A Relaxing Escape

Resort Guests

• Enjoy complimentary access to the hot springs during your stay.
• Hours: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM daily.

Day Guests

• Adults & Children (ages 7+): $14.00
• Children (ages 3-6): $8.00
• Seniors (ages 65+): $8.00
• Hours: 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM daily
• Towel Rental: $2.50

You might notice that our hot springs maintain their steamy temperatures at all hours of the day, all year round. There’s a good reason for that: these are 100% natural geothermal pools, also known as hot springs.

Hot springs are formed when the earth’s molten rock superheats water that lies far below the surface. Convection forces the water back towards the surface through fractures and fissures in the earth, and as the pressure drops, hot water flows.

That complex mix of rock, magma, and soil infuse the water with rich minerals from the earth, like silica, which softens the skin. Between the natural minerals and the boost in hydrostatic pressure, these waters promote a variety of restorative benefits for mind and body.

Hot Springs

• Access to the hot springs is included in the lodging rate and is available daily from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
• Our natural hot springs feature no added chemicals, sulfur, or odor.
• Pool temperatures fluctuate slightly due to natural elements, averaging 96°F for the large pool and 103°F for the small pool. During summer, cool spring water is added for comfortable guest temperatures.
• Towels are complimentary for resort guests. Day guests can rent towels for a small fee at Guest Services.

General Information:

• Pool toys are permitted and available for purchase at the Poolside Grille and Gift Shop.
• Lunch, dinner, and drinks are available at the Poolside Grille and Saloon. Please note that outside food and beverages, coolers, and glass are not allowed on the pool deck.
• Locker rooms with showers, changing areas, and lockers are located poolside.
• Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. No lifeguard is on duty.
• The Day Spa, located on the hillside above the pools, is a perfect complement to your soak.
• Our large pool and restrooms are handicap accessible. For assistance, please contact Guest Services at the Front Desk or call (406) 333-4933.

Safety Notice:

• We advise against children under two years old using the hot springs. Water exceeding 100°F can be harmful to infants. Please consult your physician before use.

“I went out to the hot springs and washed my dirty duds.”

These words were the first written record of the hot springs at Chico, noted from the diary of miner John S. Hackney, dated January 16, 1865.

Many gold miners, who worked claims in nearby Emigrant Gulch, utilized the springs. By the late 1890s the natural hot springs flowed into two wooden tubs, each about 4-feet deep and housed inside a small wooden building located where the hot springs come to the earth’s surface.

Of course, Native Indian tribes discovered the hot springs for thousands of years and used them frequently. Paradise Valley was a valued hunting ground for bison, elk and deer. The Crow, Flathead, Blackfoot, Shoshone and Nez Perce tribes camped and hunted in the area, using the hot springs for both cooking and preparing hides, as well as bathing.

The Main Lodge of Chico Warm Springs Hotel was opened in 1900 by Bill and Percie Knowles. With the hotel came a larger hot springs pool. The pool was 44 feet in diameter and 6 feet deep; there were also private baths and baths for ladies only.

By 1902 the “Plunge” was doubled in size to include two large oval shaped pools, one 6 feet deep and one 9 feet deep, enclosed in an expansive wooden building and declared a natatorium. Between 1917 and 1919 the “Plunge” was changed again – one large rectangular pool took the place of the oval pools, a lobby was built (the current saloon) and additional lodging rooms were built as a second floor over the top of the pool lobby.

The “Plunge” and building housing the pool went through further changes prior to the 1950s. In May of 1957 the rounded roof over the natatorium collapsed on approximately 70 swimmers. Only two swimmers had minor injuries while everyone else walked away unharmed. Moving forward, the roof was never rebuilt over the large pool and the open-air pool became popular with soakers and swimmers forever after.

At the turn of the Twentieth Century, the “Plunge” was popular not just as a swimming pool, but as therapeutic treatment for a variety of ailments in the early days of the resort. It was heralded as Wonderland and for its Healing Waters. Advertisements promoted the curative powers of the natural mineral hot springs pools for everything from kidney troubles to blood disease and skin disorders. In 1902 the Chief of the US General Survey, Professor F.W. Clark, performed an analysis of the mineral content of the hot springs water. The analysis showed the following solid contents (in 100 parts):

Calcium Carbonate 8.65
Magnesium Carbonate 2.69
Sodium Carbonate 2.74
Sodium Sulfate 4.87
Potassium Chloride .83
Sodium Chloride .58
Silica 3.17
Total solid contents 23.53