Verde Hot Springs Soakable
Verde Hot Springs reads 104°F at the source (NCEI, historical reading); the pools people soak in usually run cooler than the source. Managed by the Coconino National Forest (checked 2026-08-19).
104°F / 40°C
Hot range at the source — hotter than a hot tub
Reading from the NCEI Thermal Springs List (historical reading, 1981 compilation). Source temperature — lower pools usually run cooler.
Water temperatures change with flow and season — test before entering, and never submerge your head in warm natural water. CDC guidance on Naegleria fowleri.
- Coordinates 34.357° N, 111.710° W · USGS National Map
- Land manager Coconino National Forest — checked 2026-08-19
- Getting there Hike, under 3 miles
- Season No posted season. A 14-day stay limit applies at Childs, and campfires are prohibited at the site during both Stage 1 and Stage 2 fire restrictions.
Access
The Coconino National Forest publishes the springs through its Childs Dispersed Camping Area page: “A short hike upstream and some wading will get you to the ruins of the Verde Hot Springs, a once famous resort.” Childs “sits below the remnants of the old power plant buildings on the edge of the Verde River,” “About 30 miles southeast of Camp Verde or 86 miles south of Flagstaff off paved and graveled roads some of which are always steep and rough and usually muddy after rains.” From the White Bridge in Camp Verde the Forest routes visitors east on Hwy 260 for 6.8 miles to FR 708 (Fossil Creek Road), right 15 miles to the FR 708/FR 502 junction, then “south on FR 502 for 6 miles of VERY BAD Road to the Childs Power Plant and the Verde River.” High-clearance vehicles are highly recommended and four-wheel-drive may help. There are no amenities beyond a vault toilet, and potable water is not available.
Trailhead: Childs Dispersed Camping Area, FR 502 at the old Childs Power Plant
Winter: The Forest posts no season and no winter guidance; the access roads are steep, rough, and usually muddy after rains.
Access notes read from the manager's own page, checked 2026-08-19.
Worth knowing: The PAD-US join puts this point on the Tonto National Forest side of the Verde Wild and Scenic River; the Coconino National Forest is the unit that publishes access to it, from Childs — verify locally.
Check current conditions with the Coconino National Forest
Nearby springs
-
Agua Caliente
154 miles away · Arizona · 86°F at the source
Look only
-
(Upper) Frisco Hot Spring
170 miles away · New Mexico · 98°F at the source
Soakable
-
San Francisco Hot Springs
180 miles away · New Mexico · 120°F at the source
Soakable
Identity, coordinates, and temperature quoted from the NCEI Thermal Springs List (historical reading, 1981 compilation).