Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine)
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) is a developed hot spring listed near Hot Springs, Montana. Reported soak temperature: 106°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Historic tribal public park in the town of Hot Springs on the Flathead Reservation — also called Big Medicine Hot Springs — a single cement soaking pool (~105-107F from a ~113-124F source) plus a small tub, open 9am-sundown year-round for a $5 honor-box fee; non-tribal visitors also need a CSKT recreation permit.
Checked September 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 5 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Stay in the mineral-springs town.
Hot Springs is under a mile from the spring.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Reservation or permission required — confirm via Hot Springs Guides — Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine).
- Cost: Reported $5/person — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 106°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: $5 cash honor-box at gate + CSKT tribal recreation permit for non-members (https://cskt.org/wildland-recreation/). No reservations.
- Best time to go: Year-round; weekdays quietest. Winter soaking is popular — the pool stays ~105F. Avoid midday summer weekends.
- Clothing reality: Swimsuit required — posted tribal park rules; no clothing-optional use reported.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: ok — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Essentially roadside (Jaques Rd/North Rd, ~100 ft from the road) with a 2-min flat walk; pool requires stepping in — limited mobility access only.
- Two requirements: (1) $5/person site fee, honor-system CASH box at the gate — no attendant, no change, bring exact cash; (2) non-tribal members recreating on the Flathead Reservation need a CSKT tribal recreation permit (cskt.org/wildland-recreation or local vendors) — visiting without one can get you asked to leave
- Hours 9am to sundown only — not an evening soak
- One cement pool ~6x15 ft, 3 ft deep (~105-107F) plus a small ~2-ft secondary tub; no chemicals, direct spring flow; changing booth and toilet on site
- Adjacent private RV/tent campground and three rental cabins for overnight stays
- Historic site: Congress reserved 160 acres around the springs in the original reservation legislation; tribe reopened public access 1991 after the 1949 bathhouse closed in 1986
- Hazard: Source water ~113-124F at the inlet end — test before entering
- Hazard: Honor-box fee — have exact cash
- Hazard: Tribal permit enforcement for non-members
About this spring
The original 'Big Medicine' springs that gave the town of Hot Springs its name — ceremonial and healing site of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes on the Flathead Reservation, emerging at 113°F. A rustic outdoor cement pool holds 105-107°F water; honor-box admission, cabins and camping adjacent. Fee: $5/person honor box — cash only. Honor-system $5 cash; no facilities beyond changing booth; culturally significant CSKT site — treat with respect.
Known to the Pend d'Oreille as "Big Medicine," Camas Hot Springs is a cluster of geothermal vents in the Little Bitterroot River Valley used by the Kootenai, Flathead, Pend d'Oreille and Kalispell peoples long before the town of Hot Springs existed. Jesuit missionary Pierre-Jean De Smet documented Indigenous bathing here in 1842, and when the Flathead Reservation was created, Congress reserved a 160-acre tract around the springs. Water emerges at 113°F and fills a single outdoor cement pool roughly 6 by 15 feet and 3 feet deep, holding about 105–107°F under a tribal lease with a cash honor-box fee.
Commercial soaking began with Ed Lemoreaux's primitive pools and "corn hole" hot-mud baths around 1905; enclosed bathhouses followed in 1911, and a tribally built bathhouse opened in 1949 — Olympian Jim Thorpe attended its grand opening — before mineral-clogged pipes shut it in 1986. The tribe restored public park access in 1991, and cabins plus RV and tent camping sit adjacent.
Directions & trailhead access
North Rd, Hot Springs, MT — a short drive north of the town center via MT-28.
Montana geothermal context
Montana's springs cluster around Yellowstone's northern margin and along basin-range faults in the western half of the state. A large share of named sites sit on private ranch land or have limited legal access, which is why status notes matter here. Cold winters and heavy spring runoff reshuffle riverside pools every year.
What a developed site means here
A developed site sits between primitive and resort: improved soaking infrastructure — built tubs, decks, stairs, sometimes changing rooms or vault toilets — often run by a land trust, nonprofit, or small operator. Expect modest fees or donation requests, posted etiquette rules, and more predictable conditions than a wild pool.
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 Montana. Late spring through autumn offers the most comfortable road access.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 106°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 106°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $5/person — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Hot Springs Guides — Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) |
Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) FAQ
Is Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) open right now?
Historic tribal public park in the town of Hot Springs on the Flathead Reservation — also called Big Medicine Hot Springs — a single cement soaking pool (~105-107F from a ~113-124F source) plus a small tub, open 9am-sundown year-round for a $5 honor-box fee; non-tribal visitors also need a CSKT recreation permit. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked September 2026.)
Is Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) free?
Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) is listed with reported fees near Hot Springs. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine)?
Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) has a reported soak temperature of 106°F and a historical source temperature of 106°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) clothing optional?
Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine)?
Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) requires permission, a permit or advance booking — confirm the terms with the site manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Hot Springs
Stay in the mineral-springs town. Pool access depends on the property or day-use pass you choose.
Hot Springs is under a mile from the spring.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- Hot Springs Guides — Camas Hot Springs (Big Medicine) — community · 2026-09
- Hot Springs Guides — Big Medicine Hot Springs (permit details) — community · 2026-09
- AllTrails — Big Medicine Hot Spring aka Camas (CSKT permit notice) — community · 2026-09
- Wikipedia — Camas Hot Springs (history, 1991 public-park reopening) — community · 2026-09
- SoakingSprings — Camas Hot Springs listing — community · 2026-09
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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