Verde Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Verde Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near Camp Verde, Arizona. Reported soak temperature: 101°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Open — graffiti-covered 1920s resort pools (~98-104°F) on the Verde River reached by ~20 mi of rough forest road (FR 708 then the 'VERY BAD' FR 502 to Childs) plus a knee-to-waist-deep river wade; no permit needed (the Fossil Creek permit is a different junction).
Checked February 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 5 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
A town room before or after the remote Verde Hot Springs trip.
Camp Verde is about 17 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via USFS Coconino NF — Childs Dispersed Camping Area (access road description).
- Cost: Reported free access — fees and permits can change, confirm before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 101°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 for Verde Hot Springs; Fossil Creek Wild & Scenic River permit (recreation.gov, Apr 1–Oct 1 season) applies only to the Fossil Creek corridor reached earlier on FR 708
- Best time to go: Fall and spring weekdays; avoid monsoon (Jul–Sep) washouts and winter storm flows
- Clothing reality: Official: none posted (National Forest). Customary: long-standing clothing-optional tradition — expect nudity. Legal: Arizona indecent-exposure statute technically applies; enforcement at this remote site not documented.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — rough road, uneven trail, river wade
- FR 708 ~14-15 mi rough dirt from SR 260 (Camp Verde side) then FR 502 ~6 mi 'VERY BAD Road' (USFS wording) to Childs — high clearance strongly recommended, 4WD after rain; roads wash out in monsoon season
- Final approach: ~1 mi trail along the river + Verde River crossing — knee-deep normally, waist-deep after rain/snowmelt, impassable in flood; do NOT attempt in high flow
- Recreation.gov Fossil Creek page noted FR 502 washed out beyond Fossil Creek Bridge with Childs 'inaccessible at this time' (undated ~2025 note) — verify current road status with Red Rock Ranger District before committing; Feb 2026 trip report indicates the route was passable
- No permit for the springs — but do NOT confuse with Fossil Creek permit area (different junction, different rules)
- Graffiti-covered pools; no facilities; pack out everything; no cell service
- Camp at Childs Dispersed Camping Area (free, popular)
- Hazard: Verde River crossing / flash floods
- Hazard: 20+ mi primitive forest roads — washouts, no cell
- Hazard: Remoteness
About this spring
Soaking pools set in the concrete ruins of a 1920s resort hotel (burned 1962) on the west bank of the Verde River in National Forest land near the historic Childs Power Plant site. Main bathhouse-ruin pool ~98-102°F; a warmer riverside pool ~104°F. River crossing hazardous after rain — flash-flood prone. FR 502 has washed out before — verify conditions. Remote; no facilities.
Verde Hot Springs is a grouping of thermal mineral springs near the town of Camp Verde in Yavapai County, Arizona. The springs are located at the western bank of the Verde River. There are ruins of a former historical resort at the site and bathhouse.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Verde Hot Springs”, available under CC BY-SA.
Directions & trailhead access
From Camp Verde, SR-260 east ~6.8 mi to FR 708 (Fossil Creek Rd), ~15 mi rough dirt to FR 502 junction, ~6 mi south to Childs camping area on the Verde River; hike ~1 mi upstream crossing the river. High-clearance recommended.
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 primitive site means here
Primitive springs have no facilities: no changing rooms, no trash service, often no maintained road to the pool. Expect natural rock or gravel bottoms, water temperature that varies by spot and season, and other visitors who may treat the site informally. Pack out everything you bring, test the water before entering, and leave the pool cleaner than you found it.
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 | 101°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | Not reported |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | USFS Coconino NF — Childs Dispersed Camping Area (access road description) |
Verde Hot Springs FAQ
Is Verde Hot Springs open right now?
Open — graffiti-covered 1920s resort pools (~98-104°F) on the Verde River reached by ~20 mi of rough forest road (FR 708 then the 'VERY BAD' FR 502 to Childs) plus a knee-to-waist-deep river wade; no permit needed (the Fossil Creek permit is a different junction). (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked February 2026.)
Is Verde Hot Springs free?
Verde Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Yavapai County, Arizona. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Verde Hot Springs?
Verde Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 101°F. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Verde Hot Springs clothing optional?
Verde Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Verde Hot Springs?
Verde Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Camp Verde
A town room before or after the remote Verde Hot Springs trip. Check the rough-road approach and river crossing first.
Camp Verde is about 17 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- USFS Coconino NF — Childs Dispersed Camping Area (access road description) — official · 2025
- Recreation.gov — Fossil Creek Wild & Scenic River (FR 502 washout note) — official · 2025
- Ever After in the Woods — Verde Hot Springs trip report — community · 2026-02
- 10Adventures — Verde Hot Springs Hike (2026 update) — community · 2026
- Hot Springs Guides — Verde Hot Springs — community · 2025
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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