Big Bend Hot Springs: Our 105°F Rio Grande Soak

Big Bend Hot Springs was one of our favorite low-effort experiences in the park. After so much hiking, sitting in naturally hot water beside the Rio Grande felt fantastic. The setting is what makes it memorable: the spring is contained by the remains of a historic bathhouse right on the riverbank.

Big Bend Hot Springs quick facts

Water temperatureAbout 105°F

Direct hikeAbout 0.5 mile round trip

Longer optionAbout 1 mile using the bluff loop

AccessRough, narrow Hot Springs Road to the historic district trailhead

ImportantThe spring can be affected or submerged by Rio Grande flooding

What the Big Bend Hot Springs are like

The old bathhouse itself is gone, but the foundation remains and contains the spring water. You sit in a primitive stone-edged pool while the Rio Grande flows immediately beside you. The spring emerges at about 105°F, which felt especially good after hiking.

Big Bend Hot Springs beside the Rio Grande

We cooled off in the Rio Grande, but NPS does not recommend swimming

After soaking, we went into the river to cool off. That is part of what we remember enjoying, but it is not advice we would give readers to copy. Current NPS guidance says swimming in the Rio Grande is not recommended because currents and depths can be unpredictable and there can be hidden hazards.

Soak in the spring, enjoy the river setting, and make your own decision based on current park guidance and conditions rather than our experience.

The hike is short, but the area is worth exploring

The direct walk from the trailhead to the spring is only about half a mile round trip. A roughly one-mile loop can continue around the bluff above the Rio Grande. The historic district also includes traces of the area's earlier settlement and resort history, so this can be more than a quick soak if you have time.

Check river conditions before you go

The spring is right beside the Rio Grande and is subject to flooding. High water can submerge the spring or leave it filled with mud, rocks and debris afterward. This is one experience where current conditions matter more than a photo from someone else's trip.

Is Big Bend Hot Springs worth it?

Yes. It is short, unusual and a perfect contrast to Big Bend's longer hikes. We would especially like it after a big Chisos hiking day, when sitting in 105°F water feels less like sightseeing and more like recovery.

Back to our Big Bend National Park guide.