Granite Falls Hot Spring
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Granite Falls Hot Spring is a primitive hot spring listed near Jackson, Wyoming. Reported soak temperature: 100°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Free primitive rock-ringed hot pool at the base of Granite Falls in Bridger-Teton NF, ~0.5 mi downstream of the fee-based Granite Hot Springs Pool — reached by ~9-10 mi of dirt Granite Creek Road then a short trail and a ford of Granite Creek that is dangerous or impossible during spring runoff.
Checked July 2024 · based on recent visitor reports · 7 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
A town base for Astoria and the separate Granite Creek trip.
Jackson is about 18 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: Open — last verified below — confirm via PoppinUpUSA — Hiking to Granite Falls and Natural Hot Springs (GPS 43.36493,-110.44379, rock-circle pools across creek).
- 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 required; reported dog-friendly.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None for the natural spring. The adjacent developed pool charges ~$12 day use (cash/check).
- Best time to go: Late July–September for safe creek fording; weekday mornings. Summer weekends bring waterfall crowds though few cross to the spring.
- Clothing reality: No posted rules at the natural pool (USFS backcountry); swimsuits customary given families and the adjacent developed pool; clothing-optional soaking occurs at quiet times but is not sanctioned.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — uneven use-trails plus a slippery creek ford.
- The pool sits ACROSS Granite Creek — you must ford the creek to reach it. At spring/early-summer high water the crossing is deep, fast, and slippery; reviewers report turning back. Go in late summer/fall low water
- Don't confuse with the DEVELOPED Granite Hot Springs Pool 0.5 mi upstream at road's end — that one is USFS-managed, ~$12 cash/check only, with changing rooms
- Granite Creek Road (FR 30500) last ~10 mi is gravel/dirt and unplowed roughly Dec–Apr: winter access is snowmobile, ski, fat bike, or guided dogsled only
- The natural pool is small and rebuilt by visitors each year after melt — size/depth/temp vary season to season; its warmth partly comes from the developed pool's overflow cascade
- Horse-popular trail; watch for downed trees. Grizzly country (Gros Ventre) — carry bear spray
- No cell service along Granite Creek Road
- Hazard: Granite Creek ford — strong current, slick rocks, cold water; hazardous at high flow
- Hazard: Seasonal road closure — last ~10 mi unplowed in winter
- Hazard: Grizzly/black bear country
- Hazard: Rough dirt road (potholes) — allow ~1 hr for the 9-10 mi
About this spring
Free user-built rock soaking pool on the far bank of Granite Creek beside Granite Creek Falls, ~half a mile downstream of the developed Granite Hot Springs Pool — a steaming hot waterfall feeds the pool; temperature adjusted by moving rocks. 'A River Runs Through It' filming location. Requires fording Granite Creek — dangerous during runoff. Pool rebuilt by visitors each year.
About half a mile downstream of the developed Granite Hot Springs Pool, where Granite Creek pours over Granite Creek Falls at the edge of the Gros Ventre Wilderness, a small primitive soaking pool is tucked against the cliffs on the creek's far bank. The spot is best known as one of the filming locations for the 1992 film A River Runs Through It. Reaching it requires fording Granite Creek — straightforward in low late-summer water but hazardous during spring runoff — and the rock-lined pool is rebuilt informally by visitors each season, with temperature controlled by rearranging rocks to mix hot spring inflow with cold creek water.
The free pool sits on Bridger-Teton National Forest land along a creek that drains the Gros Ventre Wilderness before joining the Hoback River; paddlers put in at the base of the falls for a class III run downstream. It shares the same Granite Creek Road approach as the developed pool at road's end.
Directions & trailhead access
Same drive as Granite Hot Springs Pool; park at the Granite Falls pullout, trail to the creek, then FORD Granite Creek to reach the pool.
Wyoming geothermal context
Wyoming holds the planet's densest geothermal field in Yellowstone — nearly all of it legally protected and off-limits to soaking. The visitable thermal water is outside the park: Thermopolis' free state bathhouse, river-edge springs along the North Platte, and scattered backcountry seeps in grizzly country where bear-aware travel is mandatory.
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
Year-Round (Best: May – October)Pool temperatures and access can change with weather and season. Outdoor ambient temperatures fluctuate significantly across Wyoming. Late spring through autumn offers the most comfortable road access.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 100°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 100°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported dog-friendly |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | PoppinUpUSA — Hiking to Granite Falls and Natural Hot Springs (GPS 43.36493,-110.44379, rock-circle pools across creek) |
Granite Falls Hot Spring FAQ
Is Granite Falls Hot Spring open right now?
Free primitive rock-ringed hot pool at the base of Granite Falls in Bridger-Teton NF, ~0.5 mi downstream of the fee-based Granite Hot Springs Pool — reached by ~9-10 mi of dirt Granite Creek Road then a short trail and a ford of Granite Creek that is dangerous or impossible during spring runoff. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked July 2024.)
Is Granite Falls Hot Spring free?
Granite Falls Hot Spring is listed as free to access in Teton County, Wyoming. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Granite Falls Hot Spring?
Granite Falls Hot Spring has a reported soak temperature of 100°F and a historical source temperature of 100°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Granite Falls Hot Spring clothing optional?
Granite Falls Hot Spring is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Granite Falls Hot Spring?
Granite Falls Hot Spring is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Jackson
A town base for Astoria and the separate Granite Creek trip. Winter access and admission differ between springs.
Jackson is about 18 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- PoppinUpUSA — Hiking to Granite Falls and Natural Hot Springs (GPS 43.36493,-110.44379, rock-circle pools across creek) — community · 2024-07
- Follow Tiff's Journey — Granite Falls and Hot Springs hike guide (ford the river for the free pool; $12 developed pool above falls) — community · 2023-08
- AllTrails — Granite Creek Falls and Granite Hot Springs via Granite Creek Trail (2.8 mi trail; 'river was too high to get to the natural hot spring') — community · 2024
- Wikipedia — Granite Hot Springs, Wyoming (USFS-maintained pool; primitive pool ~1/2 mi downstream at Granite Falls) — community · 2024
- Hot Springs Guides — Granite Hot Springs Pool (seasonal road: wheeled access ~May 1+, winter snowmobile/ski only) — community · 2025
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- secretswimmingholes.com/swimming-holes/granite-hot-springs-wy
- www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/2477/main
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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