The Miracle Hot Springs in California’s Sequoia National Forest closed indefinitely after a second person was found dead in two years, the U.S. Forest Service announced this week.
The body appeared floating in the springs on Feb. 17. Officials didn’t identify the deceased.
For years, people used rock-and-mortar tubs built at the springs to relax in the mineral-rich water. But after a dead person was found in the springs on Oct. 17, 2022, the tub area was removed, forestry officials said.
“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,” Kern River District Ranger Al Watson said in a statement.
In addition to the USFS, the volunteer Hot Springs Angels helped maintain the site. One of the volunteers, Hal Chiprin, told the Los Angeles Times that the group aimed to help the Forest Service patrol the springs so they could reopen.
“It was one of the most gorgeous hot springs in the state,” Mr. Chiprin said.