Steep Ravine Hot Springs (Marin Tidal Hot Springs)
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Steep Ravine Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near Stinson Beach, California. Reported soak temperature: 102°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
A tide-dependent geothermal seep in a rocky grotto at the north end of Steep Ravine Beach (Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marin coast) — exposed only on minus tides of roughly -1 ft or lower for a 1-2 hour window; ~100F sulfury water that locals soak in; springs resurfaced after the 1989 Loma Prieta quake and are reported less reliable than they used to be.
based on recent visitor reports · 4 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via CaliforniaBeaches.com — Steep Ravine Hot Springs (tide dependence, access details).
- 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 102°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 the spring itself; Steep Ravine cabins/campsites book out ~7 months ahead via ReserveCalifornia (optional — spring reachable as a day trip).
- Best time to go: Weekday minus tides; winter/spring mornings often have the biggest tidal swings and smallest crowds.
- Clothing reality: No posted policy for the spring; the northward shoreline toward Red Rock Beach is a well-known clothing-optional/nude area — customary reality is mixed nudity; nudity legality in this part of the coast is tolerated by custom rather than formally sanctioned.
- Cell service: spotty — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — steep loose trail down a ravine plus a rocky, tide-gated shoreline walk.
- ONLY accessible at minus tides (~-1 ft or lower) — consult a tide chart for Bolinas/Point Reyes; the vents are underwater at all other times and you get ~1-2 hours per tide window
- Spring reliability has declined — multiple reports say the seeps are 'not as reliable as they used to be'; sometimes only hot sand/warm seepage is found
- Steep, loose descent to the beach — the direct trail from the Hwy 1 shoulder pullout is rugged; safer approach is via Steep Ravine campground gate road then ~250 yds north along the shore
- Sneaker waves and rising tide can cut off the return along the rocky shoreline — watch the water
- Sulfur smell; bring a thermometer — pockets can be scalding; some visitors bring a hose to siphon cold seawater for mixing
- No parking inside Steep Ravine without a campground/cabin reservation — shoulder parking on Hwy 1 fills early on minus-tide weekends
- Day-use hours apply in the state park (sunrise to sunset)
- Hazard: Rising tide / sneaker waves cutting off the shoreline approach
- Hazard: Steep loose descent trail
- Hazard: Scalding pockets in the seeps
- Hazard: Submerged at all but the lowest tides — plan exit
About this spring
Small tidal hot spring seeping up through the sand at the north end of Steep Ravine Beach in Mount Tamalpais State Park. It is submerged under the Pacific except during minus tides (~-1 ft or lower, ~50-60 days/year), when a small rock grotto pool is exposed for a couple of hours. Recent reports say the water is often only lukewarm since the volunteer siphon was removed. Accessible only at low/minus tides. Treacherous steep descent with poison oak. Dogs prohibited on the beach. Water often only lukewarm now. Tidal window only — the beach seep is soakable at minus tides (about -1 ft or lower) and submerged the rest of the time.
One of California's few tidal hot springs, this seep emerges through the sand near the mouth of Webb Creek at the north end of Steep Ravine Beach in Mount Tamalpais State Park — also called Marin Tidal or Rocky Point hot springs. It is submerged by the Pacific except during minus tides around -1 foot or lower, when a small rock grotto beside a large boulder emerges for a couple of hours; at exceptionally low tides visitors can dig their own pool in the sand. The spring has real history: William Kent Sr. bought the property in 1902 and allowed free public bathing until Depression-era squatters prompted closure, William Wurster designed the still-standing cabins in 1938, and the state acquired Steep Ravine for the park in 1960 — the same year Highway 1 reconstruction buried the springs under rockfall. Volunteer-maintained; expect a steep, loose descent, poison oak, sulfur odor, and water often merely lukewarm rather than the ~100°F sometimes reported.
When can you soak? Steep Ravine Hot Springs tide timing
The springs sit in the surf zone at the north end of Steep Ravine Beach and are underwater most of the time. They only surface on minus tides of roughly -1 ft or lower, which happen on about 50–60 days a year. Each window lasts about one to two hours around the low, so plan the whole trip around the tide.
- Check NOAA tide predictions for the Point Reyes station before you drive and look for a predicted low of -1.0 ft or lower.
- Arrive about an hour before the low so you are on the beach as the rock grotto drains.
- Minus-tide times shift through the year. Check the exact time of the low rather than assuming a morning or evening slot.
- Weekday minus tides are far less crowded than weekend ones.
- Leave before the tide turns. Sneaker waves and the incoming tide can cut off the rocky shoreline route back.
How to get to Steep Ravine Hot Springs: trail & parking
Park on the Highway 1 shoulder near the gated Steep Ravine entrance, about 1 mile south of Stinson Beach. You cannot park inside the gate without a cabin or campsite reservation, and the shoulder fills early on minus-tide weekends.
The safer way down follows the Steep Ravine campground road to the shore. From there, walk about 250 yards north along the beach to the springs near the mouth of Webb Creek. The direct path from the pullout is steep and loose, and it is lined with poison oak.
Don't confuse the springs with the Steep Ravine Trail. That trail is the popular redwood hike along Webb Creek from Pantoll on Mount Tamalpais, and it ends at Highway 1, not at the beach. The park is open for day use from sunrise to sunset, and dogs are not allowed on the beach.
What to expect at the spring
Set your expectations low. The water often runs lukewarm, around 100°F at best, since a volunteer siphon was removed, and some visitors find only warm, sulfur-smelling sand. A few pockets can still be scalding, so bring a thermometer. Some people bring a hose to siphon in cold seawater for mixing.
There is no posted clothing policy at the spring. The shoreline north toward Red Rock Beach is a well-known clothing-optional area, so expect mixed nudity.
Steep Ravine cabins & camping near the springs
Rustic cabins and a small environmental campground sit on the bluff above the beach. They are booked through ReserveCalifornia and typically sell out about 7 months ahead. A reservation lets you park inside the gate and walk down for an early or late minus tide without fighting for shoulder parking.
Directions & trailhead access
Park on the Hwy 1 shoulder near the gated Steep Ravine entrance ~1 mile south of Stinson Beach. Descend the steep informal path to the beach and walk ~250 yards north — go only at a minus tide.
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 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
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 | 102°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 100°F |
| 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 | CaliforniaBeaches.com — Steep Ravine Hot Springs (tide dependence, access details) |
Steep Ravine Hot Springs FAQ
What tide do you need for Steep Ravine Hot Springs?
You need a minus tide of roughly -1 ft or lower. The springs are underwater at all other times, and each minus-tide window gives you only about 1–2 hours. Check NOAA tide predictions for Point Reyes and arrive about an hour before the low.
Where do you park for Steep Ravine Hot Springs?
Park on the Highway 1 shoulder near the gated Steep Ravine entrance, about 1 mile south of Stinson Beach. Parking inside the gate requires a Steep Ravine cabin or campsite reservation, and the shoulder fills early on minus-tide weekends.
What temperature is Steep Ravine Hot Springs?
Historical records list a source around 100°F, but recent visitors say the water is often only lukewarm, and sometimes there is just warm sand. Isolated pockets can still be very hot, so test the water with a thermometer before getting in.
Can you stay overnight near Steep Ravine Hot Springs?
Yes. The Steep Ravine cabins and environmental campsites sit on the bluff right above the beach. They are booked through ReserveCalifornia, usually about 7 months ahead, and a reservation also gets you parking inside the gate.
Are dogs allowed at Steep Ravine Hot Springs?
No. Dogs are prohibited on Steep Ravine Beach in Mount Tamalpais State Park.
Is Steep Ravine Hot Springs open right now?
A tide-dependent geothermal seep in a rocky grotto at the north end of Steep Ravine Beach (Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marin coast) — exposed only on minus tides of roughly -1 ft or lower for a 1-2 hour window; ~100F sulfury water that locals soak in; springs resurfaced after the 1989 Loma Prieta quake and are reported less reliable than they used to be. (Status based on recent visitor reports.)
Is Steep Ravine Hot Springs free?
Steep Ravine Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Marin County, California. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
Is Steep Ravine Hot Springs clothing optional?
Steep Ravine Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Steep Ravine Hot Springs?
Steep Ravine Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- CaliforniaBeaches.com — Steep Ravine Hot Springs (tide dependence, access details) — community · 2025
- Stinson Beach Historical Society — Steep Ravine site history (springs buried by road work, resurfaced after 1989 Loma Prieta; Tamalpais State Park since 1960) — official · 2015
- CaliHotSprings.com — Marin Tidal (Steep Ravine / Rocky Point) Hot Springs — community · 2024
- Flaming Bike blog — Steep Ravine soak trip report — community · 2012
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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