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Early evening was my favorite time to soak in the mineral-rich waters at the Castle Hot Springs Resort, located just over an hour north of Phoenix on a 1,100-acre property deep in the Sonoran Desert. The resort is not cheap, but the experience felt priceless! As the sun sets, wispy clouds take on a pinkish hew against a pale blue sky. And cactus wren and hooded oriole call, amid stalwart saguaro.
There are an estimated 250 commercial hot springs across the United States, says Jessica Meath, executive director of The Hot Springs Association. Many primitive thermal springs can be found deep in the wilderness — in national parts and literally in the middle of nowhere, along with hot springs in simple bathhouses and luxury resorts. At the resorts, book off-season for reduced rates. And ask ahead about other wellness offerings such as yoga, meditation and cold plunge pools.
Thermal waters have been revered for centuries for their healing properties, particularly in parts of the world where they are a more established part of daily wellness practices. In Europe, for example, geothermal waters may be prescribed by a doctor and could be covered by insurance. In Japan, soaking in onsens, or natural hot springs, is often part of the daily routine.
Health benefits
The health benefits are abundant: from boosting the immune system to reducing inflammation, detoxifying the body, calming the nervous system and increasing metabolic activity. “The pools also have anti-gravity effects, enabling people who have had car accidents or muscular issues to move in ways they haven’t been able to,” says Murrieta Hot Spring’s medical director, Dr. Marcus Coplin. He adds that the soothing waters are particularly helpful to people over age 55, because the heat and minerals help with joint pain, reduce symptoms of arthritis and aid with better sleep.
Here are some of our assorted picks. As some of the hot spring resorts can be pricey, watch for specials and reduced rates available in the off-season.
Castle Hot Springs, Morristown, Arizona
Located 54 miles outside Phoenix, Castle Springs has three man-made hot spring pools, ranging in temperature from 106 to around 85 degrees, with the temperature falling as the water descends.
The effect is mesmerizing: part of this is because of the sound of the flowing water as a stream from the spring cascades slowly along rocks, outside the bungalow where we are staying, and under a small walkway, ending in a pond at the base. But the best part is the effect of soaking in these pools, not just for its warmth, but for the calming properties of its minerals, which include lithium and magnesium, and the many healing benefits of what is referred to as “contrast therapy” — ducking into a cold plunge pool, in between soaking in hot water, and also taking time to relax.
The resort conducts aqua yoga as well as Watsu, or water flow therapy, in the lower 85-degree pool — a treatment that helps to decrease muscle tension, increase flexibility, provide pain relief and improve circulation.
Murrieta Hot Springs, California
Murrieta Hot Springs, located about 65 miles from San Diego, has more than 40 thermal water pools located around a lake and in a bathhouse. The waters that come out of the ground have a temperature range from about 98 to 104 degrees.
Activities that revolve around the hot springs include a twice-daily guided vitality cold water plunge, bathing accompanied by Tibetan singing bowls, aqua yoga and a mud lathering ritual at the lakeside beach where people apply mud from geothermal waters and Mojave clay and bake in the sun. An adult day pass for access to the hot springs is $89 on weekdays, and $99 on weekends.
Durango Hot Springs Resort and Spa, Colorado
Durango boasts 32 natural hot springs mineral pools, two cold plunges and five private cedar soaking tubs. Their natural hot springs are infused with nano-meter and micro-meter oxygen bubbles. This process increases the purity of the water and provides benefits to the skin, such as helping to repair scar tissue and skin disorders. The resort also has a rain tower holding 40 gallons of warm mineral water that drops every eight minutes. Access to the hot springs for adults costs $39 for two hours or $49 for three hours. The resort does not, at this time, have lodging on-site, though there are plenty of neighboring and affordable places to stay.
Riverbend Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Come here for an affordable soak on the banks of the Rio Grande, with choices of private or more public pools.
Their odor-free mineral-rich waters are pumped directly into pools from deep down in the Earth. Here you can soak in eight “common” pools located around a shaded deck next to the river. Or you can choose a more private, clothing-optional pool that can be rented for 50-minute sessions for up to two people. For private pools, there are deluxe ones made of fiberglass with beautiful views of Riverbend, and there are classic, more rustic pools that are a bit hotter.
Access to the common pools and grounds costs $30 to $40 for one or two people per hour and is free for overnight hotel and RV guests. The classic and deluxe pools cost $40 to $50 for one or two people per 50 minutes and are an additional charge for overnight guests.
Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas
Located in Hot Springs National Park, Bathhouse Row has eight historic bathhouse buildings, two of which are available for indoor soaking in their thermal waters. Buckstaff Bathhouse has been in continuous operation since 1912 and offers a “traditional” bathing experience in private whirlpool tubs. (Prices range from $40 to $100 for a deluxe package.) You can also soak at the modern Quapaw Baths & Spa. Price for the public thermal pool is $25 per person with additional costs for private baths and other services.
HotSpringsofAmerica.com lists all the developed U.S. hot springs, whether family-run and community pools or those located at larger resorts.
Photo Credits (from top): Courtesy BCI Media; Courtesy Blue Motel Room Photography; Courtesy Kevin Eassa; Courtesy Isaac Dean Media; Courtesy Sean Farrell; Chon Kit Leong/Alamy Stock Photo
Have you ever taken a hot springs vacation? Let us know in the comments below.
