Drakesbad Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Drakesbad Hot Springs is a resort hot spring listed near Chester, California. Reported soak temperature: 96°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Historic NPS guest ranch in Lassen Volcanic NP's Warner Valley running June 12-Oct 12 in 2026; the spring-fed pool (~96F day, ~103F night) is included for overnight guests (2-night minimum, meals included) and day visitors only via a dining/activity reservation — book far ahead through lassenlodging.com.
Checked September 2026 · verified against an official source · 7 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Reservation or permission required — confirm via NPS — Drakesbad Guest Ranch plan-your-visit page (day visitors welcome w/ reservations for riding, massage, dining).
- Cost: Fees reported — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Developed resort — confirm operating hours and any reservation requirement.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 96°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing required; 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: No day-use permit for the valley/trails themselves; pool access requires an overnight or meal/activity reservation. Lassen park entrance fee applies.
- Booking: Reservation required.
- Best time to go: Any open-season weekday; pool is warmest (~103F) in the evening.
- Clothing reality: Official: swimsuits at the shared ranch pool (family lodge). Customary: suits only. Legal: family venue.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Rustic historic ranch, gravel paths, bathhouse showers — limited; call the concessionaire (Snow Mountain LLC) about needs.
- Season is short — roughly mid-June to mid-October (2026 dates: Jun 12-Oct 12); road is snowed out the rest of the year
- Reservations required for everything: rooms (2-night minimum), meals, horseback riding, massage; day visitors can only use the pool with a dining/activity reservation
- Rooms sell out far in advance for peak season — book early via lassenlodging.com / reservations@lassenlodging.com
- No Wi-Fi, no cell service, rooms lit by solar/electric lanterns (limited electricity, no outlets in some units)
- Showers are in a shared bathhouse by the pool; most units have toilet+sink only
- Final ~5 miles of Chester Warner Valley Rd are graded gravel/dirt
- All meals included in rates (~$250+/night) — takeout lunches available
- Hazard: 17 miles of winding road from Chester; last stretch unpaved — slow driving
- Hazard: Hydrothermal features in Warner Valley (Devils Kitchen, Boiling Springs Lake, Terminal Geyser) — stay on trails; ground can be thin crust over scalding mud
- Hazard: No cell service or Wi-Fi — communicate plans before arriving
- Hazard: 2021 Dixie Fire burn scars in the area; rebuilt pool/ranch reopened 2025
About this spring
Hot-spring-fed swimming pool at Drakesbad Guest Ranch inside Lassen Volcanic National Park — the ranch's historic lodge amenity, open to overnight guests and by reservation during the summer season (~June-Oct). The geothermal source warms the pool naturally; the only developed hot-spring water experience inside the park. NOTE: the ranch reopened in 2025 after Dixie Fire repairs, but the hot-spring pool remains unavailable — reconstruction is planned for 2026; confirm current status before visiting for the pool.
Drakesbad — the name derives from the German 'Drake's Baths' — has been Lassen Volcanic's soaking spot since Edward R. Drake homesteaded Warner Valley in the 1880s and built a bathhouse fed by ~137°F spring water piped through a hollowed-out tamarack pole. In 1900, ailing schoolteacher Alexander Sifford bought Drake's 400 acres for $6,000; his family ran the ranch for 60 years — trying an earthen plunge in 1902 that swimmers stirred into a 'mud bath,' a 36-foot wooden plunge opened in 1905, and a rock-and-concrete pool in 1914 — before entrusting the property to the Park Service in 1960. The National Register-listed lodge (built 1938) closed after the 2021 Dixie Fire, and a subsequent flood destroyed the pool. The ranch reopened for the 2025 season under concessioner Snow Mountain LLC, but the hot-spring pool remained unavailable; pool construction is slated to begin in 2026.
Directions & trailhead access
From Chester (CA-36), take Feather River Rd to County Road 312 and follow Warner Valley Rd ~17 miles (partly unpaved) to Drakesbad Guest Ranch; day users park at the trailhead a quarter mile before the ranch.
California geothermal context
California spans several geothermal provinces: the volcanic Cascades and Modoc Plateau in the northeast, Sierra Nevada granite seeps along the eastern front, Mojave and Colorado Desert springs in the south, and the famously mineral-rich Big Sur coast. Fire season (roughly June–November) closes access to many backcountry springs without warning — always check for current fire restrictions.
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
Year-Round (Best: May – October)Pool temperatures and access can change with weather and season. Outdoor ambient temperatures fluctuate significantly across California. Late spring through autumn offers the most comfortable road access.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 96°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 137°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Fees reported |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | NPS — Drakesbad Guest Ranch plan-your-visit page (day visitors welcome w/ reservations for riding, massage, dining) |
Drakesbad Hot Springs FAQ
Is Drakesbad Hot Springs open right now?
Historic NPS guest ranch in Lassen Volcanic NP's Warner Valley running June 12-Oct 12 in 2026; the spring-fed pool (~96F day, ~103F night) is included for overnight guests (2-night minimum, meals included) and day visitors only via a dining/activity reservation — book far ahead through lassenlodging.com. (Status verified against an official source, last checked September 2026.)
Is Drakesbad Hot Springs free?
Drakesbad Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near Chester. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Drakesbad Hot Springs?
Drakesbad Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 96°F and a historical source temperature of 137°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Drakesbad Hot Springs clothing optional?
Drakesbad Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Drakesbad Hot Springs?
Drakesbad 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
- NPS — Drakesbad Guest Ranch plan-your-visit page (day visitors welcome w/ reservations for riding, massage, dining) — official · 2026
- NPS — Drakesbad Guest Ranch place page (managed by Snow Mountain LLC; meals open to public by reservation) — official · 2026
- Lassen Lodging / Snow Mountain LLC — Drakesbad page (2026 operating dates Jun 12-Oct 12, 2-night min, meals included) — operator · 2026
- CA Travel Times — Drakesbad guide (2025 reopening after Dixie Fire; pool 95F day/103F night; no cell) — community · 2026
- Hot Springs Guides — Drakesbad (day-visitor pool access via dinner reservation; books far ahead) — community · 2026-09
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- npshistory.com/publications/lavo/drakesbad/plunge.htm
- www.sierradailynews.com/local/drakesbad-guest-ranch-reopens-for-2025-season-with-new-accommodations-and-family-savings
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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