Watching the winter sun set from a High Sierra hot spring surrounded by 10,000-foot-high peaks is a basking good time. Set in a sprawling, snow-covered meadow, Grover Hot Springs is 6,000 feet up in Alpine County, California's least populated county and a Weekend Sherpa favorite (see our Top 10 List of 2008). Soak your bones as the steam rises from the spring-fed pool, which reaches 104 degrees. There's also a cooler swimming pool on-site for those who want to take the dare and dash for a pins-and-needles dip. Grover Hot Springs is the place to head after a day in the snow—skiing, snowshoeing, or just generally exploring. But don't wait too long to get your Grover on; in winter, the hot springs closes at 7:00 p.m.
TIP: Make it an overnight at Sorensen's Resort, just 20 minutes away, where you can explore miles of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails, or head to Kirkwood.
Grover Hot Springs State Park is 4 miles west of Markleeville at the end of Hot Springs Rd.; 530-694-2249. Through the winter the hot-spring pool is open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. everyday except Wednesday. The cost is $5 per person.