Montana Hot Springs in Winter: What’s Open, When, and How to Get There

Last updated: November 4, 2026

Part of our Montana travel guides. For day-pass prices, the full map and every soak’s details, see the Montana hot springs guide.

Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you use some links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

Most of the developed hot springs we checked stay open through the winter. When we checked each operator’s own website on November 4, 2026, Chico, Yellowstone Hot Springs, Norris, Spa Hot Springs, Sleeping Buffalo, Boulder, Broadwater, Bozeman Hot Springs, Lolo and Quinn’s all posted year-round or everyday hours. The real winter questions are different: which days each one is closed, which ones need a booking, whether you can soak there at all without a room (Fairmont: no), and how the drive in looks after a snowstorm.

This page answers only those winter questions. We don’t repeat prices here, because they’re in our main hot springs guide and they change. Check the operator’s page before you drive.

General travel information only, not medical, driving or safety advice. Hours change, sometimes without notice; confirm with the linked operator page or by phone.

Which Montana hot springs are open in winter?

All hours as posted on each operator’s site on Nov. 4, 2026. “No seasonal closure posted” means the page lists everyday hours and says nothing about a winter closure; it isn’t a promise. We didn’t find Christmas or New Year’s hours on most of these pages, so call ahead for those days. Broadwater says it is open for most holidays and closes only on Thanksgiving and the 4th of July.

What’s closed in winter

The famous free soak at Boiling River, near Yellowstone’s North Entrance, is not a winter option or a summer one. The Park Service says swimming there “is not possible” because of damage from the 2022 floods (NPS). The Park Service also tells visitors never to touch any hydrothermal waters in the park because they can scald you. For the full list of public-land soaks and their status, see the public-land section of our hot springs guide.

A public-land soak within reach of western Montana is Jerry Johnson Hot Springs in Idaho, which the Forest Service lists as “open year round,” with day use only from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and no overnight camping. The trailhead is at milepost 152 on US 12, about an hour from Lolo, with two parking spaces, one of them for stock use (USFS). The page doesn’t describe winter trail or parking conditions, so call the ranger district before you plan a winter visit.

Winter-specific things the operators tell you

A few operators post details that only matter in cold weather:

• Outdoor pools can run cooler. Lolo lists its outdoor pool at 74–78°F in winter, versus 78–85°F in summer, and its indoor hot pool at 103–105°F in winter (Lolo). Boulder keeps its outdoor pool at about 96–100°F and says wind and snow can affect that (Boulder).
• Some run hotter. Norris says its sprayer system keeps the pool below 100°F in summer and lets it run “as warm as 106” in winter (Norris).
• Indoor options exist. Sleeping Buffalo has a 60-by-80-foot indoor main pool plus a hot tub, cold plunge and sauna (Sleeping Buffalo). Spa Hot Springs has an indoor pool (Spa Hot Springs), and Boulder’s hot plunges and steam rooms are indoors (Boulder). Lolo lists a separate indoor hot pool.
• Fairmont can close its outdoor pools. Fairmont says its outdoor pools and waterslide may close for a while in cold weather, for example because of ice on the decks, extreme wind or low visibility (Fairmont).
• Short days change Bozeman’s schedule. Bozeman Hot Springs closes at sundown on Fridays and opens at sundown on Saturdays, and its hours page has a calendar with the exact times (Bozeman Hot Springs). With early winter sunsets, Friday’s closing and Saturday’s opening both come earlier in the evening than in summer.
• Quinn’s books out ahead. Quinn’s releases another month of swim sessions on the first of each month at noon and takes bookings up to four months out. Changes and cancellations close at 10 p.m. three days before your session (Quinn’s). If you want a holiday-week soak, book early.

Snow, ice and the drive in

A winter storm can make the last few miles slow, so check conditions before you leave.

• Check Montana 511 before you leave. The Montana Department of Transportation’s 511 site is a statewide map with road conditions, travel alerts and cameras.
• Yellowstone Hot Springs is about 7 miles from Gardiner on US 89 and then Cinnabar Basin Road and East Gate Road. The operator warns that Google Maps mislabels Cinnabar Basin Road as East Gate Road (Yellowstone Hot Springs).
• Lolo Hot Springs is on US 12 between Lolo and the Idaho border (Lolo). The resort’s site also lists snowmobile rentals.
• Your car isn’t going into Yellowstone from most entrances. Most park roads close to regular vehicles from early November to late April. The road from the North Entrance at Gardiner to Cooke City is the only one generally open to cars all year (NPS Park Roads).

Cold-weather practical points

• Wet skin, cold air. The National Weather Service says that at 0°F with a 15 mph wind, the wind chill is -19°F and exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes (NWS). The walk from the pool to the changing room is short, but wet hair and skin lose heat fast. Bring a warm hat, a robe or parka, and footwear you can slip on.
• Don’t overdo the soak. Quinn’s asks guests to limit pool use to 15 minutes at a time, and warns that staying in too long can cause dizziness, fainting and nausea (Quinn’s). A cold day makes it tempting to stay in longer.
• Health, kids and water safety. The age rules, the nose-water precaution for natural hot water and the medical cautions are in the safety section of our hot springs guide. They apply year-round.

This section summarizes agency and operator guidance; it isn’t medical advice.

Easy winter weekends built around a soak

These are pairings, not detailed itineraries. Each uses only soaks that posted winter hours.

Paradise Valley and Gardiner, after a Yellowstone day

Yellowstone’s oversnow season (commercially guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches) runs from Dec. 15, 2026, and the North Entrance road to Cooke City stays open to cars (NPS Park Roads). That makes Gardiner a good winter base: drive the North Entrance road or book a guided oversnow trip by day, then soak at Yellowstone Hot Springs (closed Mondays) or at Chico in Paradise Valley, where day guests can soak 8 a.m.–11 p.m. every day (Chico). Our Yellowstone in winter from Montana guide covers snowcoach tours, operators and lodges.

Where to stay: compare hotels in Gardiner on Expedia or hotels in Livingston on Expedia, the larger town at the north end of Paradise Valley (see our Livingston town guide). For a group or a family, there are vacation rentals in Gardiner and Paradise Valley on Vrbo. Chico also rents rooms and cabins on site.

Bozeman and the Madison Valley, after skiing

Big Sky Resort lists opening day as Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026 (Big Sky Resort); see our Montana ski trip planner for the full plan and sources. Bozeman Hot Springs is 8 miles west of Bozeman on US 191, the road to Big Sky and West Yellowstone, according to the operator (Bozeman Hot Springs), and it posts late hours most nights. Norris, a single wooden-plank pool in the Madison Valley, has public hours Thursday through Monday; skip Tuesday. If you’re flying in, compare rental cars at Bozeman’s airport (BZN). More: Bozeman town guide and Big Sky things to do.

Missoula, Lolo and Paradise

From Missoula, Lolo Hot Springs is out US 12 toward the Idaho border, and it doesn’t take reservations for day passes. Quinn’s, in Paradise on MT 135, does require one, so book the session before you go. If the weather’s good and you’re comfortable with winter roads, Jerry Johnson is farther along US 12 in Idaho (day use only; see above). To drive yourself, compare rental cars at Missoula’s airport (MSO), and for a city base, compare hotels in Missoula on Expedia. More: Missoula town guide.

White Sulphur Springs and Showdown

Spa Hot Springs is open every day of the year, and its operator says it’s 35 miles from Showdown Ski Area (Spa Hot Springs). Showdown lists an anticipated opening day of Dec. 11 for the 2026-27 season (Showdown Montana). Ski in the day, soak in the evening.

The Hi-Line: Sleeping Buffalo

Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs near Saco on the Hi-Line posts year-round hours and an indoor main pool, which helps on a subzero Hi-Line day. The resort’s site also points to fishing and ice on Nelson Reservoir across the road (Sleeping Buffalo). It doesn’t post day-pass prices online, so call (406) 527-3320. For history stops along the Hi-Line, see things to do in Havre. Our hot springs guide also covers the Sleeping Buffalo Rock nearby.

Holiday and month planning

For December events statewide, see Montana in December; for deep-winter conditions, see Montana in January.

Frequently asked questions

Are Montana hot springs open in winter?

Most developed ones are. On Nov. 4, 2026, Chico, Yellowstone Hot Springs, Norris, Spa Hot Springs, Sleeping Buffalo, Boulder, Broadwater, Bozeman Hot Springs, Lolo and Quinn’s all posted year-round or everyday hours on their own sites. Fairmont’s pools are open only to resort guests and members (see the table above for sources).

Which hot springs near Yellowstone are open in winter?

On the Montana side, Yellowstone Hot Springs near Gardiner (closed Mondays) and Chico Hot Springs in Paradise Valley (daily) (Yellowstone Hot Springs; Chico). Swimming at Boiling River inside the park is not possible (NPS).

Do I need a reservation to soak in winter?

Of the springs above, Quinn’s is the one that requires an online booking for every day-use guest (Quinn’s). Lolo says day passes are first come, first served, and Norris, Broadwater and Yellowstone Hot Springs say no reservation is needed during public hours (Norris’s Wednesday private soaks do require one). The other operators’ pages don’t say, so call ahead.

Is the outdoor water still hot in winter?

It depends on the pool. Norris says its pool can run as warm as 106°F in winter, while Lolo lists its outdoor pool at 74–78°F in winter (Norris; Lolo).

Can you soak at Fairmont Hot Springs in winter without staying there?

No. Fairmont says its pools are open only to registered overnight guests and members; RV park and chalet guests can swim for a daily fee (Fairmont).

Sources

• https://www.chicohotsprings.com/soak
• https://yellowstonehotspringsmt.com/hours-prices/
• https://yellowstonehotspringsmt.com/
• https://bozemanhotsprings.co/hours-location/
• https://bozemanhotsprings.co/contact/
• https://www.norrishotsprings.com/soak
• https://www.boulderhotsprings.com/services-3
• https://broadwatermt.com/pages/hot-springs-hours
• https://broadwatermt.com/pages/holiday-hours
• https://www.spahotsprings.com/soak
• https://www.spahotsprings.com/
• https://www.lolohotsprings.com/soak
• https://www.lolohotsprings.com/
• https://www.quinnshotsprings.com/swim-session
• https://www.quinnshotsprings.com/pool-info
• https://www.sbhotsprings.com/
• https://fairmontmontana.com/hot-springs-pool-information/
• https://www.nps.gov/places/000/boiling-river.htm
• https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/parkroads.htm
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/nezperce-clearwater/recreation/warm-springs-trailhead
• https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-wind-chill-chart
• https://www.511mt.net/
• https://www.showdownmontana.com/
• https://www.bigskyresort.com/events/winter-opening-day
• All source pages fetched Nov. 4, 2026

Cole Bennett edits MontanaHelp, a research-driven guide to moving to and living in Montana. Articles cite official and public sources and are updated as rules and data change. AI tools help research and draft them; a person runs the editorial process and spot-checks one article per batch before it’s published.

AI tools helped research and draft this article. A person runs MontanaHelp’s editorial process and spot-checks one article per batch before it’s published.

This guide is general travel information, not medical, driving or safety advice. Hours, prices and road conditions change; confirm with the linked operator pages before you go. We do not quote day-pass or lodging prices.