89 listings · 13 states
Free Hot Springs in the United States
No-fee soaks on public land. Pack it in, pack it out, and check access rules before you go.
We list 89 in the United States, across 13 states: the hottest is Hobo Pool (up to 120°F).
Arizona Hot Spring
Spring-fed pools in a narrow canyon above the Colorado River in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, a few miles south of Hoover Dam. The Park Service rates the 5-mile round-trip hike very strenuous, with scrambling and a 20-ft ladder, and closes the trail every year from May 15 to September 30 because of heat. The spring water runs about 111-120°F.
Atlanta Hot Springs
A natural hot spring near the historic mining town of Atlanta at the head of the Middle Fork Boise River, about 60 miles of mostly dirt Forest Service road from Idaho City. The Forest Service names it, with Powerplant and Chattanooga, among the natural hot springs near its Atlanta Guard Station rental cabin. NOAA lists the source at about 140F.
Baker Hot Springs
Three small concrete tubs in Utah's West Desert northwest of Delta, fed by springs at Fumarole Butte that emerge at about 180°F. Visitors mix in cold water through PVC pipes to set the temperature, and each tub fits only a few people. It is free.
Barth Hot Springs
A riverside hot spring on the Wild and Scenic Main Salmon River in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, reached only by boat on a multi-day float. The Forest Service calls it the only hot spring on the river and asks boaters not to camp or stop for lunch there. Soap and nudity are not allowed, and the rocks on the short climb up are loose and wet.
Basin Creek Hot Springs
Hot springs near Basin Creek and Basin Creek Campground on Highway 75 east of Stanley; the Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber lists both the campground spring and Basin Creek (Cove/Kem) springs among the area's soakable sites.
Baumgartner Hot Springs
A concrete soaking pool fed by hot spring water inside Baumgartner Campground, on the South Fork Boise River east of Featherville in the Sawtooth National Forest. The Forest Service gives the water as 98-111°F, and the pool is drained nightly. Swimsuits are required, and soap, alcohol, glass and pets are not allowed at the pool.
Big Caliente Hot Springs
A day-use hot spring in the Upper Santa Ynez area of Los Padres National Forest, and the only spring on the forest modified with a small concrete retention structure. It sits beside the Big Caliente Picnic Area at the end of a long dirt-road drive from San Marcos Pass. The picnic area is closed under a storm-damage order through September 15, 2027.
Bigelow (Deer Creek) Hot Springs
A single warm pool beside the McKenzie River just off Hwy 126 near Belknap, partly sheltered by a rock overhang. It is free, and it disappears under the river when flows are high, so late summer is the most reliable time. There are no facilities.
Black Rock Hot Springs
A small group of springs bubbling up along the Rio Grande in the gorge north of Taos, captured into one soaking pool whose depth changes with the river level. State tourism describes it as well known, easy to reach and often busy, and reached by a short walk downstream from parking across the John Dunn Bridge.
Boat Box Hot Springs
A single old mining cauldron beside the Salmon River, filled by piped spring water, about three and a half miles from Stanley on Highway 75. It fits three or four people, and a bucket is usually left for adding cold river water. The roadside pull-off holds only two or three cars.
Bonneville Hot Springs
A hot springs soaking pool a quarter mile by trail from the Forest Service's Bonneville Campground at milepost 91.5 on Highway 21, northeast of Lowman. The campground season runs end of May to end of September, after which it is open to dispersed camping until snow. The Warm Springs Guard Station rental cabin also has a trail to the springs, used on skis and snowshoes in winter.
Buckeye Hot Springs
Undeveloped pools beside Buckeye Creek in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, about 10 miles from Bridgeport and just east of Buckeye Campground. The Forest Service says the 140°F spring spills over a rock overhang into a cave-like pool, with a smaller spring upstream. A 2022 project added a vault toilet, a formal parking area, a single trail to the pools and interpretive signs.
Chattanooga Hot Springs
A natural hot spring near Atlanta, the old mining town at the head of the Middle Fork Boise River, reached by about 60 miles of mostly dirt Forest Service roads from Idaho City. The Forest Service lists it among the natural hot springs near its Atlanta Guard Station rental cabin. No agency source gives its temperature or layout.
Chief Shakes Hot Springs
Two Forest Service-maintained tubs, one open and one enclosed, up a slough off the Stikine River on the mainland near Wrangell. They are free and first-come, and visitors arrive by jet boat or floatplane charter. Most Stikine River tour operators will stop here on request.
Conundrum Hot Springs
High-elevation backcountry pools in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, about 8.5 miles one way from the Conundrum Creek trailhead near Aspen. Camping anywhere in the zone requires an advance Recreation.gov permit and use of your reserved site, and dogs are not allowed. Bear canisters are mandatory overnight, and the Forest Service asks visitors to pack out human waste.
Deep Creek Hot Springs
Natural hot pools along Deep Creek in the San Bernardino National Forest, reached by a 2.5-mile, roughly 950-foot descent via the Bowen Ranch route or a 6-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. Overnight camping and campfires are banned, and visitors must pack out all trash. The Forest Service warns the pools can carry a rare, sometimes fatal amoeba, so do not drink the water or put your head under.
East Lake Hot Springs
Geothermal seeps along the southeast shore of East Lake in the Newberry Caldera, where visitors have built low rock walls to hold soaking water. There are no facilities at the springs; East Lake Campground is the nearest developed site. Visit Central Oregon says the pools are easiest to use from May to July, when the lake is lower.
Fifth Water Hot Springs (Diamond Fork)
Several soaking pools along Fifth Water Creek in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, beside a series of waterfalls, reached on foot from the Three Forks Trailhead on Diamond Fork Road. Visit Utah lists the soaking pools at about 100-102°F. The Forest Service warns that harmful bacteria may be present and advises not dunking your head and showering after soaking.
Fish Lake Valley Hot Springs (Hot Well)
A free hot well managed by Esmeralda County in Fish Lake Valley, about 20 minutes from Dyer on a county dirt road. A large below-ground concrete tub holds water around 105°F, and its outflow feeds marshy ponds that draw wildlife. The site has a large parking area, primitive campsites and a vault toilet.
Frenchman's Bend Hot Springs
Natural hot spring pools tucked against boulders beside Warm Springs Creek and its gravel road, about 11 miles from Ketchum in the Sawtooth National Forest. Visit Idaho notes the springs are well known and see heavy traffic on weekends and holidays. The source water emerges at about 124°F, far hotter than the creek-side soaking pools.
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.
Gaviota Hot Springs
Two small warm sulfur springs in the uplands of Gaviota State Park, reached by a somewhat steep climb on the Gaviota Peak Fire Road. The trail starts from a parking lot about 2.5 miles north of the main park entrance, where Highway 1 splits from U.S. 101. The park map puts the springs 0.7 mile from the lot, and the fire road continues on to Gaviota Peak.
Goddard Hot Springs
City and Borough of Sitka property on Hot Springs Bay, on the outer coast of Baranof Island about 16 miles south of Sitka. The city maintains two cedar bathhouses with tubs, plus open shelters, boardwalks and outhouses. The spring emerges at about 153°F, and tubs are cooled with a cold-water supply.
Gold Strike Hot Springs
Warm and hot springs in Gold Strike Canyon, which drops to the Colorado River just below Hoover Dam in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The NPS rates the 5.3-mile round trip as very strenuous: a Class 2 canyoneering route with seven dry falls and about 1,200 ft of elevation change. The trail closes each year from May 15 to Sept. 30 for heat, but the springs stay reachable by water.
Goldbug Hot Springs
Hot springs on BLM land east of Elk Bend, 23 miles south of Salmon off US-93, reached on foot from the end of a county road. The first quarter mile of the trail crosses private property on a public easement, where dogs must be leashed. There is no fee.
Hart Mountain Hot Springs
A natural spring inside Hot Springs Campground at the eastern base of Warner Peak in Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, soaked in a stone enclosure at about 102°F. The campground is free and first come, first served, with vault toilets and no drinking water. The refuge asks visitors not to alter the springs and not to use soap.
Hobo Pool
A free, town-owned hot pool in Saratoga on the bank of the North Platte River, open around the clock. Carbon County lists the main pool at 101-110°F and the Lobster Pot at one end at about 120°F. Swimsuits are required, and alcohol, tobacco and glass are banned.
Horse Creek Hot Spring
A hot spring with dispersed camping in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, near the border of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and Montana's Bitterroot National Forest. It sits at 6,200 feet, about 36 miles of forest roads west and north of North Fork. There is no potable water and there are no picnic tables or fire rings.
Hospital Bar Hot Springs
A riverside hot spring at Hospital Bar camp, river mile 52.1 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Forest Service lists it as one of six hot springs camps on the float; each permitted group may be assigned only one, and it is not guaranteed. The agency warns that some Middle Fork springs are hot enough to burn and bans soap in hot springs.
Hot Springs Campground Hot Spring
A natural hot springs soaking pool on the South Fork Payette River, across the Banks-Lowman Road from the Forest Service's Hot Springs Campground and down a staircase. The campground east of Garden Valley is open from early May to the end of September and is reserved through Recreation.gov.
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.
Jerry Johnson Hot Springs
A set of undeveloped pools along Warm Springs Creek, reached by crossing the Warm Springs Pack Bridge over the Lochsa River at milepost 152 of US Highway 12. There are three groups of pools: the Waterfall Pools, a set in a meadow and a set above the meadow. The Forest Service limits use to 6am-8pm and bans overnight camping at the springs.
Jordan Hot Springs
Backcountry hot springs in the Golden Trout Wilderness, reached on the Forest Service's Jordan Hot Springs Trail from the Blackrock Trailhead. The trail is used from May to November and is open to hikers and horse riders. Overnight visitors need a Golden Trout Wilderness permit.
Jordan Hot Springs
A warm spring pool about 20 feet across and 3 feet deep at roughly 90-94°F, deep in the Gila Wilderness. It is about 7 miles one way from the TJ Corral trailhead via Little Bear Canyon, or 8.5 miles up the Middle Fork, with many river crossings either way. The NPS recommends it as an overnight trip and notes it is crowded at busy times such as spring break.
Kern Hot Spring
A cement soaking tub a few feet from the Kern River, 36.8 miles from Crescent Meadow on the High Sierra Trail in Sequoia National Park. The spring water is 115F, and the tub's runoff mixes with river water to form a cooler pool. Campers must use the designated sites here, and the park asks for no soap in the tub or river.
Langford Hot Springs (Big Bend Hot Springs)
A 105F spring in the stone foundation of J.O. Langford's early-1900s bathhouse on the bank of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park. It is a short walk from the Hot Springs historic district at the end of a 2-mile gravel road. NPS allows soaking only, with no soap, alcohol or glass, and the spring can be buried by river floods.
Lightfeather Hot Springs
A hot spring that pulses from the base of a hill into the Middle Fork of the Gila, about three-quarters of a mile up Trail 157 from the Gila Visitor Center. The source is scalding, about 130-140°F according to the NPS, so visitors soak in rock-lined pools in the river where the hot water mixes with river water. The short walk includes several river crossings.
Little Caliente Hot Springs
A primitive, undeveloped hot spring on the Santa Barbara Ranger District, a short walk from Mono Campground beyond Pendola Station. The Forest Service treats it as day-use only, with no camping at the springs. The Little Caliente Picnic Area and Mono Campground are closed under a storm-damage order through September 15, 2027.
Manby Hot Springs
Two hot pools beside the Rio Grande at the stone ruins of an old stagecoach stop, southwest of Arroyo Hondo near Taos. State tourism describes an easy hike from the John Dunn Bridge, following the river south to the rocks that mark the pools.
McCauley Warm Springs
Two large warm pools at about 99°F in a forest meadow between Battleship Rock and Jemez Falls, reached on East Fork Trail #137. State tourism puts the hike at about 2 miles from the Battleship Rock picnic area. The village tourism site says these public-land springs are day use only, with no camping, fires or facilities.
McCredie Hot Springs
Undeveloped hot springs along Salt Creek on the Willamette National Forest, reached by a short trail from the McCredie Day Use Area on Highway 58 about 8 miles east of Oakridge. The Forest Service runs the site as day use only, sunrise to sunset, with a $5 per-vehicle fee. There is a vault toilet but no drinking water or trash service.
Meadow Hot Springs
Travertine spring pools in a farmer's field west of Meadow, south of Fillmore, on private land the owner keeps open to the public. Visit Utah describes two pools, the deeper one around 100°F with rock shelves, and says the owner built a walking trail and fence. Posted rules require swimsuits and ban alcohol, and visitors are asked to clean up.
Montezuma Hot Springs
Natural springs that flow from a hillside into a row of rock and cement soaking tubs of varying temperatures beside NM 65, six miles northwest of Las Vegas. They were once part of the Montezuma Castle resort and sit near the United World College campus, which is otherwise closed to the public. State tourism calls them family-friendly since no hike is needed.
Mormon Bend Hot Springs
A hot spring near the Forest Service's Mormon Bend Campground on the Salmon River east of Stanley, listed by the Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber among the area's soakable springs. The campground has 15 sites and is open April through September.
Neka Hot Springs
A Forest Service hot tub on Chichagof Island, reached by a 0.2-mile boardwalk across muskeg near milepost 9 of Forest Road 8580. Getting there means a boat to Eight Fathom Dock, 16 miles southwest of Hoonah, then nine miles on a single-lane road. There are vault toilets but no drinking water, and brown bears often use the area.
Olympic Hot Springs
Natural hot springs in Olympic National Park's Elwha Valley, where a resort once stood. Since the Olympic Hot Springs Road washed out, visitors walk or bike from the Madison Falls gate to the Boulder Creek Trailhead and then hike 2.4 miles, about 10.5 miles one way in total. The park enforces a year-round burn ban in the area and asks visitors to store food carefully.
Paulina Lake Hot Springs
Small pockets of geothermal water on the northeast shore of Paulina Lake inside the Newberry Caldera, where visitors have stacked rocks to form shallow soaking pools. The site is undeveloped and reached on foot from the Little Crater area on the Deschutes National Forest. Visit Central Oregon says access is best from May to July, when lake levels are lower.
Penny Hot Springs
Rock-ringed pools on the west bank of the Crystal River just off Highway 133 north of Redstone, partly owned and managed by Pitkin County Open Space. Access is free and year-round from a small roadside pullout. River levels decide conditions, and the pools are often under cold water during spring runoff.
Piedra River Hot Springs
Several small rock pools along the Piedra River west of Pagosa Springs, reached by a roughly 1.5-mile hike from the Sheep Creek trailhead off First Fork Road. The Forest Service lists temperatures of about 95-105°F depending on how much river water mixes in. Bikes and pack animals are not allowed, and poison ivy is common along the route.
Pine Flats Hot Springs
Riverside soaking pools below a hot waterfall on a cliff above the South Fork Payette River, reached by a quarter-mile nature trail from the Forest Service's Pine Flats Campground west of Lowman. The campground runs end of May to end of September. In winter the gate is closed and visitors walk the road.
Pohoiki Warm Ponds (Isaac Hale Beach Park)
Warm, geothermally heated ponds at Isaac Hale Beach Park in Puna, formed when 2018 lava flows filled the old Pohoiki boat harbor with black sand. State tourism lists the park with lifeguard, parking and portable toilets, and warns that bacteria may be present because the warm water has no known circulation. The surf at the beach itself is for experienced swimmers only.
Radium Warm Springs
A warm spring pool above the Upper Colorado River near the hamlet of Radium, southwest of Kremmling. The BLM directs visitors to a trailhead at the end of Warm Springs Road, because the old social trail from the CPW Mugrage site is closed to protect bighorn sheep habitat. A fee campground and river access are nearby at the Radium Recreation Area.
Rainbow Hot Springs
Primitive pools on the bank of the West Fork of the San Juan River in the Weminuche Wilderness, about 5.3 miles up the West Fork Trail northeast of Pagosa Springs. Camping is allowed only at nine designated sites, campfires are banned near the springs, and the first mile of trail crosses private land. Pool conditions shift with runoff and storms.
Rocky Canyon Hot Springs
A three-tiered hot spring above the Middle Fork of the Payette River, about 12 miles up South Middle Fork Road from Crouch. Reaching it means wading the river, which Visit Idaho says is only safe in summer at low water. Parking is a small pull-off on the left of the road.
Ruby Valley Hot Springs (Smith Ranch Hot Springs)
A group of clear spring pools in Ruby Valley, about 60 miles from Elko, between Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Franklin Lake Wildlife Management Area. The largest pool is about 30 feet across and sits around 100°F, but some nearby springs are scalding. The last miles are rough dirt roads where four-wheel drive is recommended, and Travel Nevada advises against winter trips.
Sacajawea Hot Springs
Primitive hot springs pools on the South Fork Payette River along Grandjean Road, just west of Grandjean and the Sawtooth Lodge. The Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber lists it among the springs west of Stanley on Highway 21.
Saline Valley Warm Springs
A clothing-optional warm springs area with a primitive campground in a remote valley of Death Valley National Park, about 35 miles from the nearest paved road. Reaching it takes a high-clearance vehicle with all-terrain tires over North Pass (7,300 ft) or South Pass (5,997 ft). The Lower Springs have been closed since a September 2026 wildfire, while camping between Lower and Palm Springs stays open.
San Antonio Hot Springs
Hot water emerges from several sources on a steep hillside and flows into a series of primitive rock-lined pools of different temperatures. It is reached by a 0.7-mile out-and-back trail from a small parking area after 5 miles on Forest Road 376 (north). Check Santa Fe NF road alerts before going, as FR 376 had storm damage in late October 2026.
San Francisco Hot Springs
A few undeveloped pools beside the San Francisco River about 2 miles southwest of Pleasanton, reached by Trail #250 from a signed Forest Service trailhead off US 180. The trailhead is day use (dawn to dusk) with no fee. State tourism notes a second trailhead with a short, scenic hike to another soaking spot.
Saratoga Hot Springs (Inlet Park)
Three natural pools near Utah Lake, reached by a city-built path from the Inlet Park parking area in Saratoga Springs. The pools reach about 109°F and have muddy bottoms. Visit Utah notes swimsuits are required, alcohol is not allowed and the springs close daily at 10 pm.
Sespe Hot Springs
Remote hot springs and a hot creek at about 2,600 feet in the Sespe Wilderness, reachable only on foot or horseback. The Forest Service describes three routes: the Sespe River Trail from Piedra Blanca, the Alder Creek Trail from Dough Flat near Fillmore, and the Johnston Ridge Trail from Mutau Flat. It recommends spring visits, since summer temperatures can top 100F.
Sheepeater Hot Springs
A riverside hot spring at Sheepeater camp, river mile 13.0 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Forest Service lists it as one of six hot springs camps on the float; each permitted group may be assigned only one, and it is not guaranteed. The agency warns that some Middle Fork springs are hot enough to burn and bans soap in hot springs.
Skillern Hot Springs
A backcountry hot spring in the Sawtooth National Forest north of Fairfield, reached on foot by the Big Smoky Trail #072 from Canyon Transfer Camp on Big Smoky Creek. The Forest Service names it among the district's hot springs accessible in summer. NOAA lists the source at about 140F, so test the water before getting in.
Slate Creek Hot Springs
A hot spring up Slate Creek off the Highway 75 corridor east of Sunbeam, toward Clayton. The Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber lists it (also called Hoodoo) among the springs north of Stanley.
Snively Hot Springs
Undeveloped soaking pools on the banks of the Lower Owyhee River, where river rocks mix spring water of about 190°F with cooler river water. The BLM Vale District runs it as a free day-use site with a vault toilet and parking off Owyhee Lake Road. Camping is prohibited in and around the site.
Soldier Meadows Hot Springs
A hot creek on BLM land at the north edge of the Black Rock Desert, dammed with rocks into a series of terraced pools, a couple of them large enough for groups. Travel Nevada gives water temperatures from the mid 90s to the low 100s F. Free semi-primitive BLM campsites and a first-come BLM cabin are nearby, about 60 miles of dirt road north of Gerlach.
Spence Hot Spring
A popular warm spring on a hillside above the Jemez River, reached by a short trail from a small paved lot on NM 4 about 7 miles north of Jemez Springs. The Forest Service says the spring has cooled over the years to roughly body temperature (listed at 95°F), and its small pool holds only a few people. It is day use only, nudity is cited under state law, and glass, camping and fires are banned.
Spencer Hot Springs
A cluster of springs on BLM land in the Big Smoky Valley southeast of Austin, where pipes feed spring water into two metal cattle-trough tubs and a soft-bottomed natural pool. The source runs around 130-140°F, and soakers set the tub temperature by moving the inflow pipe. There are no toilets, water or services; free primitive camping is allowed at least 100 yards from the water.
Stanley Hot Springs
Backcountry soaking pools in a clearing above the trail, fed by hot water flowing toward Huckleberry Creek. They are about five miles up Boulder Creek Trail 211 from Wilderness Gateway Campground on US Highway 12, past Huckleberry Flat and across Boulder Creek. The regional tourism office recommends late spring, summer or early winter.
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.
Sunbeam Hot Springs
Hot springs that flow into the Salmon River beside Highway 75 north of Stanley, next to a historic bathhouse building dating from 1937. The Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber lists it among the soakable springs north of town.
Sunflower Hot Springs
A riverside hot spring at Sunflower camp, river mile 32.6 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Forest Service lists it as one of six hot springs camps on the float; each permitted group may be assigned only one, and it is not guaranteed. The agency warns that some Middle Fork springs are hot enough to burn and bans soap in hot springs.
Sykes Hot Springs
Backcountry hot springs beside the Big Sur River in the Ventana Wilderness, reached on the Pine Ridge Trail from Big Sur Station. The Forest Service notes that several river crossings are required and can be impassable in winter high water. The trail and trailhead have been closed since August 2026 because of the Timber and Plaskett Fires.
Tenakee Springs Bathhouse
A public bathhouse in the middle of Tenakee Springs, a village on Chichagof Island that grew up around its 106-107°F sulfur mineral spring. A volunteer Bathhouse Committee runs it, and men and women bathe at separate set hours. Entry is by donation, and the town is reached by Alaska Marine Highway ferry or scheduled air service.
Trail Creek Hot Springs
Creekside pools about 19 miles from Cascade on the Warm Lake road, reached by a short, steep descent from a roadside pullout. Some pools are reinforced with concrete, and pipes let cold creek water in to adjust the temperature. Visit Idaho features it as a winter soak, when the path down is snow-covered.
Travertine Hot Springs
Hot springs and soaking tubs on BLM land off Jack Sawyer Road just southeast of Bridgeport, managed by the Bishop Field Office. The site has a long history with the region's Native people, and BLM has closed it to all public access for Tribal ceremonial use (Oct 30-Nov 6, 2024). BLM's closure map shows a gated access road, a parking lot and a trail to the tubs.
Turkey Creek Hot Springs
Springs deep in the Gila Wilderness that reach about 165°F at the source and are cooled by Turkey Creek. State tourism says rock-lined pools are built here but often wash out, and a larger swimming hole with warm seepage gives a more reliable soak. Getting there takes a tough drive and a hike, and it is well known, so expect company.
Umpqua Hot Springs
A travertine soaking tub on a bare rock face about 150 feet above the North Umpqua Wild and Scenic River, reached by a steep 0.3-mile trail. Water seeps from an active fault at 100 to 115°F, and an open-air roof shelters the tub. The Umpqua National Forest manages it as a day-use-only fee site and warns of high use and nudity.
Upper Frisco Hot Springs
A spring on the upper San Francisco River in the Gila National Forest, reached from the Forest Service's Upper Frisco Hot Springs trailhead on Frisco Divide Trail #124. The trailhead is at the end of Forest Road 35, 12.3 miles off US 180 between Reserve and Luna. The Forest Service does not publish the hike distance or pool details.
Verde Hot Springs
The ruins of a once-famous resort on the Verde River, reached by a short hike upstream and some wading from the Childs dispersed camping area. The last 6 miles to Childs on FR 502 are very rough, and the Forest Service highly recommends high clearance. There is no fee, potable water or garbage service.
Virgin Valley Warm Springs
A warm spring pool beside the Virgin Valley Campground in the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in far northwestern Nevada. Travel Nevada says the pond stays around 90F, and the refuge lists a rustic shower house, pit toilets and drinking water. Camping is free and first-come, first-served, with a 14-day limit.
Vulcan Hot Springs
A geothermal area on Vulcan Creek in the Boise National Forest, reached on Vulcan Hot Springs Trail #072 from the Tyndall / Vulcan Trailhead. The trailhead has a vault toilet and five dispersed campsites but no drinking water. The source springs are near boiling, so soaking is only possible where creek water has cooled them.
Wall Creek Warm Springs (Meditation Pool)
A single warm pool beside Wall Creek, reached by the level Warm Springs Trail #3582 through old-growth forest north of Oakridge. The Forest Service lists the pool at about 95°F, roughly 10 by 12 feet and 3 feet deep with a silty bottom. The trailhead is currently closed under the Cedar Creek Fire closure order.
Weir Creek Hot Springs
An undeveloped hot spring above Weir Creek near milepost 142 of US Highway 12, with its main pool on a rock slab overlooking the creek. It is about a half-mile uphill walk from the highway. The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests closed the site at night in 2022 after injuries and vandalism, and the regional tourism office now lists it as closed until further notice.
White Sulphur Springs
A Forest Service bathhouse and public-use cabin on Bertha Bay, on the outer coast of Chichagof Island in the West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness, about 65 miles northwest of Sitka. Boaters anchor at Mirror Harbor and walk a fairly level 0.9-mile trail, or skiff in from Porcupine Bay. The cabin sleeps four and is reserved on Recreation.gov.
Wild Willy's Hot Springs (Crowley Hot Spring)
Undeveloped hot pools on BLM land in Long Valley, reached by a dirt road off Benton Crossing Road and a short boardwalk walk from the parking area. The BLM and Mono County maintain and rerouted the access road, which the BLM says carries more than 500 vehicles on busy days. Mono County notes that natural pools like this are not maintained and asks visitors to pack out what they bring.
Willett Hot Springs
Primitive hot springs in the Sespe Wilderness, about 9 miles east of Piedra Blanca Trailhead on the Sespe River Trail and then 0.6 mile past Willett Camp. The area is open only to foot and horse travel, and parking at the trailhead requires a recreation pass. The Forest Service lists it among the four hot springs on Los Padres open to visitors.
Willow Creek Hot Springs (Whitehorse Hot Springs)
A remote hot spring in the Trout Creek Mountains area of southeast Oregon, also called Whitehorse Hot Springs. Travel Oregon lists it near the Willow Creek Campground with a Fields address, and a BLM district map labels the spring. No official source publishes its temperature, facilities or road conditions.
Worswick Hot Springs
A hot spring on the Sawtooth National Forest's Fairfield Ranger District that the Forest Service calls popular and places close to the free Five Points Campground, 17 miles north of Fairfield on FR 094. NOAA lists the source at about 180F, scalding at the vent, so check the temperature of any pool before entering.