Gamma Hot Springs

What to expect

Gamma Hot Springs is one of the hardest-to-reach hot springs in Washington. It sits in the upper Gamma Creek basin on the northeast flank of Glacier Peak, inside the Glacier Peak Wilderness on the Darrington Ranger District of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. OpenStreetMap places it near the head of Gamma Creek, below the ridge that leads to Gamma Peak, and the BLM land-status layer shows the spot as national forest land.

There is no developed pool, no sign and no trail to the water. What you find is hot water seeping out of a steep, brushy creek bank in mountain-goat country. A party that reached it in August 2022 camped on a “lumpy” flat spot next to the springs that was barely big enough for two people. Any soaking hole is whatever the last visitors left, and it may have washed out since. If you want a pool, you may have to look for where hot and cold water mix rather than expect a basin.

We found no reliable published soaking temperature for Gamma, so we have left it out. Treat the water as possibly very hot until you have tested it with your hand.

The reward is the setting: big views of Glacier Peak from Gamma Ridge, wildflower meadows, and the near certainty of having the place to yourself.

Getting there

In 2026 you cannot legally get there. Two separate closures block the usual route:

• Miners Fire closure order (August 15 to December 31, 2026): closes, among others, the Suiattle River Trail #784, the Upper Suiattle River Trail #798, the Gamma Ridge trail #791 (written as “Gamma Way Trail” in the order), the Milk Creek Trail #790, the Sulphur Creek Trail #793 and the Pacific Crest Trail from Mica Lake to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest boundary. It also closes the Suiattle River Trailhead and Sulphur Creek Campground.
• Suiattle River Road washout closure, Forest Order 06-05-26-03 (April 2, 2026 to January 1, 2028): closes the Suiattle River Road (FR 26) to all motor vehicles from the Suiattle Mountain Road junction, near milepost 4, to the Suiattle River Trailhead. Spur roads 25, 2640, 2660 and 2680 are closed too. An atmospheric river flood severely damaged roads in the watershed.

Once the trail closure lifts, the road closure still adds many miles of road walking or biking each way before the trail even starts. Call the Darrington Ranger District at (360) 436-1155 before planning anything.

The route, for when it reopens. Trip reports describe two ways in. From the west, hikers follow the Suiattle River Trail to the PCT and then the Upper Suiattle River Trail #798. From the east, a 2022 party came from the Trinity area on the Okanogan-Wenatchee side via Spider Gap, Lyman Lakes, Suiattle Pass and Image Lake. They then dropped to the PCT and picked up the Upper Suiattle River Trail at the Vista Creek junction. Both routes reach the Gamma Ridge trail, which climbs steeply through forest to open meadows on the ridge.

From the saddle below Gamma Peak there is no trail. The 2022 party picked a careful line down to the springs and warned that the slope hides cliffs and gullies that cannot be passed. They carried a rope but did not need it. Their advice was blunt: try it only if you are very comfortable with steep scrambling or rappelling and good at route finding.

The Upper Suiattle River Trail is not well maintained. Expect blowdowns, overgrowth and a lost tread in places, especially near Dusty Creek, where the 2022 party had to follow cairns and flagging across sand flats and ford a strong current. Glacial creeks run highest in the afternoon. Allow several days for the round trip.

When to go

Snow lingers late on Gamma Ridge, and the off-trail descent is dangerous on snow or wet ground. The 2022 trip was in late August, which is typical for travel this high on Glacier Peak. Early fall can work if the weather holds, but days are short and early storms are common.

None of that matters until the closures lift. Watch the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie alerts page for the end of the Miners Fire order, scheduled for December 31, 2026, and for any trail damage assessment that follows the fire.

Rules and etiquette

• Wilderness rules apply. This is the Glacier Peak Wilderness: no motor vehicles or bikes, and camp well away from water where you can.
• Closure orders carry real penalties. Entering a closed trail or road can bring a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual and up to 6 months in jail.
• Food storage: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest has a forest-wide food storage order (06-05-25-01, April 15, 2025 to April 15, 2027) requiring food and garbage to be stored in a bear-resistant way.
• Camping limits: outside developed campgrounds, the forest limits camping to 14 days in a row at one spot and 28 days a year.
• Leave it as you found it. Do not dig new pools or reroute the creek. Pack out everything, and bury human waste far from the springs and Gamma Creek.
• Mountain goats: the forest asks visitors to stay well away from goats. Goats are drawn to the salt in urine, so pee well away from camp and the springs.

Where to stay nearby

You sleep in a tent here. The 2022 party camped once on Gamma Ridge where the trail leaves the trees (they found a small water source just below), and once beside the springs. Image Lake and Lyman Lakes are the usual camps on the eastern approach.

Before and after the trip, Darrington is the closest town on the west side, with basic services along SR 530. Sulphur Creek Campground, at the old Suiattle River Trailhead, is closed under the fire order and cut off by the road closure.

Another listing on this site covers Sulphur Creek Hot Springs, a separate spring lower in the same drainage.

Safety notes

• Remoteness: you are days from a road, with no cell signal. Carry a satellite messenger and leave a detailed plan with someone.
• Terrain: the off-trail descent is the biggest hazard here. Scout it in daylight, do not commit to a gully you cannot see the bottom of, and turn back if it gets beyond your skills.
• River fords: Dusty Creek and other glacial streams can be swift and cold. Cross early in the day.
• Hot water: test the temperature by hand and keep your head out of the water.
• Post-fire hazards: after the Miners Fire, expect dead trees that can fall without warning and damaged tread once the area reopens.