Verde Hot Springs
Soaking pools among the ruins of a former resort on the Verde River, reached from the Childs camping area by a short hike and a river crossing. Getting there requires a long drive on rough Forest Service dirt roads.
- Getting there
- Long drive on rough dirt roads (FR 708 then FR 502, which the Forest Service calls a very bad road; high clearance highly recommended, 4WD may help), then a short hike upstream from Childs with wading across the Verde River
- Cost and hours
- Free
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Stay the night
- Free dispersed camping at Childs Camping Area (vault toilet, no drinking water, 14 day limit)
- Managed by
- Coconino National Forest (Red Rock Ranger District)
Good to know. The access road may be closed by a landslide and the river crossing can be high or fast after rain or snowmelt; many visitors soak without clothing.
In any natural hot spring, keep your head above the water. Health officials advise it because of a rare amoeba that can enter through the nose.
New to hot springs? A slow soak is a five-step way to enjoy the water safely.
Good for: camping, winter trip. Something out of date? Let us know and we’ll check it.
No hot spring nearby?
Warm-water sessions at your own pool, or your community’s, in and around Flagstaff, by request. And there are small water practices you can do at home, in a bath.