How to Support Gilroy Hot Springs Conservancy

Let's Reopen the Gilroy Hot Springs

** March 2025 Update **

The Gofundme campaign is closing in on $30k with your support, thank you!

Note: we are looking for new Board Members and Volunteers (email us via our website if you think you could help).

See the main GoFundMe picture to see the trenching in progress that was required for the fire preparedness plan prior to any re-opening of the site. The tank, pipe and hydrant installations are all now complete and the trenches have already been backfilled. This major pre-requisite has been accomplished. A big thank you to the park system!

Volunteers are also lined up to do some needed roof maintenance in the coming months.

Last year, volunteers cleared a new area for campsites, suitable for an additional 5 campsites. We re-painted the entry bridge and before that, and removed an old deck in preparation for a new one containing soaking decks to be installed. Thank you everyone for your kind support, let's keep up the momentum!

Help us re-open the Historic Gilroy Hot Springs!

Gilroy Hot Springs Conservancy is a non-profit organization that has been established solely to benefit the Historic Gilroy Hot Springs, with the mission to restore public access to the site. The initial goal of this fundraiser is to reopen Gilroy Hot Spring for one weekend per month (and to expand from there) for soaking, camping, restored cabin rentals and day use of the 280 acre property. All donations are tax deductible.

You can join our mailing list and find updates on our progress at our website: http://www.gilroyhotspringsconservancy.org

You can also follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gilroyhotspringsconservancy/

California State Parks has granted Gilroy Hot Spring Conservancy permission to open the site once the Conservancy completes several strategic improvements. So far, a group of dedicated volunteers maintained Gilroy Hot Springs over the last 20 years while it has been closed to the public. The mineral spring well is active and continues to produce mineral water with temperatures ranging from 95-106F. California State Parks completed the restoration of the Texas Cabin, which has 4 rooms and breathtaking views from the deck. The 2 room Minnesota Cabin is also well on the way to a completed renovation.

The Plan

Through our strategic planning process, the Conservancy has identified a budget of $95,000 to complete the first phase of our re-opening process. $5,000 of this has already been collected via previous campaigns (Thank You!). In order to obtain the final approval from California State Parks to reopen, we commit to using our fundraising budget for the following tasks:

-Installation of new soaking decks and tubs

-Facility improvements for 20 campsites

-Solar panels and emergency communications

Can you help make this dream a reality?

We are always looking for additional board members and volunteers.

Please contribute whatever you are able. Donations of all sizes are greatly appreciated! All donors to this fundraiser will be given first priority to make reservations for soaking, camping and cabin rentals once we have a firm reopening date. In addition to grant of first access, we are also offering the following services to our premium donors:

-$200 will receive 2 individual day access passes for soaking

-$400 will receive a weekend camping spot plus daily soaking up to 4 people

-$800 will receive a cabin rental (capacity of 2 persons) or premium camping spot plus daily soaking up to 4 people

Please note premium donations carry reduced tax write-off value due to services exchanged. Soaking times may be limited by water flow, Covid 19 regulations and number of tubs built out at the time of your visit. We will do our best to accommodate you and ensure you get a good soak!

A Brief History

Gilroy Hot Springs was discovered in the early 1860s by a Mexican shepherd and eventually ended up in the hands of George W. Roop. Roop turned the hot springs into a destination mineral water resort that was a featured stop along the Southern Pacific Railroad. In its heyday up to 500 visitors per day enjoyed 5-Star dining, luxury hotel accommodations, outdoor and indoor activities including hunting, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, shuffleboard, croquet, music, dancing, parlor games, and more.

This first chapter of the hot springs ended with the closure of the resort during the great depression in the 1930's. Kyuzaburo Sakata purchased the property in 1938. Through a twist of fate and also good planning, Sakata survived both the WWII Japanese American internment camps and maintained ownership of the hot springs. After WWII, the site became home to 150 Japanese Americans released from the internment camps with the support of the Government’s War Relocation Authority. Sakata re-opened the hot springs to the public as Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs in 1946 and operated it through 1966.

The hot springs were bought and sold by private owners for private use several times over the next decades. During this time unfortunately the hotel and clubhouse burned down and many of the other original structures were lost However in 1995, Gilroy Hot Springs was recognized as a national historic landmark with 22 contributing resources in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2003, California State Parks purchased the hot springs. Due to budget restrictions, the hot springs have remained closed to the public since.

The Vision

The long term goal of the Conservancy is to restore all 22 contributing resources as well as rebuild the historic hotel and clubhouse. Our vision is for Gilroy Hot Springs to again become a community center and destination point for healing all that harms us, our health and our families in modern times. We hope you will join us in making this dream a reality and become part of the hot spring story yourself. With your contribution, we will be able to reopen the site and you will have the chance to be among the first to camp and soak again in the healing waters.

Learn more about the project, the history and sign up for our email newsletter at: http://www.gilroyhotspringsconservancy.org

You can join our mailing list and find updates on our progress at our website: http://www.gilroyhotspringsconservancy.org

Previously our fundraiser was under the fiscal sponsorship of the Gilroy Foundation which generously helped jumpstart our organization. As of March 2021, GHSC is now recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with the IRS and as such we had to relaunch the GoFundMe site under this new entity.

We would like to thank the following donors from our initial Charity GoFundMe and Paypal fundraising campaign which raised $4,790 prior to the opening of this GoFundMe:

Jill Schontag-Merrifield

Gilroy Hot Springs Conservancy

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