Trail data at a glance
Many public hot springs in the West can be reached only on foot. The table lists springs where the managing agency publishes the route. Distances are one way from the trailhead. Gain is listed only where the agency states it.
| Spring | State | Manager | One way | Gain | Trailhead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umpqua Hot Springs | OR | Umpqua National Forest | 0.3 mi | Not stated (steep climb) | Umpqua Hot Springs Trailhead |
| Langford Hot Springs (Big Bend) | TX | NPS, Big Bend National Park | 0.25 mi (0.5 mi round trip) | Not stated | Hot Springs Historic District |
| Bagby Hot Springs | OR | Mt. Hood National Forest | 1.4 mi (Trail #544) | Not stated | Bagby Trailhead |
| Arizona Hot Springs | AZ | NPS, Lake Mead National Recreation Area | 2.5 mi (5 mi out and back) | About 750 ft | US 93 near milepost 4 |
| Arizona Hot Springs via White Rock Canyon | AZ | NPS, Lake Mead National Recreation Area | 3.25 mi (6.5 mi out and back) | 885 ft | US 93 near milepost 4 |
| Rainbow Hot Springs | CO | San Juan National Forest | About 5.3 mi | Not stated (trailhead at 9,040 ft) | West Fork Trailhead |
| Jordan Hot Springs | NM | Gila National Forest | 4.4 mi on Little Bear Trail #729 to the Middle Fork, then upstream on Trail #157 | Not stated | TJ Corral Trailhead |
| Conundrum Hot Springs | CO | White River National Forest | 8.5 mi | 2,500 ft | Conundrum Creek Trailhead |
| Goldbug Hot Springs | ID | BLM Salmon Field Office | Not stated by BLM | Not stated | End of county road at Elk Bend |
Short trails: Umpqua, Big Bend and Bagby
Umpqua Hot Springs sits on a bare rock face 150 feet above the North Umpqua Wild and Scenic River. The Umpqua National Forest describes the 0.3-mile trail as a steep climb from the trailhead footbridge. The Forest Service states that water seeps through an active fault at 100 to 115 degrees. The site is day use only, sunrise to sunset, with a $5 per vehicle day-use fee or a Northwest Forest Pass. In winter the road usually closes and the trip grows by 2.5 miles.
Langford Hot Springs in Big Bend National Park is reached by a two-mile gravel road that NPS describes as dropping through a rough, narrow wash, closed to motor homes and oversize vehicles on its one-way sections. The spring is a 0.5-mile round trip from the trailhead, inside the stone foundation of the old resort, and NPS gives the water temperature as 105 degrees F. A one-mile loop continues back to the parking area.
Bagby Hot Springs is about 40 miles southeast of Estacada, Oregon. The Mt. Hood National Forest lists the trail as 1.4 miles (Trail #544) among towering firs beside a tributary of the Clackamas River. The site is operated by the nonprofit Bagby Preservation under the Forest Service. The Forest Service states that the largest of its three main springs flows 24 gallons per minute at 138 degrees F. The fee is $5 per person, cash at the trailhead.
Desert trails: Arizona Hot Springs
Arizona Hot Springs sits in a slot canyon above the Colorado River below Hoover Dam, in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. NPS lists two routes from a shared trailhead on U.S. Highway 93 just before milepost 4. The Arizona Hot Springs Trail is 5 miles out and back with about 750 feet of elevation change. The White Rock Canyon Trail is 6.5 miles out and back with 885 feet. Combined, they form a 5.69-mile loop that includes a 20-foot ladder. Both trails are unmaintained and rated strenuous, and NPS gives the spring water as 111 to 120 degrees F.
NPS closes these trails every year from May 15 to September 30 because of heat, and can close them at other times when Willow Beach is forecast to reach 95 degrees F or when flash floods are possible. There is no drinking water at the trailhead. Pets must be on a leash of 6 feet or less, and altering the spring flow, for example with sandbags, is not permitted.
Mountain trails: Rainbow, Jordan and Conundrum
Rainbow Hot Springs is about 5.3 miles up the West Fork Trail (561) from a trailhead at 9,040 feet, northeast of Pagosa Springs. The first mile crosses private property, and the trail enters the Weminuche Wilderness at 1.3 miles. The San Juan National Forest notes that the pools are not visible from the trail and change with river flow. Bicycles are not allowed. In winter the West Fork Road closes to vehicles and the trip becomes about 7.5 miles.
Jordan Hot Springs lies in the Gila Wilderness along the Middle Fork of the Gila River. The Gila National Forest lists Little Bear Trail #729 as 4.4 miles one way from TJ Corral Trailhead, near Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, to the Middle Fork Trail #157, which continues upstream past Jordan Canyon. The trail has no fee and no reliable water.
Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen is the longest route here. The White River National Forest describes the Conundrum Creek Trail as 8.5 miles and 2,500 vertical feet to the springs. The trail crosses Conundrum Creek three times. The first two have log bridges, and the third requires wading. The Forest Service lists July through September as the best time and states that from early October to late June the trail is snow covered and the trailhead is inaccessible. Overnight stays require an advance permit.
Goldbug and Sykes
Goldbug Hot Springs, managed by the BLM Salmon Field Office, is about 23 miles south of Salmon, Idaho, off U.S. Highway 93 at Elk Bend. The BLM states that the trail starts at the end of the county road, that the first quarter mile crosses private land on a public easement, that dogs must be leashed on that section, and that there is no fee. BLM does not publish the trail length.
Sykes Hot Springs is near Sykes Camp on the Pine Ridge Trail in the Ventana Wilderness of the Los Padres National Forest, with a $10 per day parking fee at Big Sur Station. The Forest Service states that the route requires several river crossings that can be impassable in winter. In 2026 the Pine Ridge Trail was closed under the Timber Fire area closure order.