Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker)
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) is a primitive hot spring listed near Concrete, Washington. Reported soak temperature: 100°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Open and free — short 0.3-mi trail to the pools, but the last few miles of FR 1130/1144 off Baker Lake Road are severely potholed (high-clearance vehicle advised); May 2026 trip reports confirm access.
Checked August 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 4 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Stay in Concrete before the Baker Lake Road drive.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF — road closures release (context for seasonal closures).
- Cost: Reported free access — fees and permits can change, confirm before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 100°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; reported dog-friendly.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None
- Best time to go: May-October; weekdays. Extremely popular on summer weekends
- Clothing reality: No official code; customarily clothing-optional — expect nudity.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Short but steep first ~20 ft of trail; not mobility-friendly
- Free — no fee, no Northwest Forest Pass required; no facilities at trailhead or springs
- FR 1130/1144 is a 'festival of potholes' — high-clearance vehicle strongly advised; impassable when snow covers the road (roughly Nov-Apr/May)
- Trailhead trail goes straight UP the hill ~0.3 mi — easy to confuse with the adjacent signed 'Swift' Creek trail; don't take that one
- Pools periodically fill with mud/ash from seasonal landslides and occasionally need digging out to restore soaking
- Main pool fits ~10 people
- Hazard: Rough/badly potholed forest road — low-clearance vehicles risk damage
- Hazard: Landslide/debris-flow area that periodically buries the pools
- Hazard: Seasonal road closures in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF in winter
About this spring
Undeveloped USFS hot spring in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest ~20 miles north of Concrete, near Baker Lake. One main rock-and-log pool (~100-101°F) fits ~10 people plus a small foot-soak pool; sulfur odor. Not to be confused with Baker Hot Springs in Utah. Not accessible in winter (snow). Volcanic sediment can clog vents — pools may need digging out. Often crowded; no facilities.
Baker Hot Springs — historically called Morovitz Hot Springs after the prospector credited with its western discovery in the 1890s — is one of the few undeveloped thermal springs in the North Cascades. The Skagit Alpine Club built a soaking tub, changing rooms, and outhouses here in the 1960s and 1970s, but the Forest Service removed them in 1978 to return the site to a natural state. Today's pools are simple rock-and-log impoundments: one main basin holding about ten people and a smaller one that functions as a foot bath, typically running 100-101°F against a source around 110°F, with silty, mineral-rich water and a mild sulfur odor.
The spring sits on Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest land near the Baker Lake basin, and its vents are prone to clogging with mud and volcanic sediment carried in by seasonal landslides, so the pools occasionally need digging out to restore flow. The 0.3-mile trail in is trivial; the real barriers are the badly potholed Forest Road 1144, which demands a high-clearance vehicle, and winter snow that typically closes access from late autumn into spring.
Directions & trailhead access
From Concrete ~20 miles north on Baker Lake Road, then rough gravel FR-1144 to the trailhead; a 0.3-mile trail leads to the pools. High-clearance helpful on the forest road.
Washington geothermal context
Washington's springs are split between Cascade volcanic valleys and the rain-soaked Olympic Peninsula. The Olympic Hot Springs sit inside a national park with permit rules and seasonal road closures; Cascade sites hide under mossy old-growth forest reachable by trail. Winter storms routinely close access roads — check forest-service alerts October through May.
What a primitive site means here
Primitive springs have no facilities: no changing rooms, no trash service, often no maintained road to the pool. Expect natural rock or gravel bottoms, water temperature that varies by spot and season, and other visitors who may treat the site informally. Pack out everything you bring, test the water before entering, and leave the pool cleaner than you found it.
Best time to visit
May – October (Spring through Fall)Pacific Northwest springs are framed by lush temperate rainforests. Summer brings dry, sunny trail conditions, while autumn provides vibrant foliage and crisp soaking weather.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 100°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 110°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported dog-friendly |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF — road closures release (context for seasonal closures) |
Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) FAQ
Is Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) open right now?
Open and free — short 0.3-mi trail to the pools, but the last few miles of FR 1130/1144 off Baker Lake Road are severely potholed (high-clearance vehicle advised); May 2026 trip reports confirm access. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked August 2026.)
Is Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) free?
Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) is listed as free to access in Whatcom County, Washington. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker)?
Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) has a reported soak temperature of 100°F and a historical source temperature of 110°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) clothing optional?
Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker)?
Baker Hot Springs (Mount Baker) is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Concrete
Stay in Concrete before the Baker Lake Road drive. The spring approach runs about 20 miles north, then onto rough FR-1144; check forest-road closures before booking.
Check the road and access notes above before you book.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- WTA trip report — access confirmed, road condition — community · 2026-05
- Hot Springs Guides — Baker Hot Springs — community · 2026-08
- AllTrails — Baker Hot Springs via Swift Creek Campground — community · 2026-06
- Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie NF — road closures release (context for seasonal closures) — official · 2026-07
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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