A California hot spring will be closed indefinitely after a second person was found dead in the area in the past 16 months.
On Feb. 17, rangers in the Sequoia National Forest found a person dead in one of the tubs of the Miracle Hot Springs. Previously, a body was also found in that same area in October 2022, the U.S. Forest Service's Kern River Ranger District said in a Feb. 26 news release.
"Public safety is of utmost importance to Forest Service officials. With a second death that can be attributed in part to the hot springs, the area will remain closed until a sustainable long-term solution is reached," District Range Al Watson said.
No other information about the deaths were released by the rangers.
The closure would prohibit visitors from accessing the hot springs, tubs, and general area. However, the nearby campground, Sandy Flat Campground, will remain open to the public.
Miracle Hot Spring
The hot springs were located near the Kern River at a 2,300-foot elevation. Visitors of the park often sought out its soaking tubs, which park officials destroyed in 2022 after the first death, according to the East Bay Times.
After the soaking tubs were destroyed, visitors still flocked to the area. Some were even reported to be attempting to rebuild the soaking tubs.
In addition, the Miracle Hot Springs, whose source is about 120 degrees, have also been taken apart, the forest service said on its website.
"There are NO hot springs at this location: they have been dismantled," the statement read, adding that the construction or placement of any tub without a permit will be deemed illegal under federal regulations.
The recent closure comes after the nearby Kern River flooded last year, making it difficult for visitors to access the tubs. However, they were made accessible again after the water levels dropped.
When the water levels were high, two men drowned in the Kern's Sandy Flat area in July and August. The latter, specifically, was 32-year-old Eddin Estuardo Barillas of Los Angeles, who was swept away in the Kern River near Sandy Flat Campground, per Mercury News. Neither of the victims was thought to have been trying to visit the springs.
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