Goldmyer Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Goldmyer Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near North Bend, Washington. Reported soak temperature: 107°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Open year-round under NWWP management — 20 visitors/day cap; permit via monthly online lottery (2 months out), voicemail for current-month openings (2+ business days), or exact-cash walk-in gamble; then a rough 4WD road and 5-mi hike.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 5 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
North Bend serves the Middle Fork approach from I-90.
North Bend is about 19 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Reservation or permission required — confirm via Goldmyer — Access Report (Sept 18, 2026).
- Cost: Reported $30 — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 107°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; 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: goldmyer.org lottery (2 months out) → office call-back; voicemail requests for current month ≥2 business days; M-F 9am-3pm Seattle office; liability waiver signed on-site with caretakers
- Booking: Lottery / limited reservations.
- Best time to go: Winter weekdays are quietest; weekends and summer fill the 20-person cap — check the live calendar
- Clothing reality: Officially swimsuit-optional — nudity expected at the pools; clothing required elsewhere on the property. Guaranteed suit-required time only via Tuesday exclusive-use booking.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — long rough drive plus 5-mi backcountry hike
- Lottery entries run 2 months ahead (e.g., September entries are for November dates); winners called to confirm — credit card payment by phone
- Current-month leftover openings via voicemail request, min 2 business days notice; no online permits
- Walk-ins: first-come at the property, EXACT CASH only (no cards/apps), best odds arriving at 9am opening — can be turned away at capacity
- Shared use Wed-Mon $30 adult/$25 senior/kids free; Tuesday exclusive-use $240/slot (up to 8 people); camping +$10/adult/night (not Mondays; Tue evening slot +$50)
- Check-in 9am-9pm only; day visitors off property by 9pm (campers may soak after 9pm except during 9pm-2am pool cleaning)
- AWD/4WD with 8-9" clearance REQUIRED for the rough forest road (creek crossings 1-2 ft deep in rain); then mandatory ~5 mi hike on Dutch Miller Gap trail from Dingford Creek TH
- No cell/internet, no potable water, no trash service — pack everything in/out
- No dogs, no campfires/charcoal, groups max 8
- Hazard: Remote wilderness — no comms, bears/mountain lions; tow recovery very difficult if vehicle gets stuck
- Hazard: Unbridged Burnt Boot Creek crossing on the (not recommended) Middle Fork Trail route — take Dutch Miller Gap trail
- Hazard: Final 5 road miles never plowed in winter — chains/snow gear
- Hazard: Pools close for cleaning 9pm-2am
About this spring
A 20-acre wilderness preserve managed by the nonprofit Northwest Wilderness Programs, ~25 miles east of North Bend in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie valley. Hot water emerges from an old mine shaft (~125°F) into three progressively cooler pools (~98-111°F) plus a cold pool; access capped at 20 visitors/day with live-in caretakers. Fee: $30 adults; lottery reservation ~2 months out. Permit strongly recommended — hard 20-person daily cap, walk-ins turned away when full. No pets, no glass, no cell service.
Goldmyer is a 20-acre privately held wilderness preserve in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie drainage, owned and operated since 1976 by the nonprofit Northwest Wilderness Programs. Its unusual source is a horizontal mine shaft: geothermal water emerges from inside the old workings at about 125°F, keeping the "cave" itself near 111°F, then cascades through a series of progressively cooler pools down to about 104°F, with a cold plunge beside them. The water carries low levels of sodium, chloride, silica, bicarbonate, sulfate, potassium, and calcium, with a pH around 8.5 and an earthy mineral smell rather than a strong sulfur odor.
The preserve sits at roughly 1,800-2,000 feet elevation in ancient forest with trees over 900 years old. A strict 20-visitors-per-day cap, in place since the 1970s, anchors NWWP's stewardship model, and live-in caretakers check in every guest. Visitors park at the Dingford Creek trailhead in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and hike or bike 4.5 miles past a locked gate; Tuesdays are reserved for exclusive-use bookings.
Directions & trailhead access
From North Bend take Middle Fork Road (FR-56) ~20 miles to the Dingford Creek trailhead, then hike or bike 4.5 miles to the property. Check the site's weekly Access Report for road conditions.
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 | 107°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 125°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $30 — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Goldmyer — Access Report (Sept 18, 2026) |
Goldmyer Hot Springs FAQ
Is Goldmyer Hot Springs open right now?
Open year-round under NWWP management — 20 visitors/day cap; permit via monthly online lottery (2 months out), voicemail for current-month openings (2+ business days), or exact-cash walk-in gamble; then a rough 4WD road and 5-mi hike. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Goldmyer Hot Springs free?
Goldmyer Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near North Bend. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Goldmyer Hot Springs?
Goldmyer Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 107°F and a historical source temperature of 125°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Goldmyer Hot Springs clothing optional?
Goldmyer Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Goldmyer Hot Springs?
Goldmyer Hot Springs requires permission, a permit or advance booking — confirm the terms with the site manager before visiting.
Where to stay in North Bend
North Bend serves the Middle Fork approach from I-90. Secure Goldmyer’s limited preserve reservation before choosing lodging.
North Bend is about 19 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- Goldmyer — Access Report (Sept 18, 2026) — operator · 2026-09
- Goldmyer — Visiting/pricing page (live Sept 2026 calendar) — operator · 2026-09
- Goldmyer — Lottery page — operator · 2026-09
- Goldmyer — FAQ — operator · 2026-09
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
Official website: www.goldmyer.org
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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