Harbin Hot Springs

What to expect

Harbin Hot Springs is a nonprofit retreat center in a wooded canyon about 3.5 miles northwest of Middletown, run by the Heart Consciousness Church. It has been a soaking place since the 1850s and has a long reputation as one of California’s best-known clothing-optional springs. It is not a spa resort in the usual sense. There are no cocktails, no phones by the pool and no photos. People come to soak, sit quietly, get bodywork, do yoga and camp.

The atmosphere is calm and rule-bound. The main pool area has quiet zones where talking is discouraged and social zones where quiet conversation is fine. Most people soak nude, though nobody is required to. Expect a mix of regulars, couples and first-timers, and expect staff to enforce the rules.

The Valley Fire in September 2015 destroyed most of the buildings. Much has been rebuilt since the pools reopened in 2019, and work continues. Harbin says construction on two new Mainside hotels, Walnut and Azalea, is under way, so you may hear building noise during the day.

The pools

Harbin’s Mainside pool area has eight pools. Two natural hot springs feed the historic hot and warm pools with no added heating. A cold spring feeds the rest.

• Hot Pool: The signature pool, under a peaked roof with stained glass. It sits at about 113°F45°C. Harbin itself warns that it is extremely hot and suggests first dips of under a minute.
• Warm Pool: The main pool, with the white railing and curved steps. Overflow from the Hot Pool keeps it at 96-98°F36-37°C, depending on season. This is the quiet, long-soak pool, and it is where Watsu was first developed.
• Cold Plunge: Behind the Hot Pool, fed straight from a cold spring and replaced every hour.
• Trellis Hot Plunge and Trellis Cold Plunge: A matching pair of square pools by the sauna. The cold one is refrigerated, and the hot one is partly solar heated and can be very hot.
• Heart Pool: Heart-shaped, kept at 95-98°F35-37°C with a heat pump. Quiet talking is fine here, and supervised children may use it.
• Swimming Pool: For laps and play. Usually on the cool side, warmed slightly in cold weather. No diving.
• Spa Services Pool: An oval pool under its own roof, used for booked Watsu and other water bodywork.

Harbin is one of a few public facilities in California allowed to clean its pools mainly without chlorine. It uses hydrogen peroxide, ozone and ultraviolet light instead. A dry sauna (6 am to 11 pm) and steam room (9 am to 9 pm) sit next to the pools. The redesigned trellis and sundeck area is ADA-compliant.

Alligator Day, usually the first Tuesday of each month, is maintenance day. The Warm Pool is drained, so the Warm Pool, Hot Pool and Cold Plunge are closed until refilled. Avoid that day if you are coming for the historic pools.

Getting there

Harbin is at 18424 Harbin Springs Road, Middletown.

• From Calistoga: Take Highway 29 north over the Mount St. Helena grade to Middletown, then follow Harbin Springs Road (County Road 109) about 3.5 miles northwest to the gate.
• From San Francisco: Take US 101 north to Santa Rosa, cross to Calistoga, then continue on Highway 29 as above.

Harbin Springs Road is narrow and curving, with no shoulders and poor sight lines. Harbin warns that some navigation apps send drivers onto an unpaved fire road. If you find yourself on dirt, turn around. Cell service in Lake County is patchy, so download offline directions.

Check in at Reception in the main parking lot, or at the 24-hour front kiosk after hours. Display your paid receipt on the dashboard. Speed limits are 15 mph on the property and 5 mph in Mainside. Vehicles over 24 feet or with more than two axles are not allowed beyond the lot. Parking near the pools is limited, the walk up is uphill, and only ADA permit holders may drive close to the pool area.

When to go

Harbin is open every day of the year, and the pools run 24 hours.

• Monday to Thursday is cheaper and calmer. Weekends sell out, and Harmony Passes are limited.
• Late night and early morning are the quietest times to soak, especially for overnight and camping guests.
• Spring and fall are pleasant. Summer days in Lake County are hot, so the cooler pools get busy. Winter nights are cold, and the Hot Pool is at its best.
• Avoid Alligator Day if you want the hot and warm pools.

Prices and booking

Rates from Harbin’s website, checked October 2026:

• Membership (required for every adult 18+): $15 one-month trial, $35 one year, $300 lifetime. Non-refundable. Members may bring up to three children.
• 6-hour day visit: $45 adult and $25 child Monday to Thursday. $55 adult and $25 child Friday to Sunday. Check in between 9 am and 8 pm. The pass runs 6 hours or until midnight, whichever is first.
• 24-hour visit with camping: $60 adult and $40 child Monday to Thursday. $75 adult and $55 child Friday to Sunday and holidays.
• 3-hour Harmony Pass: $25 Monday to Thursday, $30 Friday to Sunday. Use between 7 am and 8 pm. Limited numbers, so reserve.
• 3-hour Lake County Local Pass: $20 weekdays, $25 weekends, with proof of Lake County residence.
• Walk-in fee: $5 if you arrive without an online reservation.

Everyone 18 and older needs a physical photo ID. Each adult books individually. Passes can be upgraded but not downgraded, and everyone in one car must buy the same pass length.

Rules and etiquette

• No phones, cameras or electronics in the pool area or anywhere clothing is optional. No photography anywhere on the property.
• Sober site. No alcohol, drugs or cannabis. Smoking only in designated spots.
• Shower with soap before entering any pool, and skip oils and lotions.
• Clothing is required in food areas, at events and classes, in offices, and in sight of the public road. Bring a towel or wrap for the sauna.
• Quiet time runs 10 pm to 10 am. Respect the quiet zones at all hours.
• No sexual activity in pools or public areas. Registered sex offenders are not allowed on the property.
• No pets. ADA service dogs only, and no animals left in cars.
• Bring your own towel and a padlock for the lockers. Room towels stay in rooms.

Where to stay nearby

On site, you can camp with a 24-hour pass in the Meadow Camping and Picnic Area, along the creek, or in your vehicle. Rooms (two-night minimum on weekends and holidays, plus a $250 refundable card deposit) include:

• Grove Cottages: $225 weekdays, $275 weekends, double occupancy, about a 10-minute walk to the pools.
• The Domes: $110-$325 weekdays, $125-$345 weekends. Hilltop geodesic rooms with their own two small pools, about a 20-minute downhill walk to Mainside. No children.
• Creekside Caravans: $190 weekdays, $215 weekends, with kitchenettes.

The Stonefront Restaurant on site is open 8 am to 8 pm. Middletown is under 10 minutes away for groceries and gas, and Calistoga has a wide choice of hotels on the other side of Mount St. Helena.

Safety notes

• The Hot Pool is very hot. Around 113°F45°C. Start with short dips, cool off between rounds, and and follow Harbin’s own advice to check with a doctor first if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, circulation problems or a history of seizures, or take anticoagulants or medication that causes drowsiness.
• Do not exercise before or during a hot soak. Harbin warns this can cause fainting.
• Uneven ground. Paths are steep in places. Bring sturdy shoes and a flashlight for night walks.
• Fire season. This canyon burned in 2015. In summer and fall, follow staff instructions if the fire siren sounds.