With a slow but steady march, I set off on the trail back home. Climbing the first hill, I paused - admiring the water, soaking in the last bit of sun, and pleasantly recounting the relaxing day. As I scanned the river bed, I noticed the couple innocently holding hands and strolling along the edge. “They’re so lucky that they can enjoy this place together”, I thought to myself, smiling. I scanned the horizon and glance back one more time at them before I head off. My head double take was fast enough to put chiropractors to shame. Are they really? Oh My God!
*******************
I arrived at the trailhead of Deep Creek Hot Springs on a beautiful Sunday morning at 9 am. It had been a few months since I visited this natural wonder. I had almost forgotten how peaceful it was to stand at the top and listen to the earth. As I pulled off my shirt, I briefly admired my emergent physique– I’m a bit on the skinnier side but a friend and I had recently started a weight training program and were both pleased with the gains we had been making. Feeling confident that I would spend the rest of the day in just my swim trunks, it was time to begin my adventure!
Car keys? Check!
First aid kit? Check!
Water, food, towel? Check!
Sunscreen? Errr, forgot. Oh well, what’s a few hours in the sun, anyway? I need my vitamin D.
Unfazed, I marched on.
I reached the very beginning of the trail a few hundred feet later and climbed over the makeshift fence built to keep out motorized vehicles. It was a bit windy and I had begun to feel a slight breeze across my chest. I loved it.
I picked up my pace and began my descent into the canyon. It was mostly downhill with steep sections which led to some curious anticipation for the hike back.
As the trail wound around, I came to a few forks in the road where the correct path was generously marked with a blue or green arrow (Thank you!). It was mostly flat or downhill hiking with a very wide trail for the first 1/3 , then I begun to see the drop off of the canyon.
The trail had begun to narrow and I could see the creek flowing fully. I looked into the distance and was able to make out a miniscule tent, some campers, and a vague outline of the larger pool.
“I’m almost there!” I exclaimed to the squirrel as he skittered away.
Convinced that he was trying to race me to the end of the trail, I obliged and lumbered after him. Seconds later, I let him win and resumed my previous pace.
It had only been about an hour since I had left my car and the sun was now shining fully – warming my half-naked body. I wound around the mountain as the trail began to descend into the creek – my steps were becoming longer and faster in anticipation. Soon I was running down the hill, excited to get to the crossing stream.
It was beautiful - just how I remembered it. The cool running stream separating the beach from the seven pristine pools looked refreshing, daring me to wade in, inviting me. I relaxed on a rock, sipped some water, and surveyed the scenery. It was morning at the springs and I was almost alone except for some overnight campers and some early hikers scattered throughout the seven pools.
There was a pretty girl sitting on a rock beside me watching as her girl friend mustered up the courage to cross the cold river.
“Hey, do you have a cigarette by any chance?” She quietly asked.
“No, sorry, but I have a lighter” I clumsily replied. Trying my best to be helpful and social usually comes out sounding awkward – standard for me.
She laughed and resumed watching her friend.
Her friend eventually made it across while I took off my shoes. It was my turn. I put my shoes next to the rock and carried my bag overhead as I entered the icy water. It was COLD. I marched on trying to ignore the freezing sensation in my legs. I found comfort in knowing that the springs waiting for me were well worth it.
I made it across unscathed and walked across the rocks ready to dip into the first pool. Noticing a couple in there, I decided to walk around to give them what little private time they had left before the springs became crowded. I found a flat rock overlooking the entire springs, set my pack down, and went to the highest pool.
Aaahhhhh….. This is what I came here for… I thought to myself as I eased into the pool.
I had the pool to myself and it was peaceful. I lay back against a rock with all but my nose submerged underwater, closed my eyes, and let go. A little while later another gentleman joined the pool and we chatted a bit about hiking and different spots that we had been to.
By this time, a few more hikers had made it across the river and the once sparsely populated pools had begun to slowly fill up with people. I slid down the large rock to get into the other pool joining the six or seven others. This one was about the same temperature as the first except that it was slightly wider and deeper.
I relaxed in this pool while exchanging pleasantries with its occupants. There were a few locals and a woman from Australia who had been around the world as a free spirit traveling wherever her heart took her. A few of the locals shared some marijuana (it was medicinal and they bragged about their prescriptions - in case any law enforcement is reading this) and shortly after began a discussion about the metaphysical aspects of the creek, nature, and all of the whoaaa factors of life – I actually heard one of them say “whooaa, that’s awesome” several times. They got hungry pretty quick so it didn’t last too long – but it was entertaining.
I moved on to the lowest pool, closest to the cold creek, and slipped in to be met by four pleasant 20-something year old girls from San Diego, the couple that had been there when I came, and a grumpy older man who didn’t talk. We all said hi and the couple kindly offered me an orange which I happily accepted. I finished the orange and lay back in the pool and relaxed some more as I noticed the grumpy old man slide on some sunglasses.
A few nude women joined our pool and everyone just sat in peaceful silence together. I think the old man was getting a muscle strain the way he was trying to bend his neck nonchalantly.
It was getting hot and I reasoned that jumping into the cold creek would definitely cool me down. I shared my ideas with the San Diego girls and one of them was brave enough to jump with me. We climbed the tall rock, said a small prayer, and launched ourselves 20 feet in the air into the cold creek. It was amazing! The hot sun, the hot water, followed by the cool, refreshing creek was magical. We did this a few times and then sat in the warm pool to re-energize our exhausted and confused circulatory systems. The SD girls decided to try out the other pools and bid farewell for the moment.
The pool wasn’t empty for long before it was again filled with new people – all pleasantries exchanged again. This time I met another couple from the Torrance area who had never been here before and a group of deaf people who had never been to the springs. With my 10 character sign language vocabulary (6 of them are actually the letters to my name) and my childhood of growing up around non-English speaking relatives, I was able to painfully communicate with them through makeshift hand signals and well-timed nods and smiles.
All of us in the pools were having a grand ol time - the locals joking around, the visitors chatting about different spots, the stoners having esoteric discussions, and the grumpy old men just sitting silently with their sunglasses staring at the nude women, when all of a sudden; there was a mild rumbling across the stream....
It almost sounded like a stampede but nobody could see anything. We heard hiking boots stomping, and the trees shook a bit. Then the first one came into view… A naked man - their leader, I presumed. Fearless Leader looked around, waved “Hi” to the springs and made a “come on out” motion to his group. One by one, about 30-40 naked men marched out towards the river. It was a sight to see! A nudist colony! – I had heard about such things but never seen them. As I looked around the hot springs pools, I noticed the open mouths of all the visitors looking on in shock as naked men piled on to the river, then the rocks, then the pools.
As we all got over the initial shock of the naked madness of the male troupe, the springs calmed down and we went back to enjoying nature.
The next few hours were filled with new visitors coming in, others leaving, and me jumping in the cold water and cooling off from the glaring sun and going back into the pools. Since I had forgotten my sunscreen, I had developed a nice red layer on my skin which felt hotter when I was in the pools.
It was late afternoon before I decided to make my last few dips in the pools before heading up the trail. I soaked for a few minutes and said my good-byes and nice-to-meet-you. As I bobbed to the surface, I silently said good bye to the springs and thanked Nature for sharing her wonders with me.
I gathered my pack and crossed the stream. It was still cold but it felt very refreshing to my burned skin. I made it across and found a rock to sit on while I put on my shoes.
My first aid kit came in handy! I thought to myself as I repaired a cut on the bottom of my foot, cushioning the sides with tape so I would avoid pressure on it as I hiked out.
I noticed the Torrance couple had also crossed the river and were getting ready to head out. I put my shoes on as they started walking towards the trail. Thinking it would be safer to hike back together, I followed them.
That’s not the right way, back! I said to myself. Oh well, maybe they’re exploring before they leave.
I found the right path to the trail head and waved good-bye to them….
**********************
Really? How cool! I laughed out loud as the man sat on a log, pulled down his pants and they began to have sex (she was facing away from him). At this point, they can’t see me because I’m too far up and they’re facing away from me but I elect to keep hiking so as not to intrude on their intimate moment even more.
However, right as I turned around to keep walking, I saw one of the nudist colony men walking in their direction and so I stopped to observe – I wonder if this can get any better.
He is carelessly walking around exploring until he hears/sees them. At first, he doesn’t believe it. He does a double take, too and crouches down so as not to be seen (not a very aesthetic position for a naked man to be in, btw).
He guffaws to himself, looks around mischievously and runs around a tree to get closer and find a more invisible spot. In the meantime, the brazen couple is really having a good time. Her shirt is up and she is somehow reaching her arms behind her and hugging him. He slaps her ass. It must have been hard and well-placed, because even I heard the reverberations and a small echo. Priceless!
The nude man laughs again and walks off in the other direction. I follow suit and head back up the trail, chuckling to myself.
The hike is a little more difficult on the way up but I’m laughing the whole way so I don’t notice. I pass the San Diego girls on the way back and see if they need any help. They’re exhausted from the uphill hike but they have enough water so I keep going. I eventually reach the last hill before my car and stop to admire the land.
What a day! It was relaxing, social, exciting, and completely unique.
I feel the afternoon breeze across my bare, burned chest and close my eyes as I soak in Mother Nature’s glory one final time.
I savor the moment….another great trip to Deep Creek. I’ll be back. Can’t wait….
