Country
United States
Reviews
No reviews yet
Family friendly
Yes
Terrain
Rock
Season
Year-round (cooler months are most comfortable)
About Keough Hot Ditch
Keough Hot Ditch is a string of free, informal soaking pools in the channel that carries hot water away from Keough's Hot Springs, a historic commercial pool resort about eight miles south of Bishop in California's Owens Valley, at roughly 4,100 feet. Nobody runs the ditch: locals have built low rock dams along it to create a series of fairly large, clear pools, and there are no facilities of any kind. Water leaves the resort at around 130°F and usually passes an aerator first, so the pools are typically in the high 90s to around 100°F, warmest upstream and cooler the farther you go. When the aerator is off, the upper pools can get much hotter, so test before you get in. The open desert setting gives views of the Eastern Sierra, though high-voltage power lines run overhead and hum near the lower pools. Clothing customs are mixed. Daytime soakers mostly wear swimsuits, while nude soaking is reported as common, especially in the evening and after dark among regulars; one guide nonetheless lists swimwear as required, so be discreet. The paid resort pools upstream always require suits. In 2018 a child died of Naegleria fowleri infection after bathing here, and Inyo County has posted warning signs.
Legal context & local rules
No official source designates the ditch as clothing optional, and no ordinance permitting nudity was found; nude soaking is an informal custom, mostly after dark. Inyo County Health and Human Services has posted Naegleria fowleri warning signs at the pools since 2018.
Public nudity is largely prohibited in the US under indecent exposure laws which vary significantly by state. Vermont has no state-level law against public nudity, making it unique. Florida designates specific beaches as clothing-optional (Haulover Beach, Blind Creek State Park). Federal jurisprudence under the First Amendment has occasionally recognised nude expression in protests, though states regulate for public decency standards. Most states prohibit exposure of "sexual organs" in public under statutes similar to Florida Statute § 800.03.
What’s here
Getting there and visiting
From Bishop drive about 7.5 miles south on US-395, turn right (west) on Keough Hot Springs Road and continue about 0.9 miles; just before the resort, turn right onto a dirt road by a post marked '51'. The pools start about 100 feet along it, with informal roadside parking and a walk of a few steps. Any car can manage the road. There is no fee, no toilet and no camping at the ditch; the nearby resort offers paid tent cabins, RV and tent sites, and its chlorinated pools for day use. It is open year-round in daylight and gets busy on weekends.
What visitors say
Visitors like that the ditch is free, easy to reach and has proper soaking-depth pools with mountain views, and many prefer it to the paid resort. Common complaints are weekend crowds, noise from the overhead power lines and occasional litter. Guides say nudity is fairly common, particularly in the evening, while daytime crowds tend to be suited, so experiences vary. Almost every write-up stresses keeping your head out of the water because of the amoeba risk, and some recommend the resort's chlorinated pools instead for children.
Summarised in our own words from public reviews and guides listed under Sources.
Before you go
- 1 Check the current local rules and access conditions before travelling.
- 2 Bring a towel and sit on it when using shared seating.
- 3 Never take photographs of other people without clear consent.
- 4 Respect the venue’s clothing, privacy, and behaviour rules.
Location
⌖View this place on the map
37.2544, -118.3755
Frequently asked questions
Is nudity allowed at Keough Hot Ditch?
There is no official rule. Nude soaking is reported as common, mainly in the evening, but daytime visitors are mostly in swimsuits and one guide lists suits as required. The resort pools always require swimwear.
Is the water safe?
A child died of Naegleria fowleri infection here in 2018, and the county has posted warnings. Never put your head under or let water go up your nose.
Does it cost anything?
No. The ditch is free; only the resort pools upstream charge admission.
Can I camp there?
Not at the ditch. The resort has paid tent cabins and RV and tent sites, and there are hotels in Bishop and Big Pine.
How hot are the pools?
Usually high 90s to about 100°F, hottest nearest the resort; test first, as the water can get much hotter when the resort's aerator is off.
Sources
- Keogh Hot Ditch - Hot Springs Locator
- Keough's Hot Spring Guide and Review (Bishop, CA) - Finding Hot Springs
- Keough's Hot Ditch - EarthSky (search result)
Researched 25 October 2026 .
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