Best Hot Springs on the West Coast (Ranked by Worthiness)
Cold hike. Long drive. Big views. And then — steaming water, volcanic minerals, and a level of relaxation that no massage therapist has ever achieved.
The West Coast has an extraordinary concentration of hot springs, from full-service mountain resorts to completely wild backcountry soaks you have to earn on foot. Here are the best ones, organized from Washington to Northern California.
Table of Contents
Washington
Olympic Hot Springs — Olympic National Park
Hidden deep inside Olympic National Park after a long road closure that turned a short hike into a serious commitment — the Olympic Hot Springs are a series of primitive natural pools scattered through Boulder Creek forest, ranging from lukewarm to legitimately hot. Clothing-optional by tradition. Unmanaged and wild.
The road washout currently means parking at Madison Falls Trailhead and hiking or biking approximately 9 miles to the springs. That’s a commitment — but it weeds out the casual visitors and makes the soak feel genuinely earned.
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Effort: High right now due to road closure. Check NPS conditions before going.
Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort — Olympic National Park
The easy Olympic Peninsula option — a full resort in the old-growth forest alongside the Sol Duc River, with three mineral pools at varying temperatures and a freshwater pool to cool off between soaks. The setting is stunning: ancient cedar and Sitka spruce towering above the steam, elk wandering through in the early morning.
Sol Duc Falls is a short walk from the resort — one of the most beautiful waterfall hikes in Washington. A perfect combination.
Effort: Zero. Drive right in.
Scenic Hot Springs — Stevens Pass Area
Three stone pools perched at 4,200 feet near Stevens Pass with Cascade peak views and that unmistakable alpine stillness. One of the most stunning hot spring settings in the Pacific Northwest — soaking in 100°F water with snow on the ground is a genuinely transcendent experience.
Permit-only at $30/person, booked months in advance, 2.5-mile hike with 1,100 feet of gain. The permits disappear within minutes of dropping. Worth every bit of the effort to secure one.
Effort: Moderate hike. High booking difficulty. Completely worth it.
Oregon
Umpqua Hot Springs — Umpqua National Forest
Umpqua Hot Springs are tiered pools perched on a hillside above the North Umpqua River — arguably the most beautiful hot spring setting in Oregon. Soak in the upper pools while looking down at the rushing river below, then jump in the cold river between soaks for the full hot-cold experience.
Short walk from the parking area. Incredibly popular — go on a weekday, arrive early, and prepare to share. Northwest Forest Pass required.
Effort: Easy. The crowds are the only challenge.
Alvord Hot Springs — Alvord Desert, Eastern Oregon
A corrugated metal bathhouse on the edge of the Alvord Desert playa — two tubs fed by geothermal water with direct views across the desert to Steens Mountain. The setting is as remote and elemental as it gets in Oregon.
Camping at the Alvord Desert is free BLM land, so you can camp for nothing, soak at sunset and sunrise, and stargaze in near-perfect darkness. Small fee for the bathhouse itself.
Effort: Long drive (very remote). Zero hiking. Maximum reward for the right type of adventurer.
Hart Mountain Hot Springs — Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge
Hart Mountain is one of Oregon’s great hidden gems — a concrete soaking pool fed by geothermal water in the middle of a national wildlife refuge in the high desert of southeastern Oregon. Pronghorn antelope wander past. The stars are extraordinary. It’s completely free.
About as off-the-beaten-path as Oregon gets, which is exactly why it’s worth the drive.
Effort: Long drive on dirt roads. Zero hiking. Bring everything you need.
Goldmyer Hot Springs — Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington
Technically back in Washington — but too good to leave off. Three interconnected natural pools at varying temperatures in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, owned and operated by a nonprofit that limits access to 20 people per day. Reservation lottery, 4.5-mile hike in, rough access road requiring high clearance.
All of that gatekeeping means you’ll likely have this extraordinary place nearly to yourself. Reserve at goldmyer.org.
Effort: High. Lottery reservation. Rough road. Worth every obstacle.
Northern California
Travertine Hot Springs — Bridgeport
Travertine Hot Springs near Bridgeport on Highway 395 is one of the best free hot springs on the West Coast — multiple pools at different temperatures on a BLM hillside with views of the Eastern Sierra peaks. No fee, no reservation, no hiking required. Just pull off the road and get in.
One of those spots that makes you question every spa you’ve ever paid for.
Effort: Zero. Free. Eastern Sierra views. The standard all others are judged against.
Wild Willy’s Hot Springs — Mammoth Lakes Area
Wild Willy’s is the Mammoth area classic — a wooden boardwalk through the Eastern Sierra high desert leads to a series of pools ranging from warm to genuinely hot, with views of the White Mountains on one side and the Sierra crest on the other. Free, accessible to most fitness levels, and extremely popular for good reason.
Go at sunset. Go in winter when it’s snowing. Go any time, honestly.
Effort: Easy 1-mile walk. Free. Excellent.
Hilltop Hot Springs — Mammoth Lakes
Hilltop Hot Springs is Wild Willy’s quieter sibling — smaller, slightly less known, equally beautiful. A short hike from the road delivers a single pool with sweeping Eastern Sierra views and significantly fewer people than the more famous spots nearby.
Effort: Easy short hike. Free. Go mid-week for solitude.
The Hot Spring Hierarchy
Free + easy: Travertine, Wild Willy’s, Hart Mountain, Alvord Desert
Easy but costs something: Sol Duc, Umpqua
Worth earning: Scenic Hot Springs, Goldmyer, Olympic Hot Springs
The move: Chain a few together on a road trip. Eastern Sierra 395 alone — Travertine, Wild Willy’s, Hilltop — is one of the great hot spring runs in the country.
For more, check out our Oregon hot springs guide, PNW hot springs roundup, and Eastern Sierra hot springs in one day on Highway 395.
Happy soaking, friend!
