Lost Trail Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Lost Trail Hot Springs is a resort hot spring listed near Sula, Montana. Reported soak temperature: 100°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Rustic family resort on US-93 at the base of Lost Trail Pass (~85 mi south of Missoula, 6 mi north of ID line) — chemical-free 20'x70' mineral pool (source 107F; pool ~95F summer / warmer under a winter dome), 8-person hot tub (103-105F) and dry sauna. Day-use admission $3-10 CASH (+3% non-cash). LIMITED SCHEDULE: Sept-June pool open Fri noon-9pm, Sat 8-9, Sun 8-7:30 only (closed Mon-Thu); July-Aug adds Thursdays. CLOSED TODAY (Tuesday).
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 5 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Lost Trail Hot Springs — official About/Pool page (107F source, prices, hours Fri-Sun off-season).
- Cost: Fees reported — 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 — walk-in day use during open hours; lodging/RV/camping by phone reservation.
- Best time to go: Ski-season weekends pair with Lost Trail Powder Mountain; summer Thu-Sun. Fri/Sat liveliest; Sunday quietest.
- Clothing reality: Swimsuits required in pool/hot tub (family resort). Rentals available on site.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: spotty — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Pool has a 10-inch wading entry tapering to 9-ft deep end — easier entry than most rustic springs; call for specifics.
- VERY limited schedule — Sept-June: Fri-Sun only (Fri noon-9pm, Sat 8am-9pm, Sun 8am-7:30pm); July-Aug also closed Mon-Wed (Thu noon-9pm); call ahead, hours shift with seasons/holidays
- CASH preferred — +3% surcharge for non-cash payment; NO checks
- Day-use: adults 14-59 $10, seniors 60+ $7, kids 3-13 $7, toddlers 1-2 $3; swim diapers mandatory for babies ($3.50)
- Pool admission free with lodge/cabin stay; $1 off for RV/campground guests
- No lifeguard; children under 14 cannot be unsupervised
- Reservations PHONE ONLY (406-821-3574, 8am-9pm) — no online booking
- 2-night minimum on lodging during ski season and certain events
- Extra-person fee $35/night; undeclared guests billed $70
- Pool area doubles as the campground bathhouse — camping area has only an outhouse + summer port-a-potty
- Restaurant hours differ from pool hours — don't assume food is available
- Pets banned from pool area
- Hazard: US-93 over Lost Trail Pass — winter driving conditions Oct-May
- Hazard: 9-foot deep end in pool; no lifeguard
- Hazard: Remote — limited services between Sula and the Idaho line
About this spring
Historic Gallogly Hot Springs, renamed Lost Trail in the 1970s — a secluded stop since the 1890s on US-93 below Gibbons Pass. Natural hot-spring-fed pool, hot tub and dry sauna in Bitterroot NF; cabins and lodge rooms near Chief Joseph ski trails. Fee: Paid pool access; call 406-821-3574 for rates. Pool hours differ from lodge hours; dining room seasonal.
Long before it was Lost Trail, this was Gallogly Hot Springs — a secluded resting stop since the 1890s for travelers crossing the Continental Divide at Gibbons Pass, where the old Indigenous trail climbs some 2,000 feet in three miles. A cabin was begun at the springs in 1892; a Mr. Denning first piped the water in 1894; and the Allen family built a 14-room hotel about 1895 to serve the Gibbonsville mining boom. Mine assayer James Gallogly bought the Allens' interest in 1897 — the springs were still federal land, requiring five years to prove up — and his family spent summers here for decades.
After highway work in 1935, Gallogly rebuilt the resort, piping water half a mile to a new bathhouse; the pool, dining room and dressing rooms opened with a July 27, 1941 grand opening billed as 'the most modern plunge in Montana.' Reopened to the public in the 1970s under the Lost Trail name, it now offers ten cabins, a reunion lodge, RV park, outdoor pool, indoor hot tub and dry sauna.
Directions & trailhead access
283 Lost Trail Hot Springs Rd, Sula — 85 mi south of Missoula on US-93, 6 mi north of the Idaho line.
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 | Fees reported |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Lost Trail Hot Springs — official About/Pool page (107F source, prices, hours Fri-Sun off-season) |
Lost Trail Hot Springs FAQ
Is Lost Trail Hot Springs open right now?
Rustic family resort on US-93 at the base of Lost Trail Pass (~85 mi south of Missoula, 6 mi north of ID line) — chemical-free 20'x70' mineral pool (source 107F; pool ~95F summer / warmer under a winter dome), 8-person hot tub (103-105F) and dry sauna. Day-use admission $3-10 CASH (+3% non-cash). LIMITED SCHEDULE: Sept-June pool open Fri noon-9pm, Sat 8-9, Sun 8-7:30 only (closed Mon-Thu); July-Aug adds Thursdays. CLOSED TODAY (Tuesday). (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Lost Trail Hot Springs free?
Lost Trail Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near Sula. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Lost Trail Hot Springs?
Lost Trail Hot Springs 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 Lost Trail Hot Springs clothing optional?
Lost Trail Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Lost Trail Hot Springs?
Lost Trail 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
- Lost Trail Hot Springs — official About/Pool page (107F source, prices, hours Fri-Sun off-season) — operator · 2026-09
- Lost Trail Hot Springs — official homepage (seasonal hours pattern) — operator · 2026-09
- Lost Trail Hot Springs — Cabin/Lodge prices page (2-night min ski season, +4% non-cash, phone reservations) — operator · 2026-09
- Hot Springs Guides — Lost Trail Hot Springs (Mon-Thu by appointment note) — community · 2025
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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