Big Medicine Hot Springs

What to expect

Big Medicine is the no-frills option in Hot Springs, Montana, a town of a few hundred people on the Flathead Indian Reservation that grew up around its mineral water. The Montana Press reports that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes own the hot springs and the bathhouse buildings here. What you get is an outdoor concrete soaking pool, a payment box and a view of the low, dry hills around town.

Do not expect a resort. There is no front desk, no snack bar and often nobody on site. One 2024 description puts the main pool at roughly 6 by 15 feet and 3 feet deep, filled with untreated mineral water that comes out of the ground at about 124°F51°C. By the time it reaches the pool it is closer to 107°F42°C at the inlet end and about 105°F41°C at the far end. That is hot. Most people take it in stretches, climbing out to cool off on the edge.

Older descriptions mention a larger soaking pool and a smaller hot tub, with both drained every night. The layout may have changed over the years, so take the exact pool count with a grain of salt. What stays the same is the feel: simple concrete, hot water and a handful of locals who have been soaking here for years.

Big Medicine and Camas Hot Springs

You will see the names Camas and Big Medicine used for the same springs, and that is not wrong. The town itself was known as Camas Hot Springs before it took its current name, and the springs on the east side of town are one group. The difference is what you can use today. The old Camas Hot Springs bathhouse, which the Salish and Kootenai tribes built in 1949 with mud baths, mineral baths and an outdoor pool, is about 280 meters west of Big Medicine and has been closed for decades. Big Medicine is the pool that is still open.

Bring what you need. The town guide and other listings tell visitors to bring their own towels, swimsuits and snacks.

Getting there

Hot Springs is in Sanders County in northwest Montana, about an hour from both Missoula and Kalispell. The town sits a few miles west of Montana Highway 28 on Montana 77 (Hot Springs Road), which was built around 1939 to link the town to the highway.

• From Missoula: Take US-93 north to Ravalli, then MT-200 west along the Flathead River. Secondary Highway 382 cuts north from MT-200 near Perma to MT-28. Follow MT-28 to the MT-77 junction and turn west into town.
• From Kalispell: Take US-93 south along Flathead Lake to Elmo, then MT-28 west and south about 26 miles to the MT-77 junction, and turn west into town.
• From Plains: Take MT-28 north about 21 miles from MT-200 to the MT-77 junction.

In town, Big Medicine is on North Road, about half a mile east of Spring Street. Rose’s Plunge sits just to the west in the old Camas Recreation Center building at the corner of Spring Street and North Road. You park at the property and walk straight to the pool.

When to go

The Town of Hot Springs says all of its outdoor soaking pools are open year-round. Winter is a good time to come. The pool is hot enough to stay comfortable on cold days, and the town is quiet. Summer days in this part of Montana can be hot and dry, which makes a 105°F41°C pool less appealing in the afternoon. Early mornings and evenings are better.

Daily hours are not published by the operator. A few third-party listings suggest morning to sundown, but the best move is to call 406-741-5140 before you go, as the town recommends.

Rules and etiquette

• Pay at the honor box. The fee is a few dollars, cash only. A 2024 listing gives it as $5 per person.
• Swimsuits are required. This is not a clothing-optional spring.
• Shower or rinse first if a shower is available, and skip lotions and sunscreen before getting in. The pool is small and untreated.
• Respect tribal land. You are a guest on the Flathead Reservation. Stay in the areas meant for visitors and follow any posted signs.
• Share the pool. It is small. If people are waiting, take a break on the edge.

Where to stay nearby

You can stay right at Big Medicine. The town’s visitor page says you can bring your own camper or tent or rent one of the tepees on site, and a 2024 listing mentions cabins and an RV campground. Call ahead to ask what is open and what it costs.

Other options in town are close enough to walk:

• Alameda’s Hot Springs Retreat is a 1930s spa-motel on Spring Street where every suite has a private mineral bath. Its owners point guests to Big Medicine for outdoor soaking.
• Symes Hot Springs Hotel and Mineral Baths on Wall Street has rooms, cabins, outdoor pools and private indoor tubs.
• Wild Horse Hot Springs, just north of town, has private soaking rooms and cabins.

Nearby stops worth adding

Rose’s Plunge is the other honor-box pool in town, a short walk west. Many visitors try both on the same day. Flathead Lake is about an hour east by road, and the National Bison Range (now the CSKT Bison Range) is south of MT-200 near Moiese, on the way from Missoula.

Safety notes

• Heat: At 105 to 107°F41 to 42°C, this pool is hotter than most commercial spas. Keep soaks short, drink water, and get out if you feel dizzy or your heart races.
• Untreated water: Do not put your head under. Natural mineral water is not disinfected, and the pool is small.
• Footing: Wet concrete gets slick, and in winter the deck can ice over. Wear sandals between the pool and your car or campsite.
• No attendant: There is usually no staff on site. Soak with a friend if you can.