Chico Hot Springs Resort
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Chico Hot Springs Resort is a resort hot spring listed near Pray, Montana. Reported soak temperature: 100°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Historic 1900 resort in Paradise Valley (Pray, MT) 30 mi north of Yellowstone's North Entrance on US-89: two open-air chemical-free mineral pools (~96°F large, ~103°F small) open to day guests 8am-11pm for $14 ages 7+/$8 kids 3-6 & seniors — plus saloon, dining room, day spa and lodging.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 6 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Chico Hot Springs Resort — Soak page (official).
- Cost: Reported $14 — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Developed resort — confirm operating hours and any reservation requirement.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 100°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: none — commercial admission
- Best time to go: Weekday mornings/evenings off-season; summer weekends bring Yellowstone tourist crowds — soak early or late.
- Clothing reality: Official: swimwear required — family resort pool deck. Customary reality: suited. Not clothing optional.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: ok — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Large pool and restrooms are handicap accessible per official site; contact Guest Services (406) 333-4933 for assistance.
- Day guests 8am-11pm daily; RESORT guests get an extra hour from 7am and free access
- Pools are subject to PERIODIC MAINTENANCE CLOSURES — a multi-week closure ran ~late March through mid-May 2026; call (406) 333-4933 before driving out
- No outside food, beverages, coolers or glass on the pool deck — Poolside Grille & Saloon on site
- Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times; NO lifeguard; resort advises against children under 2 (water >100°F harmful to infants)
- Towel rental $2.50 for day guests (free for resort guests)
- No added chemicals — water is 100% natural geothermal, temps fluctuate with weather; cool water added in summer
- Pool toys permitted and sold at the Poolside Grille
- Peak Yellowstone-season (Jun-Sep) weekends get crowded; dining room reservations strongly recommended
- Hazard: No lifeguard on duty
- Hazard: Pool temps ~96-103°F; infants under 2 advised against soaking
- Hazard: US-89 through Paradise Valley can ice in winter; nearest emergency services ~23 mi north in Livingston
About this spring
Montana's most famous historic hot springs resort (est. 1900, National Historic Register) on 700 acres in Paradise Valley 30 mi north of Yellowstone's north entrance — two open-air mineral pools (~96°F swim pool, ~103°F soak pool) fed by untreated geothermal water, plus dining, saloon, spa and lodging. Fee: $14 adult day use. Day-pass availability varies in peak season.
Chico Hot Springs rises at 5,272 feet in Paradise Valley under Emigrant Peak, about thirty miles north of Yellowstone's north entrance, where mineral water emerges at roughly 112–113°F and 37 gallons per minute from a deep fracture zone. Native peoples used the springs for bathing and laundry; a miner's January 1865 diary entry about washing his 'dirty duds' is the first written record, and by 1876 a settler was piping the hot water under greenhouse beds to grow vegetables. Percie and Bill Knowles inherited the property in 1894 and built the long-awaited hotel in 1900; after Bill's 1910 death, Percie and son Radbourne turned it into a respected medical facility under Dr. George A. Townsend, adding a twenty-room hospital wing by 1916. Later incarnations included gambling and dude ranching before Mike and Eve Art began restoring the hotel's turn-of-the-century character in the 1970s; longtime manager Colin Davis bought it in 2015. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Chico remains one of Montana's best-preserved early-twentieth-century hot springs hotels, with untreated geothermal water feeding two open-air pools.
Directions & trailhead access
163 Chico Rd, Pray — from Livingston, US-89 south 23 mi through Paradise Valley.
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 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 Montana. Late spring through autumn offers the most comfortable road access.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 100°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 100°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $14 — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Chico Hot Springs Resort — Soak page (official) |
Chico Hot Springs Resort FAQ
Is Chico Hot Springs Resort open right now?
Historic 1900 resort in Paradise Valley (Pray, MT) 30 mi north of Yellowstone's North Entrance on US-89: two open-air chemical-free mineral pools (~96°F large, ~103°F small) open to day guests 8am-11pm for $14 ages 7+/$8 kids 3-6 & seniors — plus saloon, dining room, day spa and lodging. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Chico Hot Springs Resort free?
Chico Hot Springs Resort is listed with reported fees near Pray. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Chico Hot Springs Resort?
Chico Hot Springs Resort has a reported soak temperature of 100°F and a historical source temperature of 100°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Chico Hot Springs Resort clothing optional?
Chico Hot Springs Resort is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Chico Hot Springs Resort?
Chico Hot Springs Resort 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
- Chico Hot Springs Resort — Soak page (official) — operator · 2026-09
- Chico Hot Springs Resort — FAQ (official) — operator · 2026-09
- Hot Springs Guides — Chico Hot Springs (notes spring-2026 pool closure) — community · 2026
- Roam States — Chico travel guide — community · 2026-07
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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