Carson Hot Springs

What to expect

Carson Hot Springs is a small, unfussy soaking resort on Old Hot Springs Road at the northern edge of Nevada’s capital. It is the kind of place locals use on a weeknight after work rather than a destination spa. You pay at the desk, change, and spend two hours moving between the outdoor pools, the sauna and, if you pay a little more, a private indoor room with its own tub.

The water is the reason it has lasted. The spring reaches the surface at about 121°F49°C and the resort runs it through the pools without chlorine or added city water. Every pool is drained and refilled daily, and the fresh water is cooled by spraying and evaporation as it fills. The resort’s water analysis lists sodium as the main mineral, followed by sulfate and chloride, with smaller amounts of silica, potassium, calcium, fluoride and lithium. There is a faint mineral smell but nothing like the sulfur reek of some Nevada springs.

Food and drink are on site. Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint and Shoe Tree Brewing both opened on the property in 2015, so a soak followed by dinner is easy. The resort itself has no rooms.

The pools

Outdoor pools. There are four mineral pools outside on a fenced patio: Travel Nevada describes two large swimming pools and two smaller, hotter tubs, and three of the pools were added in 2020. The resort currently lists the outdoor pools at 98-104°F37-40°C. Travel Nevada notes that staff keep them cooler in summer (about 93-96°F34-36°C) and warmer in winter (about 98-100°F37-38°C), so expect the range to shift with the season. The outdoor area holds about 50 people.

Private indoor rooms. Nine private rooms each have their own soaking pool at 100-104°F38-40°C, depending on the spring’s natural flow. A room is comfortable for four or five people. The private rate also covers the outdoor pools, patio and sauna, so many people split their two hours between the two.

Sauna. Included with every admission.

Getting there

The resort is at 1500 Old Hot Springs Road, Carson City, NV 89706, a few minutes east of North Carson Street (US 395) on the north side of town.

• From Reno: Take I-580 south about 30 minutes to Carson City. Exit toward North Carson Street, then follow local streets east to Old Hot Springs Road.
• From Lake Tahoe: US 50 drops from Spooner Summit into Carson City. Head north through town on Carson Street and turn east toward Old Hot Springs Road.

There is a parking lot at the building. The pools are a short walk from the door and the whole site is on flat ground in town, with no dirt roads or hiking involved.

When to go

The resort is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the year. It reserves the right to close individual pools during business hours for cleaning and water conservation, so a pool may be empty when you arrive.

Winter is when this place is at its best. Carson City sits at about 4,700 feet and nights get cold, and sitting in hot water while steam rolls off the patio is the point. The outdoor pools are also kept warmer in winter.

Summer afternoons in the valley are hot and dry, and the outdoor pools are held at the cooler end of the range. Early mornings and evenings are more pleasant.

Weekends and evenings are the busiest times, and because the private rooms cannot be booked, a wait is possible. A weekday morning is the surest bet for walking straight in.

Prices and booking

Admission is sold in 2-hour blocks, and you can buy extra time at the front desk. The rates listed on the resort’s site in 2026:

Guest	Outdoor pools and patio	Private room plus outdoor pools
Adults (12-54)	$18	$32
Seniors (55+)	$16	$30
Kids (2-11)	$16	$24
Infants (under 2)	$8.50	$12

Regulars can buy swim cards for the outdoor pools: 10 visits cost $150 for adults or $130 for seniors and kids, and 100-visit cards are also sold. Gift cards are available online.

What is included and what is not:

• Saunas come with every admission.
• Lockers are provided. Bring a padlock or buy one at the front desk. The resort is not responsible for lost items.
• Towels are not free. Bring your own or rent or buy one on site.
• No reservations for anything, including private rooms.
• Everyone signs a waiver at check-in.

House rules: swimsuits are required, as at any public pool. No alcohol or coolers at the pools. No ball games or throwing pool toys. Large private parties with decorations, music or food set up in the common areas are not accommodated. Minors must be supervised directly by a parent or guardian at all times.

History

People used the spring long before the resort. The Washoe and other Native people soaked here, and emigrants on the way to California found it in 1849. Thomas Swift bought it in 1880 and built bathhouses, a clubhouse and a hotel under the name Swift’s Hot Springs. James Shaw took over in 1882 and added a large plunge pool in 1890. The name Carson Hot Springs dates from about 1910, when the road from town was finished. In the 1930s and 1940s the clubhouse hosted big band dances. A group of investors headed by Mark Begich of Anchorage, Alaska, bought the property in 1999 and renovated it, and new pools were added in 2020.

Where to stay nearby

Carson Hot Springs has no lodging. Carson City has a full range of chain motels, independent hotels and casino hotels along Carson Street, most of them within a few miles of the pools. Reno, about 30 miles north, has far more choice. For a different soak in the same trip, David Walley’s Hot Springs Resort near Genoa, about 13 miles south, has its own lodging, and Bowers Mansion in Washoe Valley and Steamboat Hot Springs south of Reno are on the way north.

Safety notes

• Heat: Even at 100-104°F38-40°C, long soaks raise your core temperature. Drink water, take breaks in the shade, and get out if you feel lightheaded. Skip the sauna right after a long hot soak.
• Alcohol: It is banned at the pools for good reason. Wait until you are done before heading to the brewery.
• Children: The pools vary in depth and temperature. Keep young kids within reach, and keep them out of the hottest tubs.
• Pregnancy and health conditions: Check with a doctor before soaking in hot water if you are pregnant or have heart or blood pressure problems.
• Slippery decks: Wet concrete and mineral film make the pool edges slick. Walk, do not run.