ABOUT THE PROJECT

In June 2020, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) awarded a Vibrant Recreation and Tourism grant (Proposition 68) to Mammoth Lakes Recreation (MLR). The project, Buckeye Hotsprings Recreation Enhancement and Watershed Restoration Project, aimed to develop sustainable infrastructure that provides for responsible public access and improved water quality of Buckeye Creek.

Buckeye Hotsprings is located on Buckeye Creek, a tributary to the Walker River, Bridgeport Reservoir, and Carson/Lahontan Watershed. This natural geo-thermal hotsprings is a popular day-use area located 10 miles from downtown Bridgeport and is easily accessed from numerous public/private campgrounds and primitive dispersed camping areas.

Increased use and the proliferation of user-created trails was causing erosion and hillside destabilization, creating unsafe experiences and unsustainable impacts to the water-quality. Through this project many improvements to the area were accomplished. These improvements include:

• Grading and delineation of the parking area

• Hillside stabilization, erosion control, and drainage features

• Construction of parking barriers

• Installation of regulatory and interpretive signs and displays

• Installation of a single vault toilet

• Installation of picnic tables and picnic area pad

• Construction of a single,sustainable access trail (~1,000 ft)

• Restoration of user-created impacts.

The project was completed over the course of two years. The day-use area, preliminary trail alignment, and installation of the vault toilet was completed during the Summer of 2021. The picnic area pad and picnic tables; interpretive, regulatory and restoration signs; parking area; and trail features were completed in Spring of 2022.

MLR would like to thank the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (HTNF) for providing in-kind contributions throughout the project. Mono County also deserves a huge thank you for partnering on this project as the lead agency responsible for implementing project deliverables. The Town of Mammoth Lakes and Friends of the Inyo staff provided additional capacity to complete construction of the new trail alignment and rehabilitation of user-created trails.

This project could not have been completed without the generous grant funding from SNC. All the materials and supplies required for successful completion of the project, as well as the purchase and installation of the vault toilet were expenses covered by the grant funding. The trail was constructed with mostly native/natural materials, jointly funded by the grant and in-kind contributions from the U.S. Forest Service, Mono County Recreation Division and Mammoth Lakes Recreation.

Mammoth Lakes Recreation had the pleasure to work with many partners on this project and either develop or strengthen existing relationships. This will be a fundamental factor in the implementation and success of future projects that require cross-jurisdictional cooperation.

NEW UPDATE: July 11, 2023 - “Buckeye Hot Springs upgrades help answer the call” featured by Sierra Nevada Conservancy.