Democrat Hot Springs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Democrat Hot Springs | |
|---|---|
| Democrat Spring[1] | |
 "Kern River No. 1 – View of Democrat Hot Springs" c. 1912 (G. Haven Bishop, SoCal Ed collection, Huntington Library) | |
 Interactive map of Democrat Hot Springs | |
| Coordinates | 35°30′24″N 118°40′44″W / 35.5068°N 118.679°W[1] |
| Elevation | 964 m (3,163 ft)[1] |
| Type | Thermal |
| Discharge | 95 L/min (25 US gal/min)[2] |
| Temperature | 46 °C (115 °F) |
Democrat Hot Springs, named for the Democratic political party, is a geothermally heated spring located 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Bakersfield, California, United States, on the south bank of the Kern River and on the north side of California State Route 178.
The Democrat Hot Springs were named for the Democratic Party of the United States[3] when they were developed beginning in 1903 by Delbert Hill.[4] Hill and his father constructed a 15-room hotel surrounding by cottages for 100 additional guests.[4] In the early days access was by the "Breckenridge Road to Rock Springs Station after an overnight stop continued down the Cow Flat Road"; this route was known as the Nightmare Trail.[5] Later a four-horse stage coach picked people up in Bakersfield and reduced the travel time to the resort to a "mere five hours".[6] The property has had many owners since the Hills sold out.[6][3] A three-story clapboard hotel stood at Democrat Hot Springs in 1930.[7] Charles W. West was the owner in 1967.[3]
As of 2018, Democrat Hot Springs are still located on private property.[8] They can be rented for private events.[9]
Ecology
Democrat Hot Springs is part of the habitat range for the rare and endangered Kern Canyon slender salamander.[10] The Kern River near Democrat Hot Springs is a good spot for fishing rainbow trout.[11]
