Ohanapecosh Hot Springs

Packwood, Washington (Lewis County)

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

View only — no soaking

Not a soakable spring — small lukewarm mineral seeps along the Hot Springs Nature Trail in Mount Rainier NP, viewed from the trail as an interpretive feature (historic resort demolished, springs restored to natural state in the 1960s). In 2026 the entire Ohanapecosh Developed Area is closed for campground construction (Apr-Nov 2026), so the only legal approach is a ~5.9 mi hike from the Grove of the Patriarchs parking lot via Eastside + Silver Falls trails.

NPS — Mount Rainier Park Construction page (Ohanapecosh Developed Area closed Apr-Nov 2026, all access prohibited)

Field notes — checked September 2026

Hazard: Long remote hike required while construction closure is in effect
Hazard: Seasonal road closures in winter
Hazard: Elk/bear country
NOT a soaking destination — springs are small seeps only 'several degrees warmer' than nearby streams; no pool
Entire Ohanapecosh Developed Area CLOSED Apr-Nov 2026 (campground, visitor center, roads, trails from that side) — no vehicle or pedestrian entry
Hot Springs Nature Trail currently reachable only via Eastside Trail from Grove of the Patriarchs lot (~5.9 mi, ~600 ft gain, ~3 hrs)
Grove of the Patriarchs loop itself remains closed (flood-damaged bridge); parking lot open for trail access
Campground reopening expected for summer 2027; reservations on recreation.gov reopen ~Dec 2026
SR-123 and Stevens Canyon Road are seasonal — closed to vehicles in winter
Park entrance fee applies

Ohanapecosh Hot Springs — natural hot spring near Packwood, Washington — Photo: NPS Photo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

102°F reportedFees reported

Check access status Browse Washington springs

Current status

Spring

Open

Road

Seasonal

Access

Public land

Soaking

Soaking prohibited

Water

Normal

Crowds

Usually quiet

Checked September 2026 · verified against an official source · 5 sources ↓

About this spring

VIEW-ONLY — not a soaking destination. Historic mineral springs in the southeast corner of Mount Rainier National Park, viewable along the Hot Springs Nature Trail. A resort operated here from the 1920s until NPS removed all buildings by 1967 — bathing is now prohibited; the springs are a view-only interpretive feature (warm seeps too small and cool to soak anyway). Fee: Mount Rainier NP entrance fee applies. VIEW-ONLY — soaking prohibited. Campground/visitor center closed through Nov 2026 for construction. Not accessible in winter.

Ohanapecosh is a historic mineral springs site inside Mount Rainier National Park — but it is not a soaking destination, and it never was a very good one. Warm seeps along the Hot Springs Nature Trail run only a few degrees above stream temperature and produce no soakable pool; today they are an interpretive feature viewed from the trail. A resort operated here from the 1920s until the Park Service removed the buildings by 1967 and restored the springs to a natural state.

The site sits near the Stevens Canyon entrance on SR-123. For 2026 specifically, the entire Ohanapecosh Developed Area — campground, visitor center, and the adjacent roads — is closed through November for construction, and reaching the trail currently means a long walk from open road ends. Visitors who simply want to see the springs are better served waiting for the 2027 season; the national park entrance fee applies whenever the area is open.

Directions & trailhead access

Access is restricted; do not use historical directions to plan a visit.

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 developed site means here

A developed site sits between primitive and resort: improved soaking infrastructure — built tubs, decks, stairs, sometimes changing rooms or vault toilets — often run by a land trust, nonprofit, or small operator. Expect modest fees or donation requests, posted etiquette rules, and more predictable conditions than a wild pool.

Fact sheet

Source temp (historical)	Not reported
Trail access	Recorded coordinates — access unverified
Access fee	Fees reported
Geothermal data reference	NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive)
Check land status	NPS — Mount Rainier Park Construction page (Ohanapecosh Developed Area closed Apr-Nov 2026, all access prohibited)