Best Hot Springs in Montana: 8 Soaks Worth the Drive

How We Picked

We looked at water temperature, setting, reliability of access, and whether the experience is specific to where you are in Montana. Price mattered too, a $35 resort day-use fee is a different trip than a free soak in a river canyon. The Montana Travel Guide covers the full range of things to do across the state; this list zeroes in on soaks that reward the drive with something genuinely tied to their location, not just a heated pool in a parking lot.

The picks below span both sides of the Continental Divide, from the Clark Fork canyon of Glacier Country in the northwest to the Paradise Valley south of Livingston and the Bitterroot passes. Most are open year-round, though a few have seasonal closures you need to plan around, those are noted clearly under each listing.

Chico Hot Springs

Temp ~103°F hot pool / ~96°F main pool | $12–$16 day-use per person | open year-round | 40 min from Livingston, 70 min from Bozeman

Chico Hot Springs Resort sits in the Paradise Valley between Livingston and Gardiner, about 35 miles south of Livingston on US-89 near the small community of Pray. The two outdoor pools stay open year-round: a larger pool maintained around 96°F and a smaller hot pool closer to 103°F. Day use runs roughly $12–16 per person, and the resort books rooms in the historic 1900s lodge and newer cabins. The Absaroka Range rises straight to the east, and the Yellowstone River is a short walk away.

The restaurant here has a national reputation that holds up. If you're passing through in summer or fall, make dinner reservations at least a week ahead, it fills on weeknights throughout peak season, and walk-in odds are not great. Combining a morning on the best fly fishing rivers in Montana, specifically the Yellowstone just up the valley, with an afternoon soak at Chico is one of the better single-day itineraries in the state.

Boiling River

Temp ~95–106°F (varies with river mix) | $35/vehicle Yellowstone park pass required, no separate day-use fee | closed late Apr–mid-Jun and at sunset daily | 5 min from Gardiner

Boiling River is the only place inside Yellowstone National Park where soaking is permitted, and it earns a spot on any Montana hot springs list because Gardiner, the North Entrance town, sits squarely across the state line. Hot geothermal water pours from a channel into the Gardner River, creating a band of soakable water along the bank where temperatures vary from around 95°F to 106°F depending on where you position yourself. Entry requires a current Yellowstone park pass, which runs about $35 per vehicle.

One detail first-timers regularly miss: Boiling River closes every spring when the Gardner River runs high and cold from snowmelt, typically from late April through mid-June. It also closes daily at sunset. Arrive before 8 a.m. on summer weekends, the parking area fills fast, and overflow means a long walk. Late July through September, on a Tuesday morning, is the window when it's most enjoyable.

Fairmont Hot Springs

Temp ~103°F hot soak / ~80°F main pool | $15–$20 day-use per adult | open year-round | 20 min from Anaconda, 45 min from Butte

Fairmont Hot Springs is off I-90 between Deer Lodge and Anaconda, roughly halfway between Missoula and Butte. It's a large commercial resort with two outdoor pools, an indoor pool, and a water slide, the most family-oriented hot springs setup in Montana. The outdoor pools range from around 80°F in the main lap pool to 103°F in the smaller hot soak. Day use fees run approximately $15–20 per adult, with reduced rates for children, and the resort has full lodging on site.

If you're driving across southern Montana on I-90, Fairmont is an easy pull-off that doesn't require much planning. It won't have the dramatic mountain backdrop of Chico, but the pools are consistently maintained, the facilities are polished, and the water slide keeps kids occupied long enough for adults to soak in peace. It's the most practical hot springs option between Missoula and Billings.

Quinn's Hot Springs Resort

Temp ~93–106°F across pools | $15–$20 day-use per person | open year-round (capacity limits apply summer weekends) | 60 min from Missoula, 90 min from Kalispell

Quinn's Hot Springs Resort is on MT-135 near Paradise, in the Clark Fork River canyon of northwest Montana, about 60 miles northeast of Missoula, or roughly 90 minutes from Kalispell via the canyon road. The setting is a narrow river gorge, which keeps the area cooler and shadier than most Montana soaks. The resort has multiple pools ranging from around 93°F to 106°F, cabins and lodge rooms on site, and a restaurant and bar. Day use is available when capacity allows, typically at $15–20 per person.

If you're spending time in Glacier Country and want a hot springs stop on the drive back toward Missoula, Quinn's fits naturally into that loop. The Clark Fork canyon drive on MT-200 from Missoula is worth taking on its own. Plan to arrive by mid-morning on summer weekends, as the day-use pool fills and they turn away visitors.

Norris Hot Springs

Temp ~104–106°F | $8–$10 day-use per person | open year-round | 45 min from Bozeman

Norris Hot Springs is a small, open-air wooden pool in the community of Norris, off MT-84 between Bozeman and Ennis in the Madison River Valley. The water comes straight from a geothermal spring with no chemical treatment or temperature dilution, holding around 104–106°F year-round. The setup is deliberately simple: a deck, a bar, some lawn chairs. Day use typically runs $8–10 per person. It's a 45-minute drive from Bozeman and an easy add-on if you're heading down toward the Madison or Yellowstone corridors.

Local knowledge worth having: Norris runs live music on many Friday and Saturday evenings through the summer, which changes the character of the soak from quiet to social. The surrounding Madison Valley has some of the best trout water in the state, so it pairs well with a fishing day on the river. This is the best low-key, no-frills soak option in southwest Montana.

Lolo Hot Springs

Temp ~100°F outdoor pool | $10–$15 day-use per person | open year-round (reduced hours Nov–Mar) | 50 min from Missoula

Lolo Hot Springs sits directly on US-12 about 35 miles west of Lolo, at the edge of the Bitterroot Mountains near the Idaho border. This is the same highway corridor Lewis and Clark used when crossing the Bitterroots in 1805, and a monument at Lolo Pass a few miles further west marks the spot. The resort has outdoor and indoor pools, a bar, and basic cabin accommodations. The outdoor pool runs around 100°F. Day use fees are roughly $10–15 per person, with seasonal variation.

This isn't a destination resort, but the location makes it useful: it's a natural midpoint stop if you're driving between Missoula and Idaho or coming out of the Bitterroot Valley. The area connects to some of the best hikes in Montana along the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness trails, so combining a trail day with an evening soak works well here. Call ahead in winter, hours scale back significantly from November through March.

Lost Trail Hot Springs Resort

Temp ~100–103°F | $10–$15 day-use per person | open year-round (limited off-season hours) | 90 min from Missoula, 60 min from Hamilton

Lost Trail Hot Springs Resort is near Sula in the upper Bitterroot Valley, just off US-93 at the junction with MT-43 close to Lost Trail Pass and the Lost Trail Ski Area. The outdoor pools are fed by a natural warm spring, and the lodge offers simple cabin-style accommodations. It operates year-round but with reduced hours and staffing outside summer and winter ski season. Day use runs roughly $10–15 per person. Bitterroot National Forest surrounds the property in every direction.

This is the most remote option on the list, which is genuinely part of its appeal. Few out-of-state visitors know about it. If you're driving the Salmon River corridor from Idaho, heading into the Big Hole Valley on MT-43, or running the full length of the Bitterroot on US-93, Lost Trail is a logical stop where you can soak and stay the night without backtracking into a larger town.

Boulder Hot Springs Inn

Temp ~100–104°F soaking pools | $10–$15 day-use per person | open year-round (call ahead to confirm) | 30 min from Helena, 30 min from Butte

Boulder Hot Springs Inn is in the town of Boulder on I-15, about 30 miles south of Helena and 30 miles north of Butte. The property dates to the 1880s, and the Victorian-era inn building adds a layer of history you don't get at purpose-built resorts. Indoor and outdoor pools are fed by geothermal water that emerges at around 160°F and is cooled to soakable temperatures. Day use typically runs $10–15 per person, and overnight rooms in the inn are available for guests who want to stay.

For travelers staying at hotels and lodges in Helena or Butte, Boulder is the closest natural hot springs option and an easy day trip. The inn has gone through different ownership phases over the years, confirm current hours and reservation requirements before driving down. The outdoor pool is the better of the two options and worth timing for evening when the Helena Valley light shifts.

Quick Comparison

For the widest range of facilities and the most reliable year-round access, Chico Hot Springs and Fairmont Hot Springs are the two go-to choices. Chico wins on setting, food, and atmosphere; Fairmont wins on family amenities and pool variety. Boiling River is the most singular experience on the list, a natural river soak inside a national park, but it comes with spring closures and park admission costs. Norris is the best low-key, locals-style soak in the southwest corridor, and the price is right. Quinn's is the strongest northwest Montana option and fits cleanly into a Glacier Country road trip. Lolo and Lost Trail both anchor naturally into drives across the Bitterroot passes. Boulder Hot Springs is the best bet between Helena and Butte for travelers already based in either city.