Medicine Springs (Sun River)
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Medicine Springs (Sun River) is a private hot spring listed near Augusta, Montana. Reported soak temperature: 86°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
PRIVATE wilderness guest-ranch spring — Medicine Springs (aka Sun River Springs / Warm Springs) rises on the K Bar L Ranch property at the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Sun River in Teton County, MONTANA, feeding a large outdoor pool at a constant 86F; NO public/day access — the only way in is a booked all-inclusive ranch stay (~$3,900-4,000/person for 6 days), reached by jet boat from Gibson Reservoir in June-July, by a 6-7 mi hike/horseback on the Sun River Trail later in the season, or helicopter year-round.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 6 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Reservation or permission required — confirm via USGS GNIS via MyTopo — Medicine Springs, Teton County (aka Warm Springs).
- Cost: Fees reported — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 86°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: Reservation with the ranch required: Emily Wallis 314-803-9367 or Adam Wallis 314-709-5533, kbarlranch.com. The Sun River Trail itself is public national-forest trail (no permit needed to hike it) but does not grant access to the springs.
- Booking: Reservation required.
- Best time to go: Booking determines timing — June-July for the jet-boat arrival; August+ arrivals are by horseback or hiking. Soaking itself is pleasant year-round at a constant 86F.
- Clothing reality: Swimwear required in the ranch pool (per ranch FAQ/third-party write-ups); private family-ranch setting — not clothing-optional.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — remote wilderness ranch reached only by boat, horseback, trail hike, or helicopter.
- DATA MISMATCH VERIFIED — despite the 'id-' id this is MONTANA (Teton County, Arsenic Mountain quad), not Idaho
- NO DAY USE / NO PUBLIC ACCESS — the springs and pool are on private ranch land and are exclusively for overnight guests; there is no legal drop-in option
- Expensive all-inclusive format: ~$3,900-4,000 per person for a 6-day stay; hunts $8,000/person (7 days); 50% non-refundable deposit
- No road reaches the ranch — it sits ~7 mi beyond the nearest road; arrival is by jet boat when Gibson Reservoir is high (usually June-July) or by horse/mule train or a 6-7 mi hike on the Sun River Trail from the Mortimer Gulch trailhead; helicopter year-round; ranch tells you the mode at booking
- Meet at the boat landing or Mortimer Gulch Trailhead at 11am on arrival day (reached via Sun Canyon Rd from Augusta, ~45 min)
- Guests cannot bring pets; no internet or cell service at the ranch
- Grizzly-bear country — Sun River Game Preserve/Bob Marshall Wilderness edge; hikers on the public Sun River Trail should carry bear spray regardless
- Hikers CAN legally walk the public Sun River Trail past the area, but the springs/pool itself is private ranch property — do not enter the ranch grounds without a booking
- Hazard: Grizzly bear habitat (Sun River Game Preserve / Bob Marshall Wilderness edge)
- Hazard: No road access — evacuation is by boat, horse, or helicopter only
- Hazard: No cell/internet communication
About this spring
Real spring at the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Sun River on the Rocky Mountain Front, adjacent to the Bob Marshall Wilderness — the site of K Bar L Ranch. ~86°F sulfur water flows into a pool available exclusively to ranch guests. Used by Indigenous peoples for healing; homesteaded by a Civil War veteran. NOTE: in Montana, not Idaho. Fee: Private guest ranch — lodging/reservation required. Private property — guest reservations required. Grizzly country; no road access.
Medicine Springs flows out of a hillside on the K Bar L Ranch, a private guest ranch at the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Sun River on the Rocky Mountain Front, directly adjacent to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The sulfur water holds a constant 86°F and feeds a swimming pool reserved exclusively for ranch guests; the ranch notes that the warmth and humidity create a micro-climate that attracts fireflies on summer evenings. Indigenous peoples sought the springs for healing long before settlement, followed by hunters, trappers and loggers. The property traces to Thomas Valentine, a Civil War veteran granted a forty-acre tract here by an 1872 Act of Congress in lieu of army back pay; the Klick family acquired the springs in 1927, and three generations hauled in building materials by boat and mule train to establish the lodge, cabins, corrals and pool. There is no road access — guests arrive by boat across Gibson Reservoir at high water, by a roughly seven-mile hike or horseback ride up the Sun River trail, or by helicopter.
Directions & trailhead access
From Augusta: Gibson Reservoir — boat to the trailhead at high water, else ~7-mi Sun River Trail hike/ride to the ranch at the forks; helicopter year-round.
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 private-access site means here
This spring is on private property. Listing it documents the location's existence — it is not an invitation. Visiting requires explicit owner permission, and some sites are accessible only through memberships, hosted events, or arrangements with the land manager. Do not arrive unannounced.
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 | 86°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 86°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 | Private land — contact the owner/manager for permission |
Medicine Springs (Sun River) FAQ
Is Medicine Springs (Sun River) open right now?
PRIVATE wilderness guest-ranch spring — Medicine Springs (aka Sun River Springs / Warm Springs) rises on the K Bar L Ranch property at the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Sun River in Teton County, MONTANA, feeding a large outdoor pool at a constant 86F; NO public/day access — the only way in is a booked all-inclusive ranch stay (~$3,900-4,000/person for 6 days), reached by jet boat from Gibson Reservoir in June-July, by a 6-7 mi hike/horseback on the Sun River Trail later in the season, or helicopter year-round. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Medicine Springs (Sun River) free?
Medicine Springs (Sun River) is listed with reported fees near Augusta. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Medicine Springs (Sun River)?
Medicine Springs (Sun River) has a reported soak temperature of 86°F and a historical source temperature of 86°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Medicine Springs (Sun River) clothing optional?
Medicine Springs (Sun River) is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Medicine Springs (Sun River)?
Medicine Springs (Sun River) is a private venue with paid public admission. Confirm current hours, fees and booking requirements with the operator before visiting.
Sources & references
- K Bar L Ranch & Medicine Springs — official Medicine Springs page (private property, guests only, 86F) — operator · 2026-09
- K Bar L Ranch — Reservations page (access modes, 6-day all-inclusive pricing) — operator · 2026-09
- K Bar L Ranch — Hunting page (2026 rates, Sun River Game Preserve setting) — operator · 2026
- USGS GNIS via MyTopo — Medicine Springs, Teton County (aka Warm Springs) — official · 2026
- Discovering Montana — K Bar L Ranch & Medicine Springs (history, access) — community · 2024
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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