Looking to heat things up this Valentine’s Day? We have the most literally steamy solution for you: hot springs! With a variety of locations from Cali to Colorado to Alaska, here are a few of our favorite places to cozy up with a loved one and soak up geothermal waters and snow-capped mountain views.
From free outdoor hiking spots to luxurious resorts, there’s a hot spring for every cuddly couple that will have you singing, "It's getting hot in here..." you know the rest. Grab your dear one and get your swimsuits ready, we’re going for the plunge.
Image Credit: Eric Rubens, @erubes1
Wild Willy's Heart Shaped Hot Spring Near Mammoth Lakes
They say the best things in life are free, and Wild Willy’s is at the top of our list of best things. Sweep away your valentine and head up to the Mammoth Lakes in California. Hike out just a few minutes from the parking area to this heart-shaped hot spring’s intensely blue geothermal waters and soak up the cleansing vibes and stunning views of the Sierra summits.
Image Credit: Dunton Hot Springs
Dunton Hot Springs in Telluride, Colorado
One of Colorado’s best outdoor hot springs resorts, Dunton Hot Springs is a romantic little ghost town nestled deep in the San Juan Mountains near Telluride. If you’re planning a weekend getaway with your beau, this spot has luxe accommodations and plenty of snow-capped vantage points from the steamy baths.
Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks, Alaska
Located 60 miles outside Fairbanks, this Alaskan rock lake is mineral-rich and hot, hot, hot. An awesome viewing point for Aurora Borealis, Chena Hot Springs welcomes overnighters and day-trippers alike. If you’re able to make the trek with your main squeeze, be sure to check out the on-site ice museum. It’s like a speakeasy made of ice!
Image Credit: Alex Deckard
Fifth Water Hot Springs in Diamond Fork Canyon, Utah
For those adventure-seeking duos out there, check out Utah’s nature hike into the sulfur springs of Diamond Fork Canyon. Located just about an hour from Salt Lake City, this enclave of naturally heated dipping pools and waterfalls shows off with its clear jade and steamy turquoise waters. Be sure to pack a picnic for you and your favorite adventure buddy, and dress warmly enough for the wild.
Image Credit: American Southwest
Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada
Nature lovers, we’ve got another goodie for your hike-first, bathe-later list. Just outside Vegas, between Hoover Dam and Boulder City, Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs is a fab Valentine’s destination for a canyon-admiring couple. Half the fun here is the journey to the hot springs, complete with a hike through boulders, down cliffs, and into the Cave of Wonders.
Image Credit: Passion Fotographie
Abyss Pool in West Thumb, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
If a weekend trip to Yellowstone National Park is on your Valentine’s Day wishlist, a steamy trip to the Abyss Pool in West Thumb should be at the top of your agenda. Known for being the deepest pool in Yellowstone, you probably don’t want your boo to go searching for the bottom of this 53-foot deep geyser basin.
Image Credit:
Travertine Hot Springs in Bridgeport, California
A maze of travertine rocks and hot pools of every hotness-variety to dip into, this Bridgeport spot is steamy and swimsuit-optional. With views of Sawtooth Ridge, Travertine Hot Springs puts on a real nature show at sunrise and sunset. If it’s a particularly busy V-day, check out the four smaller pools in the grassy meadow beyond the main area for some one-on-one with your better half.
Image Credit: Oregon Hikers
Bagby Hot Springs in Mount Hood, Oregon
An easy day trip from Portland, getting to Bagby Hot Springs requires an easy mile-and-a-half hike beside the Collawash River to a little grouping of log cabins. Dating back to the 1930s, the bathhouse at Bagby has a series of huge hand-carved cedar log bathtubs that are fed by the nearby springs. Soaking in a hot tub in the forest beats flowers and chocolate just about any day of the week, but especially for Valentine’s Day (for the record, we’ll accept the chocolates and flowers too though).
Image Credit: Leftcoast Wanderings
Sykes Hot Springs, Big Sur, Los Padres National Forest
Okay Big Sur fans, we know you have at least 1,847,265 reasons to go to Big Sur for Valentine’s Day, but if you’re not going for the hot springs, you’re doing it wrong (#sorrynotsorry). While you may have lined up for the Esalen hot springs in vacays past, this year it’s all about a new experience. Grab your hiking boots and your partna’-in-crime and head out to Los Padres National Forest to see nature’s stone-lined natural hot tub. It’s a smallie, but a goodie.
Image Credit: Scenic Hotsprings
Goldmyer Hot Springs, Cascade Mountains, Washington
Maxing out at twenty visitors per day, this hot spring is never too crowded to enjoy as a romantic jaunt into Mother Nature. Located in the Cascade Mountains near North Bend, it can get real cold and icy around here, so a dip in the crystal-clear hot spring pools is essential to you and your love keeping things steamy. Be sure to hike to the nearby waterfalls once you’re all warmed up.
