Arizona has 19 hot springs, including 8 free primitive soaks and 11 paid resorts, most of them tucked into the desert canyons of the Colorado River corridor and the Sonoran basin. Arizona is the only state where you can hike a slot canyon in the morning and soak in a natural riverside pool by afternoon within Grand Canyon National Park or the Black Canyon of the Colorado. Springs cluster in three regions: the Grand Canyon inner corridor, Black Canyon south of Hoover Dam (Ringbolt/Arizona Hot Springs, Boy Scout, Gold Strike), and the Verde Valley (Verde Hot Springs, Kaiser). Ringbolt Hot Springs, Verde Hot Springs, and Kaiser Hot Springs are the flagship free-access sites. The state's thermal activity is fed by deep circulation along Basin and Range extensional faults and, in the north, by residual heat from the San Francisco volcanic field. Surface temperatures typically range 95-115°F. Land is largely BLM, National Park, and National Forest, with a small number of paid resorts. Access is predominantly hike-in via canyon trails from the Colorado River. Best season is October through April, while summer canyon heat is dangerous. Gateway cities are Phoenix, Flagstaff, Las Vegas, and Kingman. Clothing-optional is common at remote sites. Reviewed and updated August 2026. See our map for trail lengths and river access.
