List · United States
Free hot springs you can drive right up to
Free soaks where the land agency or tourism office says there is no hike, or one under a quarter mile. Ordered by the shortest drive from the nearest major city. Pack out everything and check current access first.
Top of the list
Highest-ranked with photos
Hot Springs Long Term Visitor Area (Holtville)
A BLM long-term visitor area east of Holtville in the Imperial Valley, known for a historic hot spring that BLM describes as still active and popular with locals and winter visitors. Camping here needs an LTVA permit from mid-September to mid-April. BLM lists swimming among its activities but publishes no pool details.
State Bath House (Hot Springs State Park)
A free bath house run by Wyoming State Parks in Hot Springs State Park, with an indoor and an outdoor soaking pool kept at about 104°F from springs that emerge at 128°F. The outdoor pool closed on Aug 24, 2026 for about a month while a pool lift, handrails and heated walkways were installed. The park around it has mineral terraces, the Swinging Bridge over the Bighorn River and the state bison herd.
Gandy Warm Springs
A large warm spring, about 81°F, pouring nearly 9,000 gallons a minute out of the base of Spring Mountain in Snake Valley near the Nevada line. Visit Utah describes a lower pool that fits about a dozen people, with a small cave under a waterfall, and a more private upper pool about 50 feet up the hill. The site is on BLM land with no facilities, and the nearest services are about 30 miles away.
Ordered
Drive from nearest city, 22 springs
| # | Spring | Drive from nearest city | Temps | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pine Flats Hot SpringsLowman, Idaho | 1 hr 52 min from Boise | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 2 | Montezuma Hot SpringsLas Vegas, New Mexico | 2 hr 19 min from Albuquerque | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 3 | Hot Springs Long Term Visitor Area (Holtville)Holtville, California | 2 hr 25 min from San Diego | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 4 | Bonneville Hot SpringsLowman, Idaho | 2 hr 33 min from Boise | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 5 | State Bath House (Hot Springs State Park)Thermopolis, Wyoming | 2 hr 35 min from Casper | 104°F | Bathhouse |
| 6 | Hobo PoolSaratoga, Wyoming | 3 hr 6 min from Casper | 101–120°F | Day pools |
| 7 | Baker Hot SpringsDelta, Utah | 3 hr 11 min from Salt Lake City | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 8 | Frenchman's Bend Hot SpringsKetchum, Idaho | 3 hr 22 min from Boise | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 9 | Boat Box Hot SpringsStanley, Idaho | 3 hr 23 min from Boise | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 10 | Penny Hot SpringsRedstone, Colorado | 3 hr 46 min from Denver | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 11 | Spencer Hot SpringsAustin, Nevada | 4 hr 9 min from Reno | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 12 | Fish Lake Valley Hot Springs (Hot Well)Dyer, Nevada | 4 hr 47 min from Reno | 105°F | Wild spring |
| 13 | Wild Willy's Hot Springs (Crowley Hot Spring)Mammoth Lakes, California | 5 hr 37 min from Sacramento | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 14 | Virgin Valley Warm SpringsDenio, Nevada | 5 hr 43 min from Reno | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 15 | Gandy Warm SpringsGandy, Utah | 5 hr 44 min from Salt Lake City | 81°F | Wild spring |
| 16 | Langford Hot Springs (Big Bend Hot Springs)Rio Grande Village (Big Bend National Park), Texas | 8 hr 7 min from San Antonio | 105°F | Wild spring |
| 17 | Baumgartner Hot SpringsFeatherville, Idaho | Remote | 98–111°F | Day pools |
| 18 | Big Caliente Hot SpringsSanta Barbara, California · temporarily closed | Remote | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 19 | Hart Mountain Hot SpringsPlush, Oregon | Remote | 102°F | Wild spring |
| 20 | Neka Hot SpringsHoonah, Alaska | Remote | Temps not published | Day pools |
| 21 | Pohoiki Warm Ponds (Isaac Hale Beach Park)Pahoa, Hawaii | Remote | Temps not published | Wild spring |
| 22 | Saline Valley Warm SpringsBig Pine, California | Remote | Temps not published | Wild spring |
How we ranked
A spring is included when it is free and its listing gives a hike of a quarter mile or less, from the land agency or tourism page. Drive times are road-network estimates without traffic; where the estimate looked unreliable on rough roads we hide it, and those springs are listed last.
Every listing is checked against the venue's or land agency's own website. We only include wild springs that a land agency or tourism office publishes. Rules and access change, so confirm before you go. Last verified November 2026.