Firstly, several of these reviews are for the wrong hot springs. If a review mentions a restaurant, or a resort, or a time slot, they are referring to the SOL DUC hot springs, not these ones. Also, the reviews that mention that the hike is easy are all outdated! It's a slog to get there! The Olympic hot springs are a 12 mile hike mostly uphill. It used to be a much shorter hike but about five years ago the road washed out and you now have to hike an extra 8 miles... 12 miles total... one way. It's a slog! The springs themselves, while pretty, are shallow, muddy, slimy, and overall pretty gross. The signs warn of fecal bacteria. If you're hoping to hike 12 miles to soak in pristine pools, think again. Nudity is common. If anyone is actually using the hot springs, they will likely be nude. Get over it!! Let the nudists have their place... and 12 miles deep in the woods is a nice place to be nude. You might also see nudists hiking or biking on the trail to the hot springs. It's not common but does happen occasionally. Just smile and say hi! The hike starts off easy on a paved road for about 3/4 of a mile. Then you have to use a single-track dirt bypass trail that is steep and rooty. If you're using a bike you'll be pushing and carrying it over things. Then you're put back on an old paved road again. It's another 2 miles to the Glines Canyon overlook which is fun to see. Then it's another 5 miles on the same road, but now 100% uphill and sometimes steep, just to reach the trailhead. Once at the trailhead, you're already over 8 miles into it and you have another 2.5 or so to hike... bikes not allowed. You have to park at the Madison Falls parking lot. You're supposed to have a National Park pass. read more

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Enchanted springs in enchanted forest, I have camped here quiet a bit when in college. Most special hot springs on earth to me. Hike is fun not too strenuous read more

I thought the hot spring was a great way to cap off my day of exploring the olympic national park. I had the latest time slot, which I would only recommend to folks staying in the resort (I stayed in Port Angeles and was a pretty lengthy drive back to my Airbnb in the pitch dark). It was pretty crowded when I went, so it was hard to fully decompress from the day with so many people around. I know that may be out of the venues control, but perhaps cap the amount of people lower so it is more enjoyable? I also went in the morning to reserve my time slot ahead of time but could have showed up at the time of the slot and probably wouldn't have had an issue. The facility was nice enough but definitely was not as clean as I had hoped, but overall it was very relaxing. read more

Olympic Hot Springs - Hot Spring - Parks Near Me - Port Angeles, Washington

10.3 mile uphill hike one way from the parking lot. Small, mung filled puddles. Very tough to get to. read more

Hot springs are not well maintained, have a horrible smell to them and the "restaurant" only had pb&j crustables and a burger which is not advertised on the website. It is extremely overpriced to stay given the accommodations. We got out of there right away. read more

We arrived at the lodge about 30 minutes into the 90 minute session, and decided to go on a quick little hike. We wanted to take full advantage of our 90 minute soak. I think we all enjoyed the pools after the hike. Can't wait till our next visit to the park. read more

This remote hot springs, high above the Elhwa River Valley in Olympic Nation Park, Just may be the most beautiful springs in the Northwest. It has everything: breathtaking mountain and forest scenery, waterfalls, a river canyon and a choice of about a half-a-dozen different springs tucked here and there along the river. Temperatures vary from lukewarm to 138 degrees F. A resort existed in the area until 1966, when the lease expired. Heavy winter snows caused many of the old buildings to collapse. They were removed, but seeps remain. Nudity is prohibited! The impounded pools frequently fail water quality standards for public bathing. Use at your own risk. GPS: 47.977N 123.762W read more

Olympic Hot Springs - Parks Near Me - Port Angeles, Washington

I would like to start by saying that, as a Florida boy, I had no idea what to expect of a "hot springs". Where I was born and raised springs were "turtle shell" COLD (if you know what I mean). You have to hike about 2.5 miles to get here, it's not really that bad of a hike though. It was as a bit of a pain for my crew as we were all backcountry virgins, but I imagine there are harsher ways to have one's backcountry cherry popped. The park's "pro tips" for the trail are rather hilarious. They warn that "OMG TEH HOT SPRINGS WILL KILL YOU CUZ OF BACTERIA YALLZ!" They also warn that nudity is common but are quick to point out that "the park doesn't condone this". We hiked in, setup our tents and went down to the springs. They smelled very sulfur-y but there were many of them and to my excitement/dissappointment we were the only ones there (the parking lot was rather full when we set out as well). We had a good time despite my drinking a little bit too much home-distilled apple spirit and having to clean myself with Northface tent instructions after early morning commode use. I was a little disappointed to not see wrinkly hippy bewbage and ballsacks though, maybe next time. read more

Very disappointed. Took family and exposed to several people having sex out in the open. Harassed by several gay men telling us we needed to leave immediately from the hot spring we were in. We arrived early before they all started arriving, so we had the best spring. They did not want to wait and began having sex in front of us in order to make us leave, which we did. We reported this to the rager station and was told they cannot control all activities and suggested I was homophobic. I replied that do not want to be subjected to ANY public sex acts, period. I have SEVERAL friends and relatives that are gay and all that I have spoken with stated this was outrageous and far over the top. There were SEVERAL groups of men that arrived with some of them bringing underage boys. I have reported this to NPS, state police, and the FBI. read more

Extremely long hike since the bridge you used to be able to drive over collapsed! It takes about 22 miles round trip BUT it is very worth it and very rewarding. I had never seen a hot spring before since I am originally from Florida but it's definitely something you should see at least once in your life. The only thing I did not expect that was a bit unpleasant was the awful smell around the hot springs. But I later found out that, that is due to the volcanic heat and sulfur mixing together. Also I'd like to add it is cougar territory, and we did see fresh cougar tracks when we went in June. So make sure you walk with a long stick to not only help with the hike but also to protect yourself in case you need to. But again, worth it!! Views are unbeatable!! Another thing i'd like to add, is that it is not as inclined as I thought. Therefore the hike itself is not that hard to do, it is just very far. read more

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I have to say I love this hike! It is easy and the reward at the top is great! It is about 2.4 miles up and it can be anytime of day! There are some river crossing and some only some rivers have bridges. In the summer it is busy and it is clothing optional! This means you could find your grandmothers shuffle board partner in her bare essentials! GREAT hike for family and friends; I would suggest keeping the clothes on if you are with your family or strange stalker/love interest. Easy to find if you Google it I think. If not check out, "Hiking Hot Springs in the Pacific Northwest" a Falcon Guide book. read more

Olympic Hot Springs - Dec 23rd 2007 9 p.m - Parks Near Me - Port Angeles, Washington

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Access update -- As of November 2014, road and trail are OPEN. This comes after an unbearably long (three year) closure for a dam removal and area restoration. Woo hoo! As an aside, I don't think it's fair to rate something like a hike poorly simply because it isn't available. (How dare the folks who make it their life's work to preserve the environment do their job?) There is no way to tell the quality of something if you haven't experienced it. ------- Oh, Oly Hot Springs, how I love you... how I long for you Boulder Creek and yes you too Elwha River... how I yearn for the giggles that erupt when I see fools going on down Hwy 101 to the commercialized, cemented Sol Duc "Hot Springs" as I turn off onto your little road taking me to heaven. I have had a gazillion incredible trips here, starting when I was a wee baby and my hippie parents lived in Port Angeles. I love to stay in the campgrounds not far inside the park entrance on the river, especially in fall when there aren't many campers and when the weather is cool enough to really enjoy the springs. Alternatively, there are a few spots in a primitive campground on the wooded bluff above Boulder Creek. This is nice and quiet, and allows for easy access to the springs in the middle of the night or early morning. I have even forayed up on a snowy New Year's Eve -- the trailhead closes 7 miles down the road though, so be forewarned. There have been countless times when I get to the trailhead and become anxious when I see the ton of cars parked precariously on the side of the mountain: "Will there be room?" -- "Will we have to share a spring with someone?" However, there has only been one time out of said gazillion trips where I "had" to share. I assume a lot of the cars brought hikers to the adjoining trails (Alpine Lakes, about 5 miles steep hike past the springs, is amazing by the way). I have never personally gotten sick or had any other bad health/sanitation experiences. If the rocks are positioned correctly there is a lot of movement and the water recycles itself constantly. Nudity is common, so again be forewarned should you care about that kind of thing. See you soon, my love! read more

I love coming up here, it's super pretty and always a fun adventure. It's been pretty busy since the road got reopened, I don't know if that will die down or if it'll remain so for a while, but that's okay. A couple times I've been up here and the best pools are taken already, which is lame. If you explore around a bit though, you can usually find a couple hidden aways ones. Also, if you get weirded out by nudity or knowing the pools may have bacteria in them, I wouldn't advise coming up here. Wear good shoes or boots because your feet will get wet on the latter part of the trail! (During the winter months at least). Also, if you're torn between here and Sol Duc, I would definitely advise here instead because it's a much more authentic experience of hot springs and so much more fun! Only go to Sol Duc if you're unable to hike or if you're a tourist looking for the comforts of a hotel. All in all, it's a super fun place to go if you don't mind getting a little dirty or seeing other people naked :) read more

Olympic Hot Springs - A very nice, warm spring that is usually not taken due to it being a bit harder to find! - Parks Near Me - Port Angeles, Washington

Five stars for the great time my wife and I had here once. Four stars subtracted for the severe case of sinusitis we both got afterward that required heavy duty antibiotics. And a burn I'd gotten on a wood stove the night before became incredibly infected as well. Nasty stuff living in that water. Speaking of nasty, James plagiarized at least half his review from Gorp.com. He should have at least pretended to rewrite it. I could flag it, but it's more fun to just point it out. EDIT 10/26/11: There's a whole new article up on the Gorp site and so now the evidence of plagiarism is gone. But seriously, James' review was cut 'n' paste-eriffic. And just as seriously, go ahead and get in that water if you want, but I'm not doing that to myself again. http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_park/wa/hot_oly.htm read more

AMAZING!! I was bummed out that I couldn't get reservations to Goldmyer hotsprings (only 20 people allowed a day) and found directions to these online. Totally blew my expectations out of the water! We went on a slightly rainy Sunday in July. We got pools to ourselves and only shared when a group of people around our age politely asked to join. There are 7 pools and the best one is the last, you hike up a hill to it. The nudeness is strange but a good experience for all. Yes the water is slightly sulfur-y, and probably not very clean but it has flow in and out, and is not stagnant and gross. I recommend going to Olympic Rafting & Kayaking (very close) to use their showers afterwards. We got there after hours around 8pm and the bathrooms and showers were still open. If the hot springs aren't good enough, the hike there tops it all off. My girlfriend and I are athletic but do not enjoy exercise, this ~2 mile hike each way is very slightly uphill, and the forest is so diverse and beautiful surrounding that it doesn't even seem like a hike. More of a nature walk lol. Took us about 3 hours to get there from North Seattle, using the Kingston Ferry. Great drive, camping recommended unless you head out early. It's amazing that more people don't know about this truly amazing place, get there now! read more

Amazing. One of the most magical places on Earth. Very few signs of human influence -- the pools are sulfurous and mucky, just the way nature intended them to be. I visited in the depth of winter, which made it difficult to want to leave the pools, but I will be back someday for a summer visit. read more

It's was fun hike with my boo. My first time go hot springs. Not too bad just smell little stinky. Just soaking my legs in the water to relaxing. read more

Olympic Hot Springs - It was fun hiking up there to hot springs and soaking my legs in the water more relaxing and so much refreshed my legs. - Parks Near Me - Port Angeles, Washington

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Great Hike down The Boulder Creek Trail in the beautiful Olympic National Park. This beautiful well maintained trail leads you to the "Off the Beaten Path" Hot Springs of the Olympic National Park. At only about 5.5 Miles Out and Back this is a great Hike in itself what makes it even better is having a cool attraction at the end of a beautiful Hike. There are well over 8 Hot Springs within this little area, and all are easily located from the trail. This is a must Hike while visiting the ONP. read more

This is an awesome spot! The hike in is on a wide open trail in a beautiful forest. There a a few washouts and a big rockslide at the bridge right before the hot springs, I think the bridge is supposed to be closed.... But the signs were down and we walked across anyway. The hot springs themselves are not obvious or visible from the main trail, you have to hike up and explore the hill. This was my first trip to the springs so I wasn't really sure where the good spots were. We found a secluded and murky pool and took a dip. It was stinky, relaxing, and a little creepy when thinking about what might be in the bottom... But over all it was a great hike and a good way to spend a winter afternoon. Oh also- the road and trail are open as of 12/16/14 read more

The Olympic Hot Springs was a thriving resort for almost 60 years. It was started by William Everett "Billy" Everett along with George Lippert and Karl Schoeffel in 1907. The beginings were humble with a single cabin and a large mud pool much like the pools today. Work got out in the community and people hiked the 12 miles up the Elwha Trail to come soak in the waters. After leasing the land from the US Forest Service for 30years and bringing a Sawmill up the trail on a team of horses, they built a lodge, many cabins and a large "wooden" pool. Later a larger lodge was built after a fire and a large cement pool was constructed with fresh water from Boulder Creek and a smaller cement pool for the "mineral sulfer" water. People came from all over to enjoy the the resort for 60 years. The Olympic National Park Service was formed in 1938 and began to encroach on the operations of The Hot Springs resort and forced the closure in 1966. Lodge and the buildings were destroyed and the cement pool was used as a crypt for the remains. All was covered with dirt and the forest reclaimed itself leaving it to appear in it's natural state. However ,,through time,cement is pressing through the earth. Many still hike in droves to the natural pools not knowing that under the earth lies the remains of a resort that was loved and will be remembered as The Olympic Hot Springs. There is a historical tribute to The Olympic Hot Springs at the Clallam County Museum, in Port Angeles, WA. A Journey through pictures and a journey through time, honoring the lifes of those who built and managed the resort and those that came to play... For more information you can contact me Teresa Schoeffel, my great grandparents started the Olympic Hot Springs resort and my grandparents operated it until it closed in 1966. Enjoy the waters , they will always be there, no matter what the government tries to do. tllingvall@gmail.com Peace and Blessings....2012 read more

I visited the springs back in the late spring of 2000, prior to Yelp (possible before the Internet, lol) at that time they were a fine place indeed. Going mid week and prior to summer we pretty much had the place to ourselves. One of the log bridges was a bit tricky, but we took it slow and steady with no problem. I still have fond memories of the trip.....if you get the chance and access is reopened just go for it - then be sure and post the review, perhaps sooner that 14 years like I did. Cheers read more

Review: Olympic is the only hot springs I've had the pleasure of enjoying in Washington. But I've enjoyed plenty in Montana and Idaho. Compared to the those springs, Olympic is pretty sad. Most of the pools are nothing more than tepid mud puddles. At least, that's how they seemed when I went there last weekend. Still, I found two reasonably warm, reasonably deep pools that could accommodate 4 to 6 people comfortably. Also, the springs are pretty secluded and offer plenty of privacy for getting naked :). My friend and I passed a couple of backpackers on the hike in, but the springs were totally deserted (perhaps because it was the middle of winter, snowy and the road was closed, forcing us to hike in an extra 5 miles). The springs come out of sides of a ravine carved by a little creek that rushes along its floor. The path runs along the side of the slope, with springs above and below it at random intervals. My friend and I had to do some exploring to find the better pools, both of which are located near the end of the trail and above. We settled on the most popular pool, which was up a rather steep and icy scramble. Unfortunately, other visitors had crapped up the area, and there was a lot of trash and cast off belongings. Please, if you're going to recreate in a public park, don't shit up the scenery and ruin it for other people. Leave no trace. The hike in to the springs is easy and the trail is well maintained and marked. The only semi-technical thing is the crossing of Crystal Creek, which is accomplished by hiking up and down a steep slope and crossing a log with a single guard rail to cling to. Recently, the foundation the log is attached to was eroded by high water and the Park Service has advised all hikers to avoid crossing it until they replace it this summer. This is a CYA measure by the rangers so that they're not responsible when some idiot does something idiotic and hurts themselves by falling the 4 feet from the bridge to the small creek below. In my opinion (for what it's worth) the bridge is perfectly solid and will not slip or break as long as people cross it in a responsible manner. For that matter, I advise prospective hot springers to ignore all the talk about bacteria. Most of it is motivated by ignorance, paranoia, or selfishness. Again, the Forest Service is posting about it as a CYA measure. Going to this hot spring is about as infectious as swimming in Lake Washington. So if that freaks you out or if you are immunodeficient or plan on drinking lots of the water, then I advise you not to go. Otherwise, have fun and don't worry about it! Things to know: If you don't live on the peninsula, you may have to pay $20-$50 for the ferry ride. Also, you'll need a parks pass, which can be had for $15 a day or $30 for a yearlong pass (buy the year). Directions to the springs can be found easily using Google Maps. Call ahead to the ranger station if you're going in winter, otherwise the road may be closed and you'll have to hike an extra 10 miles like I did (this spring is not worth a 15 mile hike for the spring alone). read more

First of all, the main attraction of these hot springs is the trail leading to them. The trees lining the trail were incredibly beautiful and lush. The trail is well maintained and wide with only moderate hills. As you approach the springs you will see the silver stained water with a slight odor of sulfur running across the trail. As you hike in you will notice multiple springs of varying depth and size. Being somewhat adventurous, my wife and I decided to explore the general area of the springs and were delighted to find a deep, clear, and warm / hot spring almost half way up the mountain. We sat in the spring with several other people (some naked) and were greeted with friendliness and a welcoming attitude. You get what you give I guess. It was lightly raining and the steam drifted up into the trees as we soaked. I highly recommend this location to other free spirits. read more

It is always fun to hike there and since there has been recent trail maintenance and new bridges built, it is an even easier safer hike. Be sure and wash off afterward as there is higher bacteria, especially in the summer. read more

Access to these hot springs has been closed. Apparently there was controversy about having stuff dammed up because it was killing off salmon... Or something like that. You can still get to some hot springs, but it'll be a six or so mile hike. We talked to some guy that was planning on doing it and knew everything about it, so I don't know directions or anything, but I thought it'd be nice to spread the word to anyone that was planning on heading here. read more

As Janette notes, the access to the Olympic Hot Springs via the Hot Springs road is closed until 2013; however, the springs themselves and the adjacent Boulder Creek campsite are indeed open. One "simply" needs to hike the ~15 miles from the Sol Duc River trail head over Appleton Pass to get there (and then do it again when you're done soaking it up). Six friends and I decided to make a four day backpacking trip out of this and we did not regret it. The springs were hot and, aside from a work party at the campsite who was surprised (and slightly annoyed) to see us, they were also not being used by anyone else (thanks to the road closure). Drainage seemed fine and none of us ended up being attacked by the viruses said to live in the pools. Anyone planning this trip should consult a ranger station for permits and regulations on fires and food storage. This was my first visit to the Oly Hot Springs, and they are indeed a special place. The backpacking trip was also remarkable, but very challenging. I look forward to returning to the springs when the road opens back up, though I expect them to be more crowded then. read more

The Hot Springs area is CLOSED until sometime in 2013, due to the destruction of the dams on Elwa River area. I am sure (from pictures) that the area is really beautiful. However, we got to the Ranger station, and were informed that the whole area around the hot springs is closed, due to the equipment and blasting. It will be re-opened after the whole project is done. BE SURE TO CHECK ahead of your trip!!! read more

Missing hiker 12/22/2014 search called off due to weather. Went to go relax in the hot springs but the roads been closed 9 miles before trail head because of missing hiker and flooding. We paid prior to finding the road closure. Highly disappointed. read more