago.

Locals have built several hot tubs in the area to contain the heated water that comes from Whitmore Hot Spring. In total, there are currently 5 active, accessible hot springs in which visitors can enjoy a soak.

You can read all about these, as well as other thermal areas of interest, in our comprehensive guide to the hot springs in Mammoth Lakes.

As of December 2023, the “soakable” hot springs include:

• The Rock Tub Hot Spring
• Hilltop Hot Spring (aka Pulkey’s Pool)
• Wild Willy’s Hot Spring (aka Crowley’s Hot Spring)
• Shepherd Hot Spring
• Little Hot Creek
• *Crab Cooker Hot Spring (day-to-day, but open as of Dec 2023)
• *Hot Creek Geological Site – Open for viewing, but NOT for soaking

Crab Cooker is consistently inconsistent. Some weeks, it’s empty; other weeks it’s full, and occasionally it is full but cold.

Additionally, you may read about having a dip at Hot Creek Geological Site but due to rapidly changing, potentially life-threatening temperature variances, swimming there is no longer permitted.

🗺 Whitmore Hot Springs Map

The map below shows all the local hot tubs sourced by the Whitmore Hot Springs. Click here or on the image below to open the map in a new tab.

📜 More Regional Travel Guides

There is so much to see and do in the Mammoth Lakes area, including a plethora of other hot springs and scenic destinations.

Before you go, have a look at some of these other regional guides and make sure they find a place on your California itinerary:

🏞 Mammoth Lakes and Nearby Destinations

• Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs Comprehensive Guide
• Rock Tub Hot Springs Guide
• Shepherd Hot Springs Guide
• Hilltop Hot Springs Guide
• Travertine Hot Springs Guide
• Buckeye Hot Springs Guide
• June Lakes Loop Scenic Drive

🌄 Yosemite National Park Guides

• Comprehensive Guide to Yosemite Firefall
• Yosemite Photography Guide: Tips For Photographing Yosemite Valley
• Yosemite Day Trip Guide
• 1-3 Day Yosemite Itinerary Guide

🤔 Final Thoughts on Whitmore Hot Spring

This travel guide was created upon encountering so much misinformation on our most recent visit to Mammoth Lakes. I hope it has helped clear up any confusion and I really hope you don’t end up on the same barren dirt road as we did.

If you have found any of the information to be inaccurate or outdated, please kindly let us know in the comments below! We appreciate all feedback, positive or negative, as long as it is constructive.

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