- Fee
- none (free dispersed camping at Childs)
- Season
- Year-round (Childs); roads may be impassable after rain
- Coordinates
- 34.3640, -111.7154
The NOAA Thermal Springs List gives a source temperature of 104°F (40°C) for this spring. The land is managed by Coconino National Forest, Red Rock Ranger District, Verde Wild and Scenic River (USDA Forest Service). Fee: none (free dispersed camping at Childs).
Verde Hot Springs is the site of a former resort on the bank of the Verde River in central Arizona, upstream from the Childs area on the Verde Wild and Scenic River. The Coconino National Forest's Red Rock Ranger District manages Childs, and its site page describes a short hike upstream, with some wading, to the ruins of what it calls a once famous resort. The U.S. Geological Survey places the springs in Yavapai County.
The Forest Service route starts at the White Bridge in Camp Verde: east on Highway 260 for 6.8 miles to Forest Road 708 (Fossil Creek Road), 15 miles to FR 502, then south on FR 502 for 6 miles of very rough road to the old Childs Power Plant and the river. The agency strongly recommends high-clearance vehicles, notes that four-wheel drive may help, and warns that the roads are often muddy after rain. Since October 2, 2025, FR 708 has been closed where it meets FR 502 because of a landslide, while the gate at Highway 260 remains open. The Childs Dispersed Camping Area, at 2,626 feet, is free, has restrooms but no potable water, and has a 14-day stay limit.
Arizona Power Company began building the Childs Power Plant in 1908, and for more than 90 years Fossil Creek was piped to the Childs and Irving plants until APS agreed in 2004 to decommission them and restore the creek. The resort hotel burned in 1962, and only foundations remain. A Forest Service order in effect through November 30, 2028 allows fires on the Wild and Scenic Verde only in camp stoves or approved fire pans. Camp Verde is the nearest town, and Fossil Creek joins the Verde a few miles downstream.
Getting there and local rules
- Road: From the White Bridge in Camp Verde, Hwy 260 east 6.8 mi to FR 708 (Fossil Creek Road), 15 mi to FR 502, then 6 mi of very bad road south to the Childs Power Plant and the Verde River; high clearance highly recommended, 4WD may help; roads steep, rough and muddy after rain. FR 708 closed at FR 502 by landslide since Oct 2, 2025 (gate open at Hwy 260/FR 708).
- Trail: Forest Service: a short hike upstream and some wading from Childs reach the ruins of the Verde Hot Springs resort
- Camping: Childs Dispersed Camping Area: free, 14-day stay limit, restrooms, no potable water, no garbage service, elevation 2,626 ft; campfires prohibited under Stage 1 and 2 fire restrictions
- Verde Wild and Scenic River order 03-04-06-23-25 (to Nov 30, 2028): fires only in a camp stove or approved fire pan
- Overnight boaters must carry an approved portable toilet
- Pack out trash (no garbage service)
- 14-day stay limit at Childs
History
- The Forest Service describes the site as the ruins of 'a once famous resort'; the Verde Hot Springs Hotel burned in 1962 (Wikipedia, citing newspapers).
- Arizona Power Company began building the Childs Power Plant in 1908; APS agreed in 2004 to decommission the Childs and Irving plants and restore Fossil Creek's natural flow (Coconino NF).
- In May 2021 the Forest Service closed Verde Hot Springs and Childs for two weeks for feral cattle removal on the Wild and Scenic Verde.
Weather by month near Verde
The nearest NOAA climate station with 30-year normals is Childs, about 1 miles away at 2,650 ft. Its average daily high peaks at 103.5°F in Jul, and the coldest nights average 29.8°F in Dec. Normal snowfall there adds up to about 0 inches a year. Conditions at the place itself can differ, especially with a large change in elevation.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62.7 | 31.3 | 1.99 | 0 |
| Feb | 66.9 | 32.5 | 2.29 | 0 |
| Mar | 72.6 | 37.4 | 1.93 | 0 |
| Apr | 80.7 | 41.1 | 0.79 | 0 |
| May | 90.1 | 48.6 | 0.52 | 0 |
| Jun | 101.1 | 56.6 | 0.06 | 0 |
| Jul | 103.5 | 65.4 | 2.13 | 0 |
| Aug | 101 | 66.3 | 2.9 | 0 |
| Sep | 95.3 | 58.5 | 1.43 | 0 |
| Oct | 84.3 | 47.3 | 1.14 | 0 |
| Nov | 71.2 | 35.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| Dec | 61 | 29.8 | 1.79 | 0 |
Other springs within 60 miles
From the NOAA list, by straight-line distance from Verde. Most of these are not developed sites and some are on private land.
- Spring7 mi northeast72°F
- Tonto Natural Bridge Spring15 mi east72°F
- Soda Spring20 mi north75°F
- Spring (Hot)20 mi south99°F
- Castle Hot Springs45 mi southwest115°F
- Mitchell Spring47 mi southwest79°F
- Spring56 mi west72°F
- Roosevelt Dam Springs57 mi southeast118°F
Sources: NOAA NCEI, Thermal Springs List for the United States (source temperature, about 1980); fs.usda.gov; fs.usda.gov; fs.usda.gov; fs.usda.gov; gis.blm.gov; carto.nationalmap.gov; NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020. Facts checked October 2026.
Source temperature from the NOAA Thermal Springs List (measured around 1980). Conditions, access and rules change; check with Coconino National Forest, Red Rock Ranger District, Verde Wild and Scenic River before you go. This page is for trip planning only.