Tassajara Hot Springs

Cabin #12 near creek

        Over the years, the Mayor has covered lots of ground in California.  As a geographer, it goes with the territory.  So, off we go to an area seldom visited by anybody:  the Los Padres national Forest and its Ventana Wilderness.  This area of the Santa Lucia Mountains occupies a ribbon of real estate that parallels the California coastline, east of Carmel and west of King City.  Mountain peaks reach to 5,000' and higher, towering over deep cut canyons.  The scrub oaks, bay laurels, and stubby pine trees reflect the arid conditions that punctuate the entire region.
     The Hot Springs are not easily arrived at: they are located at the south end of a dirt wagon trail that has hardly been improved over the last century, except for the occasional grading effort that redistributes the gravels and stones shaken from the cuts by wind and rain, and some frost heave during the cold winter months.
     Driving from Carmel east to the town of Carmel Valley, one proceeds on to the junction of Tassajara Rd. and Highway G16, then a right turn for two miles until the paved road ends at Jamesburg, a mere way station collection of a few shacks, manned by Tassajara operatives who provide parking places, advice and directions.
      From Jamesburg, one drives south, up and down, twisting and turning, trying to stay centered on the narrow road.  Off to the west, a keen-eyed observer can see Elefant Mountain at 4040', and Uncle Sam Mountain at 4766'.  Farther  west are Ventana Double Cone at 4853', Ventana Cone at 4727', and South Ventana Cone at  4965'.   Along the way, are two campgrounds: Wildcat(walk-in), and China Camp.  Only one provides water.
       With luck, a visitor to the Ventana Wilderness may spot a feathered glider, drifting above on rising updrafts, scanning the terrain for available carrion.  Here is the ancestral home of the California Condor(s), unique with their 7' wingspans.   After emergency intervention some years ago, the species is making a comeback of sorts in the wild.  Tagging and monitoring have provided data that follows the movements of the isolated pairs, struggling for survival.  Despite the remote location, the actual range of the birds has been sharply reduced as habitat formerly occupied has been taken over by urban development(s).
     The hot springs themselves have been visited for more than a century, benefiting from the belief that sulfurated- hot water is good for mind and body.   No doubt this belief has been long held by the nearby Native American tribe known as the Cachuaga Indians, still living nearby on the Carmel River headwaters a few miles away.
     Partaking of the "waters" is a pleasant experience and highly recommended by the Mayor.  The sulfur odor is benign and hardly noticeable.   The indoor pool temperature ranges from 105 degrees to about 109.   The outdoor pool is at about 102 degrees right beside the creek.  The creek maintains a steady flow, but don't drink the water: giardia is a common problem here.
     If you go, call ahead for a reservation.  It's worth a visit, especially during a warm, Central Coast summer, when the shade of the maples and live oaks keeps the heat at bay on the valley floor.