FIREBAUGH, Calif. — At first glance, the Panoche Hills in Fresno County look pretty bare. Dry grass and dirt cover the low-lying mountain range.
But if you follow the sound of birds, they'll lead you to an oasis known as Mercey Hot Springs.
As water fills her tub at a balmy 121 degrees Fahrenheit, guests like Stephany Wilson control the temperature by adding colder water. But it's not the temperature that’s most enjoyable, it’s the minerals.
According to a water analysis done by owner Larry Ronneberg, there’s a long list of healthy minerals in the water and it’s those minerals that have been attracting people to the hot springs for over a century.
Mercey Hot Spings was originally a sacred spot for the local Yokut Tribe until a sheep herder named John N. Mercy discovered it.
“Later on, he sold it to a guy named Fredric Bourn, a San Francisco property developer,” Ronneberg said.
Bourn liked the name Mercy, but the only way he could copywrite the name is to add an “E” before the “Y”. The name appeared to be misspelled but it didn’t hurt the water bottling business he started.
“They were selling it as a cure-all elixir, thinking the water would make everyone better," Ronneberg said.
There’s no proof the mineral-rich water cured anything other than thirst, but tourists loved drinking and bathing in it. The water was so good, some pretty famous people flew to the private airstrip just to experience it.
“Roy Rogers, Dale Evens, those are the two that come to mine from that era,” Ronneberg said.
The other appealing attribute of the property is its remoteness. You won’t find the paparazzi out here, nor will you get a cell phone signal.
“We’re completely off the grid," Ronneberg said. "Originally, we ran off generators. Now, we are 97% solar and 3% generator."
Ronneberg is an environmentally friendly guy. When he bought the place in the 1990s, he orchestrated a complete remodel of the place and started adding solar panels. They power everything from the guest cabins to the pumps that bring the water to each one of the hot tubs.
“[We use] 20,000 gallons a day,” Ronneberg said, adding the water gets recycled, too.
A soak in the tub is not the only amenity at Mercey Hot Springs. If you’re looking to spend the weekend, try out one of their nine cozy cabins.
If those are all booked up, you can sleep in a deluxe Air Stream camper or you can pitch a tent and camp under the stars.
There’s just one thing you should know before coming, bring your own food. The nearest restaurant is 35 miles away in Los Banos.
A new restaurant is about to open on the property and it’s just in time. Ronneberg says Mercey Hot Springs has become a prime place to escape the pandemic because the tubs are private and there’s lots of space to hike and spread out.
“You couldn’t ask for a more ideal location given the circumstances,” Ronneberg said.
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