Pictured: Skinny Dip Falls. Photo by Jenn Deane.
The Travel Channel has crisscrossed the globe to uncover the earth’s most amazing, refreshing and off-the-beaten-path places to dive into in the new season of “Top Secret Swimming Holes,” premiering Sunday, July 23 at 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Featuring hidden gems right here in the U.S., RVers can hit the open road and dive into these incredible swim spots stretched out across the country.
Below are three “secret” swimming holes accessible to U.S. RVers featured on The Travel Channel’s upcoming episode:
DEEP CREEK HOT SPRINGS – CALIFORNIA
A two-hour drive from Los Angeles, the San Bernardino National Forest is home to one of California’s hidden treasures – Deep Creek Hot Springs. To get there, water seekers will have to brave the heat on a two-and-a-half mile hike through the Mojave Desert. Deep Creek features a cluster of both hot and cold pools where swimmers can cool off in 60-degree pools or soak in the 10-foot-wide, 3-foot-deep hot springs that can reach temperatures of 105 degrees. Those seeking a little more adventure can try cliff diving or slacklining.
ICHETUCKNEE SPRINGS – FLORIDA
Florida is home to the largest concentration of freshwater springs on earth and Ichetucknee Springs State Park, 35 miles from Gainesville, contains one of the area’s crowns jewels – the Blue Hole. After kayaking one mile to the secret spot, swimmers can take a dive into the pristine, intensely blue, spring-fed pool where water temperatures sit at 72 degrees year-round. Keep swimming and you’ll see the 6-foot-deep, sandy, grass-covered bottom open up to a 12-foot-wide, 35-foot-deep chamber – a limestone shaft where the blue hue intensifies as a spring pumps out 26,000 gallons of water per minute.
SKINNY DIP FALLS – NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest, 30 miles southwest of Asheville, is a year-round, peaceful getaway and home to Skinny Dip Falls. The trailhead to the half mile hike is tucked away, but once water seekers make their way through the woods a variety of old trees help serve as a navigation system to the water. The waterfalls are a three-tiered cascade with a 30-foot drop and a skinny 8-foot-wide pool at the base. Varying rock heights provide an assortment of platforms for jumping. With summer temperatures topping 90 degrees, the 60-degree water is a refreshing way to cool off. And if you’re looking for a little more relaxation, head upstream for a more secluded place to soak in the scenery.