El Dorado Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
El Dorado Hot Springs is a resort hot spring listed near Tonopah, Arizona. Reported soak temperature: 104°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Rustic desert soaking retreat at 41225 W Indian School Rd, Tonopah — the communal 'Desert Pete' garden of cascading clothing-optional pools is adults-only 21+ at $20/hr, $45/day or $50 overnight (after 8 PM), open office hours 9 AM–8 PM daily; reservable private soaking areas and two overnight studios (from $120/night) admit all ages, plus first-come primitive camping ($50) and electric sites ($75); no phones in pool areas, no lotions/sunscreens in tubs, and the property is openly 420-friendly with resident pig and peacock.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 5 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via El Dorado Hot Spring — official Pricing page (Desert Pete 21+ clothing-optional, $20/hr–$45/day–$50 overnight, camping $50/$75+$20, studios $120+, office 9am–8pm).
- Cost: Reported $20 — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Developed resort — confirm operating hours and any reservation requirement.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 104°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; pets reported not allowed — confirm current rules.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None — pay at the office or book private pools online.
- Best time to go: Weekday mornings for the quietest Desert Pete session; winter afternoons are prime desert soaking weather — the overnight pass (after 8 PM) is the stargazing window.
- Clothing reality: Official: Desert Pete communal area is 'clothing optional' — nudity customary and expected; private baths/tubs are per-party spaces. Customary: nude in Desert Pete; suits possible in private areas. Legal — private property. One older guide claims a $5/hr surcharge for wearing suits in communal areas — not on the current official page; verify.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: ok — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Rustic open-air desert property with uneven ground; private tubs are single-level — call (602) 908-5045 for specifics.
- Desert Pete communal area is 21+ ONLY — minors are allowed in private baths, studios and campsites but never in Desert Pete
- NO phones or electronic devices in pool areas — leave in vehicle or the office locker
- No lotions, oils or sunscreens in the tubs — mineral-water protection rule
- Strict conduct rule: no intimate/suggestive/physical contact — staff remove violators immediately without refund
- Desert Pete walk-in soaking is first-come; private pools should be booked ahead via the site
- Overnight pass $50/person starts after 8 PM; office closes 8 PM — arrive before close
- Camping: primitive/dry $50 first person, electric site $75 first person, each additional person $20; dry camping is first-come-first-served
- Explicitly 420-friendly environment per the official site — cannabis use tolerated on property; not a mainstream family resort vibe despite kids being allowed in private areas
- Resident animals (Peaches the pig, King Louis the peacock) roam the property
- Private open-air showers and restrooms — facility is rustic
- Hazard: Desert heat — Tonopah summers exceed 110°F; soaking is a cool-season activity
- Hazard: Remote desert location ~50 mi west of Phoenix on I-10/Indian School Rd — fuel and water beforehand
- Hazard: Pools reportedly ~98–110°F — limit soak time
About this spring
Rustic off-grid desert oasis ~1 hr west of Phoenix over a natural ~107°F sulfur-free geothermal source — clothing-free communal soaking garden plus bookable private pools with cold tubs and fire pits; camping and studios on site. Fee: Communal $20/hr or $45/day; overnight $50/person; private pools/studios extra. Adults-only communal nude area; weekends may be closed — call ahead.
El Dorado Hot Springs is a privately run, deliberately rustic geothermal property on the Sonoran Desert floor at 41225 W Indian School Road in Tonopah, about an hour west of Phoenix off Interstate 10. The site sits over a subterranean hot spring supplying sulfur-free mineral water averaging about 107°F with a pH of 8.2; Tonopah's name is said to derive from a Native phrase meaning 'hot water under the bush.' Soaking splits between Desert Pete, a communal nude area restricted to guests 21 and older with individual baths and larger shared pools that requires no reservation, and reservable private fenced areas — including the Sunset Area and Desert View — each with a hot pool, cold tub, open-air shower, and fire pit. Overnight options include two private studios and first-come primitive camping with limited electric hookups. The property is closed Saturdays, is 420-friendly, and counts resident animals including Peaches the pig and King Louis the peacock.
Directions & trailhead access
41225 W Indian School Rd, Tonopah, AZ.
Arizona geothermal context
Arizona's hot springs are products of Basin and Range crustal stretching, surfacing mostly along rugged canyon country around the Verde and Gila rivers. Many sit at the bottom of steep desert drainages where monsoon storms (July–September) can trigger flash floods. Desert heat makes winter the comfortable soaking season for most sites.
What a resort site means here
A resort spring is a commercial operation: developed pools or tubs with controlled temperatures, changing facilities, and usually day-use fees or lodging packages. Expect posted rules (swimsuits, quiet hours, age limits), staff on site, and in many cases required reservations — especially on weekends and holidays.
Best time to visit
October – April (Fall, Winter & Spring)Desert thermal zones experience high summer ambient heat. The cooler months from late autumn to early spring offer the most refreshing ambient conditions for open-air soaking.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 104°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 104°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $20 — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | El Dorado Hot Spring — official Pricing page (Desert Pete 21+ clothing-optional, $20/hr–$45/day–$50 overnight, camping $50/$75+$20, studios $120+, office 9am–8pm) |
El Dorado Hot Springs FAQ
Is El Dorado Hot Springs open right now?
Rustic desert soaking retreat at 41225 W Indian School Rd, Tonopah — the communal 'Desert Pete' garden of cascading clothing-optional pools is adults-only 21+ at $20/hr, $45/day or $50 overnight (after 8 PM), open office hours 9 AM–8 PM daily; reservable private soaking areas and two overnight studios (from $120/night) admit all ages, plus first-come primitive camping ($50) and electric sites ($75); no phones in pool areas, no lotions/sunscreens in tubs, and the property is openly 420-friendly with resident pig and peacock. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is El Dorado Hot Springs free?
El Dorado Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near Tonopah. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is El Dorado Hot Springs?
El Dorado Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 104°F and a historical source temperature of 104°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is El Dorado Hot Springs clothing optional?
El Dorado Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access El Dorado Hot Springs?
El Dorado Hot Springs is a private venue with paid public admission. Confirm current hours, fees and booking requirements with the operator before visiting.
Overnight options and spring admission
Book rooms, cabins or soaking times directly with the operator.
Check overnight options with the operatorSources & references
- El Dorado Hot Spring — official Pricing page (Desert Pete 21+ clothing-optional, $20/hr–$45/day–$50 overnight, camping $50/$75+$20, studios $120+, office 9am–8pm) — operator · 2026-09
- El Dorado Hot Spring — official homepage (420-friendly, Peaches the pig/King Louis peacock, communal nude area open without reservation, private areas reservable) — operator · 2026-09
- hotsprings.co — El Dorado Hot Springs 2026 guide (98–110°F pools, private-pool extras) — community · 2026
- Soak Destinations — El Dorado Hot Springs 2026 guide ($5/hr swimsuit-surcharge claim, unverified) — community · 2026
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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