Gaviota Hot Springs

Gaviota Hot Springs lies in Gaviota State Park near Las Cruces, just off US-101 and Highway 1 at about 500 feet, inland from the Santa Barbara County coast. You reach it from the Gaviota Peak trailhead on a fire road: the out-and-back walk is under two miles with roughly 400 feet of climbing. Two pools wait at the top.

The upper one is a rock-and-concrete basin built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s and is usually the warmer and clearer; the lower pool has a natural bottom, its own vent and a milky color. The source is only about 99°F (37°C) and cools further on the way, so think warm bath rather than hot tub. The water is a sodium bicarbonate type with a noticeable sulfur smell.

State park staff and volunteers maintain the trail and pools, the park is open from 7am to sunset, and vehicle day use at Gaviota is 10 USD; the hot springs lot is listed as fee parking. Swimsuits are the norm, since one guide reports nudity is not permitted in the park. It pairs well with the climb to Gaviota Peak or a beach stop afterward.

The downside: the pools are small and only lukewarm, so on a cold day the soak can feel underwhelming.