Entry No. 23 — the Butte file — filed under: soak
Boulder Hot Springs
A rambling Mission-style grand hotel that Butte mining millionaire James A. Murray built out in 1910-1913, where geothermal water has drawn soakers since gold miners came to ease their muscles in the 1860s. The grounds hold a cooler outdoor mineral pool plus separate men's and women's indoor plunges and steam rooms, where the hot pools run a scalding 103-106 degrees. The faded hotel, on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, sits against the foothills and carries a reputation for being haunted, giving the soak an off-kilter, time-warped feel.
The story
In the 1860s, gold miners stumbled out of the surrounding hills to boil their joints in raw geothermal water. Decades later, Butte mining tycoon James A. Murray bought the site and dropped a massive, white Spanish Mission-style hotel right into the middle of the valley floor. Built between 1910 and 1913, the hotel was meant to turn wild mineral water into high-society hydrotherapy. Today, it stands on nearly 300 acres against the foothills—a sprawling, faded monument to boom-era luxury that feels like it got dropped in from Southern California and then forgotten.
The water hasn't changed. Inside, the bathhouse stays strictly divided into separate men's and women's wings, where geothermal water feeds indoor plunges running a punishing 103 to 106 degrees alongside natural steam rooms. The building landed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, but its reputation as a haunted outpost keeps the vibe delightfully off-kilter. Between the creaking floors, the high-ceilinged corridors, and the vapor rising off the dark hills, you get the distinct sense that half the guests never actually checked out.
What it's like
You'll pull up to a grand, whitewashed facade sitting quiet against the mountains. Inside, pass through the historic lobby to reach the gender-separated bathhouses or the cooler outdoor mineral pool. The indoor plunges are dark, intense, and hot enough to turn your skin bright red in minutes. Keep in mind that pool access is run strictly by timed day-use sessions and reservations—you need to call ahead before making the drive out, especially since outdoor pool temperatures fluctuate with the seasons.
The move: Pay for a soak session and drift between the warm outdoor pool and the historic indoor plunges as the foothills go dark around the old hotel.
📍 Before you go About an hour from Butte; pool access is by limited day-use sessions/reservations and outdoor pool temps are seasonal, so call ahead to confirm hours.
- 📍 Boulder, MT
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 31 Hot Springs Rd, Boulder, MT 59632
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Elkhorn Ghost Town (Elkhorn State Park) — Pair a morning exploring two preserved 1890s wooden halls in a nearby silver boomtown with an afternoon boiling off the trail dust in Boulder.
- Our Lady of the Rockies — Combine a look at the 90-foot Virgin Mary statue perched on the Divide above Butte with a geothermal soak further north along the highway.
- Granite Mountain / Speculator Mine Memorial — Match the high, windy overlook commemorating Butte's underground mining past with a bathhouse built by one of the era's wealth-flouting mine tycoons.
Good to know
How hot are the indoor pools?
The indoor geothermal plunges run between a scalding 103°F and 106°F, complemented by natural steam rooms inside the separate men's and women's bathhouses.
Do I need to make a reservation just to soak?
Yes. Soaking access is managed through limited day-use sessions, so you'll want to call ahead to lock down a time slot before heading out.
Is Boulder Hot Springs really haunted?
It has carried a long-standing reputation for ghosts, fed by its 1910 Mission architecture, creaky halls, and long history as an isolated mountain retreat.
How far is the hot springs from Butte?
It is roughly a 40- to 60-minute drive northeast of Butte via I-15 and Highway 69.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: sosmt.gov · Wikipedia · Official site · southwestmt.com
last checked: 2026-06-24