Swimming in Hot Springs: Is It Safe? Top 200 list
Hot springs surprise people; they amuse people because of how cool they are. Some hot springs are found in the coldest parts of the world.
Do you know that Japan has the most number of hot springs?
Yes, it’s safe to swim in hot springs as long as you are comfortable in the water without skin irritation. People with skin allergies sometimes might get triggered by hot springs due to their high mineral content. Test the water on your skin, and then make your choice to swim.
Some hot springs are pushed through the earth’s surface at higher pressure; these are dangerous and should be avoided.
What is a Hot spring?
Hot springs are nothing but heated groundwater reaching the surface of the earth. Usually, they contain minerals that are dissolved due to the underground magma. There are more than 1000 known hot springs and hundreds of unknown hot springs in the US.
Thermal springs are one of the names for hot springs. The other names include geothermal springs. Hot springs are usually meant for soaking in the mineralized water rather than playing around as you would in a pool. You will find people being calm more often than not in a hot spring.
There are different types of hot springs based on how it naturally occurs. For example, some are near rivers and natural water sources, while others are in the middle of a desert or a mountain.
Most hot springs are commercialized to attract tourists. However, people who like to stay longer can use the hotels built around these hot springs.
Where can you find hot springs?
You can often find hot springs marked by people with rocks to make a pool out of it. Also, if there are small springs in river banks, they are marked. In some cases, people even have built luxury holiday destinations around hot springs.
You can find both indoor and outdoor hot springs. Indoor hot springs have many rules to follow, while Outdoor hot springs are just like your hot tub at your home. Practices for each hot spring will differ. You should always check the rules before jumping into one.
you can stay as long as you want in a hot spring in the following conditions,
- The water is not irritating your skin
- The water is not too hot
- The water isn’t dehydrating you too much
You can download the list of Hotsprings here
Top 200 safest Hot springs in United states for swimming
| States | Hot spring Places |
| Alaska | Kanuti Hot Springs Area of Critical Environmental Concern, Alaska |
| Akutan Hot Springs | |
| Baranof Warm Springs | |
| Chena Hot Springs | |
| Circle Hot Springs | |
| Kanuti Hot Springs | |
| Tolovana Hot Springs | |
| Manley Hot Springs | |
| Arizona | Pumpkin Spring, Grand Canyon |
| Arizona (Ringbolt) Hot Springs | |
| Buckthorn Baths | |
| Castle Hot Springs | |
| Gold Strike Hot Springs | |
| Hot Well Dunes | |
| Palm Pool Waterfall Hot Springs | |
| Pumpkin Spring (hot springs in Grand Canyon) | |
| Roper Lake State Park Hot Spring | |
| San Carlos Warm Springs | |
| Sheep Bridge Warm Spring | |
| Tonopah | |
| Verde Hot Springs | |
| Arkansas | Arkansas hot springs, steam from spring |
| California | Mammoth Hot Creek Pools |
| Geothermal areas in the Lassen area | |
| Aquamarine water pool at Bumpass Hell | |
| Big Bend Hot Springs | |
| Big Caliente Hot Springs, Los Padres National Forest | |
| Bumpass Hell Creek, Lassen National Park | |
| Calistoga Hot Springs, Calistoga | |
| Campbell Hot Springs, Sierraville CA | |
| Coso Hot Springs, Inyo County | |
| Crabtree Hot Springs | |
| Desert Hot Springs (thermal mineral springs) | |
| Deep Creek Hot Springs | |
| Delonegha Hot Springs | |
| Franklin Hot Springs, Paso Robles, California | |
| Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs | |
| Grover Hot Springs State Park | |
| Harbin Hot Springs, Middletown | |
| Jordan Hot Springs (Sequoia National Forest) | |
| Keough Hot Springs | |
| Mammoth Hot Springs | |
| Mercey Hot Springs | |
| Miracle Hot Springs | |
| Mono Hot Springs | |
| Murrieta Hot Springs | |
| Palm Springs | |
| Remington Hot Springs | |
| Esalen (Slates Hot Springs) | |
| Tassajara Hot Springs | |
| Travertine Hot Springs | |
| Sespe Hot Springs | |
| Scovern Hot Springs | |
| Warner Springs | |
| Wilbur Hot Springs | |
| Willett Hot Springs | |
| Colorado | The Mother Spring, Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado |
| Pagosa Hot Spring, Colorado | |
| Conundrum Hot Springs | |
| Hot Sulphur Springs | |
| Idaho Springs | |
| Glenwood Springs | |
| Ouray | |
| Pagosa hot springs | |
| Penny Hot Springs | |
| Steamboat Springs | |
| Florida | Warm Mineral Springs, Florida |
| Georgia | Radium Hot Springs, Georgia |
| Warm Springs, Georgia | |
| Hawaii | Isaac Hale Park Spring |
| Idaho | Hotspring near Garden Valley Idaho |
| Goldbug Hot Springs | |
| Green Canyon Hot Springs | |
| Heise Hot Springs, Ririe | |
| Lava Hot Springs (thermal mineral springs) | |
| Silver Creek Plunge | |
| Stanley Hot Springs | |
| Sunflower Hot Springs | |
| Illinois | Little Hot Springs of Illinois |
| Indiana | West Baden Springs Indiana |
| West Baden Springs | |
| Massachusetts | Sand Spring |
| Montana | Chico Hot Springs |
| Fairmont Hot Springs, Montana | |
| Hunters Hot Springs | |
| Lolo Hot Springs Montana | |
| Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs | |
| Sleeping Child Hot Springs | |
| Nevada | Hot spring in Gerlach, Nevada |
| Dianas Punchbowl | |
| View across the Elko Hot Hole | |
| Fly geyser | |
| Ash Springs | |
| Bartine Hot Springs | |
| Bathtub Spring, (Soldier Meadows) | |
| Bog Hot Springs | |
| Bowers Mansion Hot Springs | |
| Carson Hot Springs | |
| Chukar Gulch (Soldier Meadows) | |
| Crescent View Hot Springs | |
| Crystal Springs hot springs | |
| Diana’s Punchbowl | |
| Dry Suzie | |
| Duckwater Pond | |
| Dyke Hot Spring | |
| Elko Hot Hole | |
| Fish Lake Hot Well | |
| Fly Geyser | |
| Hot Creek Springs and Marsh Area | |
| Hyder Hot Springs | |
| Jersey Valley Hot Springs | |
| McFarlane Hot Springs | |
| New Wagner Warm Spring | |
| Panaca Warm Springs | |
| Paradise Valley Hot Springs | |
| Pott’s Ranch Hot Spring | |
| Pinto Hot Springs | |
| Reese River Hot Springs | |
| Rogers Warm Spring | |
| Ruby Valley | |
| Smith Creek (Rainbow) Hot Springs | |
| Soldier Meadows hot spring system | |
| Soldier Meadows Hot Creek | |
| Soldier Meadows Warm Pond | |
| Spencer Hot Springs | |
| Steamboat Hot Well | |
| Trego Hot Ditch | |
| Twelve Mile Hot Springs | |
| Virgin Valley Hot Springs | |
| Walker Warm Springs | |
| New Mexico | Spence hot spring |
| McCauley Hot Springs, Jemez Springs, NM, USA | |
| Black Rock Hot Springs | |
| Faywood Hot Springs[9] | |
| Gila Hot Springs | |
| Jordan Hot Springs (Gila National Forest) | |
| Manby Hot Springs, near Taos | |
| McCauley Hot Springs, Jemez Springs | |
| Melanie Hot Springs, near Silver City | |
| Middle Fork Hot Springs (Gila National Forest) | |
| Montezuma Hot Springs, Montezuma, near Las Vegas, New Mexico | |
| Ojo Caliente Hot Springs | |
| Radium Hot Springs | |
| Soda Dam Hot Spring | |
| San Antonio Hot Springs, Jemez Springs | |
| Spence Hot Springs, Jemez Springs | |
| Stagecoach Hot Springs | |
| Truth or Consequences | |
| Turkey Creek Hot Springs (Gila National Forest) | |
| Saratoga Springs | |
| Oregon | Alvord Hot Springs |
| Hot springs structure on Hart Mountain | |
| Bath House on Mansfield property | |
| Alvord Hot Springs | |
| Antelope Hot Springs | |
| Bagby Hot Springs | |
| Belknap Hot Springs | |
| Breitenbush Hot Springs (thermal mineral springs) | |
| Cougar Hot Springs | |
| Deer Creek Hot Springs | |
| Hot Lake Springs | |
| Hunters Hot Springs | |
| McCredie Hot Springs | |
| Mickey Hot Springs | |
| Summer Lake Hot Springs | |
| Umpqua Hot Springs | |
| Texas | Chinati Hot Springs, also known as Ruidosa Hot Springs |
| Hot Springs (Big Bend National Park) | |
| Utah | Fifth Water Hot Springs |
| Baker Hot Springs also known as Crater Spring and Abraham Hot Springs | |
| Blue Lake, Wendover | |
| Crystal Hot Springs, Honeyville | |
| Fifth Water Hot Springs | |
| Homestead, Midway | |
| Meadow Hot Springs | |
| Mystic Hot Springs | |
| Pa Tempe Hot Springs, La Verkin | |
| Saratoga Springs | |
| Veyo Pool, Veyo | |
| Washington | Goldmyer Hot Springs |
| Hot Springs, Washington | |
| Olympic Hot Springs | |
| Scenic Hot Springs | |
| Sol Duc Hot Springs | |
| Wyoming | Grand Prismatic Spring |
| Black Sand Basin | |
| Orange Spring Mound at Mammoth Hot Springs | |
| Black Sand Basin Hot Springs | |
| Boiling River | |
| Brilliant Pool Hot Springs | |
| Grand Prismatic Spring | |
| Hot Springs State Park, Thermopolis | |
| Mammoth Hot Springs | |
| Saratoga |
Things to do at hot springs
- If you have earpods, you can relax and listen to music.
- Some of you might enjoy listening to audiobooks through Audible.
- You can use NordVpn to watch movies from other countries if you have Netflix or amazon prime.
- Take a health checkup before your trip, If you have any heart or body illnesses.
- Carry a water bottle with cold water as the hot spring will often cause dehydration after a specific time.
- Do not bring soaps and shampoos to the hot spring.
- Some indoor hot springs allow you to drink alcohol, and some don’t.
- If it’s an indoor hot spring, take a shower before and after you soak.
- You don’t have to follow many rules in outdoor hot springs in the wild but keep it clean and leave no trace.
Gear to have in hot springs
check our Recommended GEAR page for additional Gear you might need in your trip.
Conclusion
Anyone should enjoy hot springs, from kids to adults. However, if it’s the first time you check out hot springs, it’s advisable to go to an indoor hot spring.
Don’t be afraid of hot springs. It’s healthy for your skin to be soaked in water with higher mineral content. The most important aspect of enjoying these natural resources is to leave them without any trace. Carry a trash bag along with you if you are going trekking and pick up plastics along the way.
