Entry No. 26 — the Seattle file — filed under: soak
Goldmyer Hot Springs
Tucked deep against the Alpine Lakes Wilderness about 25 miles past North Bend, these are wild geothermal pools reached only by a rough 4.5-mile hike. The hot water bubbles out of an old hand-dug mining shaft at around 125 degrees, so the hottest soak sits back inside the rock cave (about 111 degrees) before cooling through a chain of pools, with a creek-fed cold plunge nearby. Access is capped at 20 people per day via a monthly lottery, and caretakers scrub the pools twice a week.
The story
Long before anyone thought to soak here, miners drilled a horizontal shaft into the granite wall high up the Middle Fork Snoqualmie river valley looking for mineral paydirt. They never found gold, but they struck 125-degree geothermal water rushing straight out of the mountain. Rather than building a commercial resort with concrete decks and neon lights, the site was handed over to a non-profit conservancy that left the hand-dug mine shaft and wild forest intact.
That original hand-dug adit is where the steam begins. The hottest water sits inside the dark cavern pool at roughly 111 degrees Fahrenheit before spilling down through a tier of hand-sculpted stone pools that cool progressively as they step down the slope. Right beside the lowest soaking basin flows a mountain creek, giving you an immediate cold-plunge contrast when the rock cave gets too close and suffocating.
The reason this place hasn't been reduced to mud and trash is a ruthlessly enforced 20-person daily visitor cap. On-site caretakers live off-grid in a nearby cabin, scrubbing the stone basins twice a week and turning away anyone who shows up without a pre-booked reservation. You didn't hear it from us, but winning a lottery slot feels less like buying a trail pass and more like being handed the key to an off-grid mountain retreat.
What it's like
Expect a physical ordeal before you ever touch the water. The drive along the unpaved forest access road off Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road demands a high-clearance AWD or 4WD vehicle to survive the deep potholes, followed by a 4.5-mile hike or mountain bike ride along the river trail to reach the property. Once you report to the resident caretakers, walk the final path, strip off your wet gear—it is clothing-optional at the pools—and slide into the dark steam of the rock shaft. Pack a headlamp for the cave, sturdy boots for wet wooden steps, and bring your own drinking water.
The move: Win a lottery slot, hike in together through old-growth and waterfalls, and share the cave pool with no one else around for miles.
📍 Before you go Reservations only, via a monthly lottery at goldmyer.org (enter two months ahead). High-clearance AWD/4WD strongly recommended for the trailhead road. Clothing-optional. 20 visitors/day cap.
- 📍 near North Bend (Alpine Lakes Wilderness)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Off Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rd, near North Bend, WA
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Iron Goat Trail / Wellington Ghost Town — Pair your geothermal mine-shaft soak with a trip to Stevens Pass to explore abandoned avalanche snowsheds and early Cascade railway history.
- Franklin Ghost Town — Double down on King County's resource-extraction ruins by following up your spring soak with a walk through an abandoned 1800s coal mining site.
- Abandoned Clay Pit — Compare Goldmyer's wild mountain mine shaft with a massive mid-century open-cut industrial mine tucked inside Cougar Mountain.
Good to know
How do I get a permit to visit?
You must enter the monthly permit lottery on goldmyer.org two months before your intended visit month. Access is capped at exactly 20 visitors per day.
What kind of vehicle do I need to drive to the trailhead?
A high-clearance AWD or 4WD vehicle is strongly recommended due to severe potholes and unmaintained conditions on the gravel forest road.
How far is the hike from the vehicle parking area?
It is a 4.5-mile hike or bicycle ride each way from the road closure/parking area to the caretakers' cabin and pools.
What are the pool temperatures?
Water issues from the hand-dug mine shaft at roughly 125°F. The cave pool sits around 111°F, with lower outdoor pools cooling down incrementally beside a cold snowmelt creek.
Is clothing required at the hot springs?
No, clothing is optional once you reach the hot spring pool area.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · wta.org · soakdestinations.com
last checked: 2026-06-24