Dirty Socks Hot Spring is a formerly developed hot spring near Death Valley, Inyo County, California, in the United States.[1] A sulfur spring, the naturally occurring unpleasant odor may have been compared to smelly socks. The water is also often discolored with algae growth.[2] Another explanation is that the spring was named from the fact miners washed their dirty socks there.[3] The name may also be rendered as Dirty Sock, singular.[4]
| Dirty Socks Hot Spring | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | Outside of Olancha, Inyo County, California |
| Coordinates | 36°19′48″N 117°56′53″W / 36.330°N 117.948°W |
| Temperature | 93 |
A well was drilled at the site in 1917 and hit hot water at 12,000 feet (3,700 m).[5] A cement swimming pool and other amenities were built in 1927,[5] but the attempt at establishing a resort failed.[2] The pool is about 30 feet by 30 feet in size.[2] All the buildings were gone by 1945.[6]
Water profile
editAccording to NOAA, the water temperature is 93 °F (34 °C).[7] The well flow rate is 380 liters per minute.[8]
Access
editAccording to a guide to hot springs published in 1992, "There are many acres of unmarked level space on which overnight parking is not prohibited. It is five miles to the nearest restaurant, motel, service station, and store...There are no signs on the highway." The spring is 300 yards (270 m) northwest of California State Route 190. Dirty Socks is accessible year-round.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Dirty Socks Hot Spring
- ^ a b c Bischoff, Matt C. (2018). "28. Dirty Sock Hot Spring". Touring California and Nevada Hot Springs. Touring Hot Springs. FalconGuides. ISBN 978-1-4930-2912-9.
- ^ Vargo, Cecile Page. "Dirty Socks Hot Springs: From Skirmish to Health Spa to Scourge". Explorehistoriccalif.com. Archived from the original on 2015-04-13. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
- ^ "Weird Formation Discovered in Coso Mountains". Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle-Union. January 29, 1965. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
- ^ a b Sowall, Marguerite (December 1987). "A Dirge for Dirty Sock" (PDF). The Album: Times and Tales of Mono-Inyo. 1 (1). Chalfant Press: 8–11 – via owensvalleyhistory.com.
- ^ California Division of Mines and Geology (1964). Mineral Information Service. State of California, Division of Mines and Geology. p. 202.
- ^ Berry, G.W.; Grim, P.J.; Ikelman, J.A. (June 1980). Thermal Springs List for the United States (Report). Key to Geophysical Records Documentation No. 12. Environmental Data and Information Service National Geophysical and Solar-Terrestrial Data Center. Boulder, Colo.: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). p. 13. doi:10.2172/6737326.
- ^ Higgins, Chris T.; Therberge, Albert E. Jr.; Ikelman, Joy A. (1980). Geothermal Resources of California (PDF) (Map). NOAA National Geophysical Center. Sacramento: California Department of Mines and Geology.
- ^ Loam, Jayson; Gersh, Marjorie (1992). Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Southwest (Rev. ed.). Santa Cruz, Calif.: Aqua Thermal Access. p. 104. ISBN 0-9624830-4-4.