We've not driven South to Hot Creek. This is one of the few active thermal features in the area. Hot creek represents one edge of the caldera and it's waters reach down through cracks in the rocks to be warmed from below.
A closer look at Hot Creek. It appears you used to be able to view the thermal features from the other side of the creek, but that side has become so unstable with new hot spots popping up, they've closed the whole area.
There are warning signs everywhere not to go into the water because shifts in the plumbing deep in the Earth have killed and injured dozens of people over the years. Being boiled alive is not high on my list of ways to die. That spot you see on the far side is where hot water is pouring out. As you can see, Darwin took the day off today.