Potosi Hot Springs

Q: Is Potosi Hot Springs free?

Potosi Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near Pony. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.

Q: What temperature is Potosi Hot Springs?

Potosi Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 96°F and a historical source temperature of 96°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.

Q: Is Potosi Hot Springs clothing optional?

Potosi Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.

Q: How do you access Potosi Hot Springs?

Potosi Hot Springs is private property with no general public access.

Pony, Montana (Madison County)

By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026

Potosi Hot Springs is a private hot spring listed near Pony, Montana. Reported soak temperature: 96°F. See the visit fact sheet.

96°F reportedFees reported 5 · 6 Google reviews

Get directions

Current status

Current status unconfirmed

Private cabin-resort hot springs on South Willow Creek ~7 mi south of Pony (Tobacco Root Mountains) — historically cabin-guests-only with a 93F outdoor mineral pool, sauna and ~100-103F cabana tub; the property was CLOSED all of 2024 for upgrades with an announced 2025 reopening that could NOT be verified — its website domain (thepotosihotsprings.com) is now defunct/hijacked, so treat as likely still closed until the owners confirm otherwise.

USFS — Potosi Campground and Picnic Area page via search index (free, late May-mid Sept, no potable water, 15 sites)

Spring

Unconfirmed

Road

Open

Access

No public access

Soaking

Unconfirmed

Water

Normal

Crowds

Usually quiet

Checked September 2026 · inferred — not yet confirmed · 7 sources ↓

Before you go

Status: Current status unconfirmed — confirm via USFS — Potosi Campground and Picnic Area page via search index (free, late May-mid Sept, no potable water, 15 sites).
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 96°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 available to the public. Historically cabins booked via the property website/Airbnb.
Booking: Booking status unconfirmed.
Best time to go: Unknown until reopening is confirmed — try (406) 600-6670 or the property's Facebook page before planning anything.
Clothing reality: Official (when operating): clothing required/mandatory per listing sites. Customary: private resort. Legal: private property — no entry without booking.
Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
Accessibility: Unknown — cabins + uphill-walk tub when operating.
Resort closed to cabin rentals through ALL of 2024 for maintenance/upgrades (Facebook, Nov 2023); 2025 reopening was announced but could not be confirmed
Thepotosihotsprings.com is now a parked/hijacked domain serving unrelated gambling content — a strong sign the operation is not currently running
Even when operating, NO walk-in day use — soaking was for cabin guests (Bear/Elk/Trout/Moose cabins, ~650 sq ft, sleep 6); occasional announced 'public soaking days' in summer were the only exception
7-mile grated dirt road (South Willow Creek Rd / FS-1501) from Pony — standard vehicles OK when dry; open range cattle on road
Do NOT confuse with free 'Upper Potosi Hot Springs' ~1.5-mi hike from USFS Potosi Campground a few miles further up the creek — reviewers call it a lukewarm mud-bottom pool (free, public)
USFS Potosi Campground (free, late May-mid Sept, vault toilets, NO potable water, trailers <22 ft) is the public camping option nearby
No cell service in the valley
Hazard: Remote dirt-road access; winter conditions can make it difficult
Hazard: Private property — trespassing if you enter unannounced
Hazard: No services nearby (Pony is a near-ghost-town; nearest hospital Bozeman 40+ mi)

About this spring

Secluded 75-acre private retreat on South Willow Creek in the Tobacco Root Mountains ~54 mi west of Bozeman — a 20x50 ft chemical-free mineral pool (~93°F), Finnish sauna and indoor rock soaking tub; four creek-side cabins. Guests only except occasional announced public days. Fee: Cabin guests only; occasional announced public soak days. Cabin guests only; underwent full closure for upgrades in 2024 — confirm availability.

Potosi Hot Springs occupies a private 75-acre retreat on South Willow Creek in the Tobacco Root Mountains, about 7 miles from the old mining town of Pony and 54 miles west of Bozeman, ringed by Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest at roughly 5,800 feet. The resort dates to 1892, when Indiana carpenter Horace Walter built a swimming pool, bathhouse and large hotel near the springs. It became a counter-culture gathering spot in the 1960s — until 1971, when local ranchers and the sheriff evicted squatters, burned the shacks and dynamited the pool wall.

A Texas family bought and closed the property in 2007; it reopened under new ownership in 2018, though public day access remains essentially closed. Geothermal water enters near 93°F, filling a large outdoor mineral pool beside a wood-burning sauna, while an indoor rock soaking tub runs about 102°F; use is limited to cabin guests or reserved private pool sessions.

Directions & trailhead access

354 Potosi Rd, Pony — from Pony, Potosi Rd ~3 mi then FS Rd 1501 ~3.5 mi.

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.

Recommended soaking windowEarly Morning & Sunset

Packing & trail adviceBring quick-dry towels, slip-resistant footwear, and thermal layers for stepping out into brisk mountain air.

Live Outdoor Soaking Weather

Reported Directory Data

Montana Geothermal Area • Reported 96°F

Reported source temperature — actual pool conditions vary.

Live NOAA sync...Directory Data

Fact sheet

Reported soak temp	96°F
Source temp (historical)	96°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