Lost Trail Hot Springs

What to expect

Lost Trail Hot Springs is an old-fashioned resort at the head of the Bitterroot Valley, tucked a quarter mile off US-93 in a side draw below Lost Trail Pass. Visit Montana describes it as surrounded by the Bitterroot National Forest, and it feels that way: lodgepole and fir on every side, a few cabins and lodge buildings from the mid-1900s, and one outdoor pool steaming in the middle.

The water is the draw. In a 2023 interview with the Bitterroot Star, co-owner Stann Honey said the springs deliver about 150 gallons a minute of 107°F42°C water. That feeds a large swimming pool kept just under 100°F38°C and a smaller hot tub that runs warmer. There is also a dry sauna. The big pool is warm rather than hot, which makes it comfortable for long soaks and for kids, while the hot tub is where adults go to warm up properly.

This is not a polished spa. The buildings are old, the kitchen has been closed at times for lack of staff, and some online reviewers have complained about upkeep. Go for the setting and the water, and do not expect resort service.

History

The resort’s own history says the site was called Gallogly Hot Springs until it became Lost Trail Hot Springs in the 1970s. Travelers used it as a resting place before the steep climb to Gibbons Pass on the Continental Divide. In 1892 a woman started a cabin here so her invalid son could be near the water, though she left after about two years. In 1894 a Mr. Denning became the first person to pipe the hot water, running it to his own cabin.

Stann Honey and his mother, Mary Dell, bought the springs in February 1993 and have run it since. They named the cabins after events of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which crossed Lost Trail Pass in 1805.

A commercial real estate site shows the resort listed for sale at $4,995,000. We could not confirm the listing date or whether it is still current, and we found no report of a completed sale. The resort was operating and posting hours in 2026.

Getting there

The address is 283 Lost Trail Hot Springs Road, Sula.

• From Missoula: Drive about 85 miles south on US-93 through Hamilton and Darby, over the low divide to Sula. Continue south on US-93 for about 6 miles past Sula and turn right onto Lost Trail Hot Springs Road. The resort is a quarter mile off the highway.
• From Idaho: Coming north from Salmon on US-93, cross Lost Trail Pass at the state line and drop about 6 miles down the Montana side. The turn is on the left.

US-93 is paved and kept open all winter, but the stretch between Sula and the pass is steep and often snowy. Carry chains or good winter tires from November to April.

When to go

Lost Trail is open in every season, but not every day. The website lists the summer schedule (July and August) as Thursday to Sunday, and the winter schedule (early September to the end of June) as Friday to Sunday only. A visitor guide dated April 2026 gives a slightly different picture: daily from mid-June to early September, and Friday to Sunday the rest of the year with weekday visits by appointment. The resort itself warns that hours shift with demand and holidays. Call before you drive.

• Winter is the classic time. The resort sits roughly halfway between Sula and Lost Trail Powder Mountain ski area, so it fills with skiers on weekend afternoons.
• Summer brings Highway 93 road-trippers and families camping in the national forest.
• Fall is hunting season in the upper Bitterroot. A hunting outfitter, Bunky Ranch Outfitters, works out of Lost Trail, so expect hunters in the lodging.

Prices and booking

The resort website does not post current pool prices. An Explore the Bitterroot listing gives admission at $8.25 for adults (14 to 59), $6.25 for seniors and children 3 to 13, and $2.25 for toddlers, but those listings are undated and probably old. Expect to pay more today.

Soaking is free if you stay in one of the cabins or lodges. Lodging includes the Sacajawea and Meriwether lodges and several individual cabins, booked by phone at 406-821-3574 or by email at losttrailhotsprings@yahoo.com. The resort asks that calls be made between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. No booking is needed to use the pool during open hours.

Rules and etiquette

• Swimsuits: this is a family pool that the local tourism listing calls good for all ages, so bring a suit.
• Young children: Montana rules keep kids under 5 out of the hotter water, so they stay in the main pool.
• Food: the restaurant has run only in summer and ski season in recent years, per Visit Montana, so bring snacks outside those times.

Where to stay nearby

• On site: cabins, lodge rooms and an RV park in the trees. The Bitterroot Star put total capacity at about 125 guests in 2023.
• Darby and Hamilton, farther north on US-93, have motels and restaurants.
• National forest camping: dispersed camping is allowed in much of the Bitterroot National Forest. The Northern Region order R1-2025-01 (to July 31, 2030) limits stays in Montana to 16 consecutive days at one site and 32 days a year. The Bitterroot food storage order (in force March 1 to December 1 each year through 2027) requires food, trash and scented items to be kept in a bear-resistant container, a closed vehicle or hung at least 10 feet up when you are not within 100 feet of them.

Safety notes

• Hot tub heat: the hot tub runs well above the pool. Keep soaks short and drink water.
• Winter roads: Lost Trail Pass gets heavy snow. Check Montana road reports before driving after dark.
• Wildlife: this is bear, elk and moose country. Drive slowly at dusk and keep food locked up if you camp.
• Limited signal: cell coverage is patchy south of Darby. Download maps and tell someone your plans.

Nearby stops worth adding

Back north toward Sula, Medicine Hot Springs is a historic resort property that is now private and closed to the public, so do not plan to soak there. Over Chief Joseph Pass on Montana Highway 43, Big Hole National Battlefield marks the 1877 battle between the Nez Perce and the US Army.