Welcome, welcome, welcome! to historic and world famous crabtree hot springs. Also widely well known as everyone's favorite picnic party spot. established - about 1875 Situated on Rice Fork Eel River, in a beautiful isolated narrow winding steep walled canyon, crabtree is the holy land of hot springs, and often referred to as god's gift, as the spring's magical healing properties are legendary. At crabtree, carbonic acid gas bubbling up through the water, mixing with iron, soda, and sulfur has created a mineral spring that is among the most wonderful and valuable in Lake County.

John Crabtree c. 1890

About 1875, John Fletcher Crabtree and his eight sons found the springs by following a well used Indian trail for about 6 miles from near the family's homestead in Twin Valleys. The Indians believed in the health giving qualities of the mineral waters there, and called the very large rock at the springs, Medicine Rock. From Twin Valleys, the Crabtree family built a rough wagon road to their new homestead at the springs, and invited invalids to try the medicinal qualities of the water. Many visitors had absolute faith in the springs as a cure-all, and it is said that some people even took sick horses there, and swore by the results.

However, unable to persuade the county to upgrade their wagon road, which was routinely washed out by high water, the Crabtree family all moved away from the springs before 1900, and later sold out around 1907 to Samuel T. Packwood of Upper Lake. Packwood owned a large farm and was on the board of directors of the Farmers Savings Bank. He had the money to repair the wagon road, and planned to build a resort at the springs. THEN A MISTAKE WAS DISCOVERED. At that time, crabtree hot springs was thought to be on deeded land which it was not. When surveyed, it was found that Mr. Crabtree had made an honest mistake and had filed on the wrong section, and although he had lived there with his family for many years, Mr. Crabtree never owned the hot springs, which were still on government land, according to the Forest Service at that time.

Sam Packwood & wife c. 1885

Although Packwood did rebuild the wagon road, without a reliable title to the springs, his resort plans were eventually canceled, the springs remained undeveloped, and he was left with only owning 140+ acres of private land on the steep hillside above the springs. So, just like Crabtree, Packwood never owned the hot springs, and later, his road also washed out. But anyway, after Packwood's wagon road washed out, there was only a trail to the springs until 1933-1934,  when the public construction of Twin Valley Road opened the springs to recreationists, and crabtree hot springs, which were still on government land, soon became widely well known as everyone's favorite picnic party spot.

In the summertime, ladybugs inhabit crabtree hot springs in abundance.

Described as remote and primitive, crabtree hot springs is completely surrounded by Mendocino National Forest, and located adjacent to the Hale Ridge Research Natural Area - which features an impressive selection of knobcone pine. The area is also considered to be a critical habitat for the federally protected northern spotted owl, and is a winter range for black-tailed deer.

The main spring flows from the northeast edge of the river in a natural rock basin at the bottom of a small cliff, and according to a 1915 U.S. geological survey report, yields about 10 gallons per minute at a temperature of 106 F. Naturally formed soaking pools allow enjoyment of the springs holy waters as they come from mother earth - moderately hot, soothingly warm, or invigoratingly cold.

upper spring - pool not too hot... Each of the 3 pools are small & shallow, but plenty hot at 106 degrees, or hotter if in the sun + in late summer, when the cold water level is much lower, the middle of the river becomes nicely heated up to about 80 degrees. The size & shape of the upper & lower pools vary seasonally from year to year. Also, there is a fourth spring & mud bath area just upstream from these three springs. lower spring - pool just right.

middle spring - bathtub pool with drain not too cold...

About 1907, Sam Packwood cemented the middle spring into a bathtub with drain. In search of quicksilver, two tunnels were dug into the canyon side a short distance below crabtree hot springs, and according to a 1915 U.S. geological survey report, the rock contains noticeable amounts of cinnabar, but this mineral was not found in paying quantity.

John Crabtree and sons helped build the road from Bartlett Springs to Twin Valleys, and then they built the first wagon road, over a small mountain, from Twin Valleys to the hot springs, although it was reported as not being a very good road. A Crabtree petition for a better road was denied by the County Board of Supervisors. About 1887: Upon arriving at the summit of Twin Valleys mountains, travelers were advised that it was imperative to have a log or tree chained behind even a light wagon to insure a safe descent four miles down the mountain to the upper Twin Valleys. Later, a flood took out part of the Crabtree wagon road, and except for a brief time around 1907, there was only a trail from Twin Valleys to the hot springs until the opening of Twin Valley Road in 1933-1934. Twin Valley Road provided easy public access to the springs, which were still on government land, and crabtree hot springs soon became immensely popular as a convenient summertime getaway destination for a secluded picnic party. Twin Valley Road is a well maintained county and forest road, connecting Bartlett Springs to crabtree hot springs and Bear Creek Campground. From Upper Lake, follow Highway 20 east for about 5 miles, turn left at Bartlett Springs Road, and follow for about 12 miles to Twin Valley Road. Upper Lake is the gateway to Mendocino National Forest, and Crabtree Hot Springs. Follow history, and travel the original route of John Fletcher Crabtree. Weather Forecast | Weather Maps | Weather Radar

clothing is optional.