Are hot springs naturally hot?

Hot springs are heated by geothermal heat—heat from the Earth's interior. In volcanic areas, water may come into contact with very hot rock heated by magma. Hot springs in active volcanic zones may produce superheated water, so hot that immersion can result in injury or death.



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Within the Park, there are 3 places where you can touch the thermal water. Even though the water comes out of the ground at 147 degrees F, it is cool enough to touch by the time it reaches the pools.

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Most hot springs temperatures that are ok to get in hover around 104? and below, although you might find some slightly hotter, too (generally under 115?).

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While commercial pools are generally safely maintained for visitors, primitive hot springs are subject to their natural environment. Therefore, while hot springs are usually considered safe to swim in, some concerns arise with their rustic settings.

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We recommend getting out of the water for 5 minutes every 15 minutes or so. This largely depends on the temperature of the pool you're in. You might need to get out more often in a hotter pool and less in a mild pool. Listen to your body.

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However, Yellowstone is also an active geothermal area with hot springs emerging at ~92°C (~198°F) (the boiling point of water at Yellowstone's mean altitude) and steam vents reported as high as 135°C (275°F).

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They will list the current temperature of the water as well as the maximum amount of minutes to stay in at a time. For the most part, almost all commercial hot springs in North America require swimsuits so always err on the side of caution and keep that suit on. Even if you see someone remove their suit – wait.

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