I Almost Turned the Car Around Before I Even Saw the Water
I regretted the trip at least 20 minutes into the drive. My cell phone was dead and the snacks I had were now lying on the floor under the passenger seat, and I was fairly sure that I had made a wrong turn somewhere after the last gas station. The road then cleared off, the oak trees all seemed to cock their ears, and that fragrance struck me—warm, mineral, a sort of hard-boiled egg kissing a hot bath. And then I realized that I had discovered the Ojai California hot springs that everybody was talking about, and that I was even going to find myself not feeling like leaving.
I had reserved this trip at random and in part because I was sick and tired of my weekends simply repeating themselves: Brunch, shopping, nap, repeat. I desired dirt under my nails and something that smelled like real earth as opposed to a candle named Earth. Ojai had me won over before I even parked the car.
The Section Where I Met a Goat Family (and Had a Little Existential Crisis)
This is the most memorable moment that I have, and I did not suppose that it would be about goats.
I was strolling a desultory half a mile of trail along the banks of the springs, not really looking for anything in particular, but letting my legs do the thinking for once. And there they were, a small goat family, four of them. Mom, dad and two babies springing about the ground as though it was not made of clod but springs. I stood still in amazement and watched.
I recall the idea that suddenly crossed my mind—that this was a very fortunate little family. Every single day, they get this view. This quiet. This very yellow afternoon light upon the hills. And the babies were making these idiotic little sideways bounds, bump-banging each other, in evident delight of their brief existence. I stood there chuckling under my breath, wishing I had a home right there on that same spot of hillside. Then, almost immediately, a second idea struck me—I am too well acquainted with myself to be able to live that kind of quiet life out here. It was a weird little experience; half delight and a sweet, humorous kind of melancholy. Those goats I’ve thought about more than most of the people I met that same year.
What I Actually Did (Besides Stare at Livestock)
After an initial session of tearing myself away from my new goat friends, I spent the remainder of the trip dipping and hiking and devouring more citrus than an adult should be able to in 48 hours.
Even the hot springs themselves are rougher and less polished than I thought, and honestly, just that. No velvet ropes, no ambient lighting systems, just warm water, a touch of steam rising into cool evening air, and the twitters of crickets clocking in as the sun set behind the ridge. I sat there as my fingers pruned and I really did not mind.
Prior to this trip, I had been neck-deep in reconsidering my approach to packing weekend escapes such as this, and Ojaiwas the ideal place to literally put to the test some of the adjustments to my standard advice on smarter, lighter getaways—one good crossbody bag and a pair of shoes that could do both trails and dinner really make a difference.
Can’t-Miss Destinations and Inside Scoop
Several destinations really took their place in my memory, not just my camera roll:
The less-traveled entranceway beyond the parking lot the vast majority of visitors stop at the initial view. You’ll probably have the view to yourself after ten minutes of continual walking (and maybe you’ll get lucky with a goat family too).
The evening wet-window time arrive just before evening. The light picks up something in the steam that photography can never quite capture, and the crowds thin out.
The little fruit stand by the town — I bought citrus I still think about. Ask what was picked that morning; it’s never the same twice.
My Practical Advice
You may want to take this trip yourself; here are some hints to save you the trial and error:
Visit on a weekday. Weekends get busy in no time, even at midday.
Bring cash. Not all the smaller stands and lots accept cards.
Pack layers. The water feels warm, but the moment you step out it feels cool.
Water shoes help. The soil around the springs isn’t always kind to bare feet.
Take it slow on the drive. The best moments (including the goat family) are found on the journey in, not just at the destination.
And, should you happen to be the kind of overthinker I tend to be when it comes to logistics, it can save you the trouble to familiarize yourself with how the national park reservation system actually works, particularly when your trip crosses into any adjacent park land, as was the case on my visit.
Before You Go
I returned from Ojai with a faint scent of sulfur about me, a sunburn, and an odd peace I hadn’t felt in months. I find myself thinking more about that goat family than I probably should, yet I believe that is the best part of a vacation like this one—it delivers these small, strange, memorable experiences you didn’t go out of your way to find.
Do you ever have that spur-of-the-moment animal encounter on vacation totally overshadow the actual event? I’d love to hear about it in the comments—tell me all about it.
