Miracle Hot Springs shuts down ‘indefinitely’ following 2 deaths

Sequoia National Forest’s Miracle Hot Springs closed indefinitely Monday after the second death in two years, according to U.S. Forest Service officials. 

A person was found dead on February 17 in one of the Miracle Hot Springs tubs, with another deceased individual found in the same area in October 2022. 

The manner of death was not disclosed. 

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“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 Ranger Al Watson said in a statement released. 

The statement said that an area closure order would block access to the hot springs, tubs, and general vicinity.

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Sandy Flat Campground, near the Miracle Hot Springs day use area, would remain open to the public and would continue accepting reservations. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Sequoia National Forest for additional comment. 

The hot springs stand at an elevation of 2,300 ft. in Sequoia National Forest. They lie southwest of Lake Isabella and approximately 40 miles northeast of Bakersfield, California, according to the park website. They are managed by the Hot Spring Angels, Kern River Conservancy, and the Forest Service.

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The hot springs underwent damage in 2020, with the damage sustained being “relatively minor and cosmetic,” according to a statement released at the time. 

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Recreation and Law Enforcement staff visited the site at the time to assess the damage. No details as to the particular damage sustained were disclosed.