Hot tubs and whirl pools are great but in my opinion, you
haven’t really lived until you’ve soaked in an outdoor pool filled with hot
water that’s coming directly out of the earth. There is a large amount of geothermal activity in this part
of Montana (Think Yellowstone Park, geysers, super volcano, etc) and as a
result there are places where that results in natural hot springs available for
our enjoyment. Some of them have been commercialized and turned into a
lodge/resort, some are more like a public pool with entry for just a few
dollars and other still are in untouched/natural areas where you can hike in,
take a soak and hike back out.
My favorite of the hot springs I’ve visited is Norris Hot
Springs. It’s the most rustic I’ve experienced. The pool is made of wood and
there are places where you can feel the hot water pulsing up between the slats.
I like visit hot springs because it’s always a fun, relaxing experience and it’s
also a reminder of how amazing and powerful nature is.
This
photo was taken last spring when I was staying at Jackson Hotsprings Lodge in
Jackson, MT. I got up early in the
morning to walk the dog and saw this stream, which ran near our cabin, steaming
in the chill morning air.
