Crab Cooker Hot Spring

What to expect

Crab Cooker is one of the small soaking tubs scattered across Long Valley, the broad sagebrush basin inside the Long Valley Caldera between Mammoth Lakes and Crowley Lake. It is not a natural pool. Someone built a single concrete tub here and ran a pipe from a hot mineral spring roughly 30 feet away. A valve on the pipe lets you control how much hot water comes in.

That valve is the whole story of the place. The water coming out of the pipe is very hot, sometimes well over 105°F41°C, and if the valve stays open the tub quickly becomes too hot to sit in. The usual routine is to open it, let the tub warm, then shut it and wait for the water to settle. If you are the last one in, turn the valve off when you leave so the next person does not climb into a scalding tub.

The tub holds about six people comfortably and up to eight if everyone is friendly. Water clarity varies with how much use it has had, from clear to slightly cloudy. There is no strong smell. The view is the reason most people come: open sagebrush flats in every direction, the Sierra crest to the west and the Glass Mountains across the valley to the east. At sunrise and sunset the light on the peaks is very good, and on cold mornings steam hangs over the tub.

Expect nothing in the way of facilities. There is no toilet, no changing area, no trash can and no drinking water, at the lot or the tub.

Do not count on the tub always being in working order. One visiting writer found the water cold and dirty because the plumbing was not running. When that happens, Shepherd Hot Spring a short walk away is the obvious fallback.

Getting there

Crab Cooker is about 20 minutes by car from Mammoth Lakes.

• From Mammoth Lakes: Drive down to US-395 and head south toward Bishop. Turn left (east) onto Benton Crossing Road, the turn with the small green church on the corner, near Mammoth Yosemite Airport.
• From Bishop: Drive north on US-395 and turn right onto Benton Crossing Road.

Once on Benton Crossing Road, turn left onto Whitmore Tubs Road, the dirt road that runs north across the valley. Several unsigned dirt spurs branch off it. Pass the turn for Rock Tub and take one of the spurs east toward the spring. From the paved road you drive about 1.1 miles of dirt to a small lot at the end. A short footpath on the south side of the lot drops down to the tub a couple of hundred feet away.

Guides give slightly different turn counts for this maze of spurs, so load the coordinates (37.66271, -118.80024) into an offline map before you lose signal.

The road is the main challenge. It is pocked with deep potholes, and several visitors call it the worst of the Long Valley spring roads. A high-clearance vehicle is the safe choice. A sedan can make it on a dry day if you go slowly, but flat tires happen here. Many rental agreements also ban unpaved roads. The workaround is to drive the better road to Shepherd Hot Spring and walk about 0.3 miles southeast on a footpath to Crab Cooker.

When to go

Spring and fall are the most comfortable. Days are mild, the roads are dry, and the hot water feels good in the cool air. Summer is fine early and late in the day, though midday sun on the open flats is strong and there is no shade.

Winter is quieter and very beautiful, but the dirt road is not maintained. After snow it can become impassable, and a car can get stuck in mud during the thaw. If the road is blocked, park along Benton Crossing Road where it is safe and walk or snowshoe in, roughly two miles round trip.

Crowds follow a pattern. Weekday mornings around sunrise often give you the tub to yourself. Weekday evenings and weekends are busy, and on weekend evenings the tub can turn into a social spot with drinks. If several groups are waiting, keep your soak to about 45 minutes.

Rules and etiquette

There is no fee and no ranger station, so the rules depend on visitors.

• No camping at the tub. The spring is on Los Angeles Department of Water and Power land. LADWP allows overnight stays only in its designated campgrounds, and campfires only in their fire rings.
• Stay on existing roads. LADWP limits vehicles to existing roads and trails. Do not drive across the sagebrush to get closer.
• Clothing is optional. Many people soak nude. A swimsuit is the safer choice if you prefer to avoid awkward moments, and one local guide notes that public nudity tickets have been issued in the Mammoth area in the past.
• No soap, no shampoo, no glass. The tub is small and the water does not cycle quickly.
• Turn the valve off when you leave, unless others are still soaking.
• Pack out everything, including cans and toilet paper. If you have to go, do it at least 200 feet from any water.

Irresponsible camping and trash have closed hot springs in the Eastern Sierra before. Leave it cleaner than you found it.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging or camping at the tub.

• Mammoth Lakes, about 20 minutes west, has the full range of hotels, condos and restaurants. Most of its campgrounds close for winter.
• Dispersed camping on BLM land is possible in parts of Long Valley, including areas near Rock Tub, along Whitmore Tubs Road and off the Hot Creek Hatchery spur. Ownership in the valley is a patchwork of LADWP and BLM land, so call the BLM Bishop Field Office at 760-872-5000 to confirm where you are before you set up camp.
• McGee Creek RV Park and Campground, off US-395 south of the airport, is an option with showers and hookups.

Safety notes

• Scalding water: The pipe water is far hotter than the tub should be. Test with a hand before you get in, and never let a child near the pipe or valve.
• Short soaks: Long Valley sits close to 7,000 feet. Heat plus altitude dehydrates you fast. Bring water and get out if you feel dizzy.
• Road damage: Carry a spare tire and know how to change it. Do not attempt the road when it is wet.
• Cold nights: Even in summer, air temperatures drop sharply after dark. Bring warm layers and a headlamp for the walk back to the car.
• Head above water: Do not put your head under in any natural hot spring.

Nearby stops worth adding

Shepherd Hot Spring and Rock Tub are both within a short drive or walk, so you can compare a few tubs in one morning. Wild Willy’s Hot Spring, the largest natural pool in the valley, is a few miles further along Benton Crossing Road. Convict Lake, just south of the airport on US-395, is a good spot for a lakeside walk before or after a soak.