Hot springs near Phoenix

A restored historic resort in the Bradshaw Mountain foothills, about an hour north of Phoenix Sky Harbor, with three cascading spring pools at 104 to 108°F, 98 to 102°F and 75 to 90°F, open all night to guests. The catch is that it admits registered overnight guests aged 18 and over only, with no day passes. The last 7 miles are dirt and the resort recommends a high-clearance vehicle, which is a fine thing to learn before you arrive in the rental. The resort says the water carries lithium, magnesium, iron, sodium and calcium.

Sheep Bridge sits beside the Verde River 45 miles north of Carefree, at the end of about 33 miles of FR 24 and 12 miles of rarely maintained FR 269; the Forest Service calls it rocky and technical, requires high clearance, and 4x4 is often needed when wet. Roads flood and the river rises and falls. At the end you'll find a small primitive hot spring, a replica historic sheep bridge on the National Register since 1978 (foot and bike only) and the gateway to the Mazatzal Wilderness. No fees, no restrooms, no water, so bring everything. The Forest Service doesn't describe the pool itself.

A small, rule-minded soaking spot south of Safford with six tubs: five private rooms at 102 to 104°F, clothing-optional with the door shut, and one communal 98°F 'blue lagoon' where suits stay on. You pay by time: $15 for up to an hour, $25 for two, $35 for the three-hour maximum. House rules are firm, with no children under 12, groups of four at most, and no glass, alcohol, drugs or smoking. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm, and closed Sunday and Monday, so don't save it for the end of a weekend. Tent and casita camping are on site.

Family-owned since 1993, this Safford spa near Mt. Graham is built around private indoor mineral tubs, where swimwear is optional behind a closed door, and an outdoor mineral pond and hot tub where suits are required. Massage and reflexology are on the menu, and towels and drinking water come with the visit. Book through their online system; appointments run Monday to Saturday. They don't publish water temperatures or prices, so if either decides your trip, ask when you book.

The ruins of Verde Hot Springs, once a famous resort, sit upstream of the free Childs camping area on the Verde River, a short hike and some wading away. Getting to Childs is the hard part, about 30 miles southeast of Camp Verde on FR 708, then six miles of FR 502, which the Forest Service calls a very bad road. High clearance is highly recommended and four-wheel drive may help. River rules mean fire pans only, portable toilets for river overnights, a 14-day stay limit and no garbage service, so pack it all out. Check for fire restrictions before you go; nobody publishes a water temperature.

Two concrete tubs of 106°F artesian water in the middle of a 2,000-acre dune field, which makes this the rare soak where the neighbours are off-road vehicles. Take Haekel Road, seven miles east of Safford on US 70, then 25 miles south on BLM dirt that most vehicles manage, though it gets rough. Pay $3 per vehicle on site. Through January 2027 the BLM is moving the tubs out of the flood zone and improving roads and walkways; the site stays open, but amenities come and go, so set expectations accordingly. Camping is allowed in the area.

Sandbagged pools in a slot canyon that meets the Colorado River just below Ringbolt Rapid. Heat decides this trip, and the NPS closes the trail every year from May 15 to September 30, and whenever Willow Beach is forecast above roughly 95°F; in 2026 it shut from May 8. Source water runs 111 to 120°F. In the cool months it's a strenuous 5-mile out-and-back from US 93 south of Hoover Dam, with a 20-foot ladder along the way. Outside them, come by kayak or boat on Lake Mohave. It's a fee area like the rest of Lake Mead; check the NPS conditions page before you go.