Get inspired by the best hot springs destinations in the USA, perfect for enjoying geothermal waters along with incredible, natural vistas. This collection of hot spots suits an array of tastes, from authentic and rustic to fun and fancy.
Hot Springs, North Carolina
When the place's name gets right to the point, you know you’ve landed feet first. This small town in western North Carolina on the banks of Spring Creek and French Broad River near the Appalachian Trail is filled with quaint charm, rich history, and natural hot springs. The healing waters have a high mineral content and have been luring people since the late 1700s.
Iron Mountain Hot Springs, Colorado
With a history that stretches back thousands of years – that’s thermal cred! – Glenwood Springs near Aspen is still drawing a crowd today. The intimate, family-friendly Iron Mountain resort sports 16 scenic pools fed from on-site springs, some with infinity edges overlooking the Colorado River. The hottest pool is 108º F.
Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado
In the southern part of the state near Telluride, historic Dunton is a ghost town, a series of log cabins 8,800 feet up in the San Juan Mountains. It dates back to the Gold Rush era when the region was filled with miners and trappers. This rustic-chic hot-springs resort is a cool setting, with mineral pools inside and out, delivering a unique, private experience.
Castle Hot Springs, Arizona
North of Phoenix in the Bradshaw Mountains, the newly restored Castle Hot Springs is a luxe all-inclusive resort oasis. Healing waters here are filled with calcium, magnesium, and lithium, a mood booster. Visitors have been coming to the region since the late 1800s, with its current guests enjoying the desert adventure, stargazing, and five-star dining.
Calistoga, California
This wee Napa town is definitely old-school, filled with spas on both sides of the main street. The iconic Indian Springs Calistoga offers modern boho-chic, along with authentic mud bathing and a 1910 Olympic-sized mineral pool. The elegant Solage Auberge Resorts Collection features a 20,000-square-foot spa anchored to The Bathhouse, its geothermal heart.
Hot Springs State Park, Wyoming
While the town of Thermopolis sounds made up, it is actually ancient Greek. Visitors to Hot Springs State Park find bison and bathhouses, linked to three soaking pools, including the Wyoming State Bath House (which is public), Star Plunge, and Hellie’s TePee Pools. The cave art at Legend Rocks showcases almost 100 prehistoric petroglyph panels.
Chena Hot Springs Resort, Alaska
This century-old rustic lodge and resort in the remote wilderness north of Fairbanks offers on-site thermal springs, a heated indoor pool and hot tubs, an ice museum, and a massage center. Visitors enjoy wading in the sandy-bottomed lake and scanning the sky for the Northern Lights from September to April.