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Soak in comfortable 104°F water that contains a lot of healthy minerals but none of the foul-smelling sulfur that downgrades the experience at so many other natural springs. Enjoy crisp mountain air at 9,000 feet elevation and stunning views at the Sierra Nevada.
People have used this tiny spring for hundreds of years. It has been a gathering place for the Washo People for as long as their oral history dates back.
The first European American enjoying the place was rancher John Hawkins who in 1854 dug a 12-feet diameter hole to collect water from the hot spring. In 1873, Hawkins partnered up with Markleeville's hotel owner Alvin M. Grover, enlarged the pool and built the first bath house which unfortunately burned down in 1900. In 1959, the entire property was turned over to the state of California and became a State Park.
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The spring is only 100 feet away from the pool. It has been kept outside the fenced off pool area because the salty minerals precipitated by the cooling water are an important dietary supplement for deer and other wildlife in the area - and we thought humans invented vitamin supplements!
The spring itself is only 2 feet in diameter but it flows steadily and on the way from the spring to the pool it cools from a rather hot 148°F to an ideal 104°F.
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Grover Meadow, panoramic view; for detailed pictures click here and here.