Big Bend National Park guide · 1 min read
Soaking at the Rio Grande Hot Springs
The hot springs lie near Rio Grande Village on the far eastern side of Big Bend National Park, right at the edge of the Rio Grande riverbank.
The water runs about 105 degrees, so a soak is a warm and easy way to end a walk. Across the water, Mexico is visible on the opposite bank.
The Hot Springs Historic Trail starts at the Hot Springs parking lot and is an easy walk. The spring is a half-mile round trip from the trailhead. A one-mile loop continues along the bluff above the river and returns to the trailhead area. Allow about 30 minutes for the hike, plus more time to relax in the water. Getting there means driving the two-mile gravel Hot Springs Road, which drops through a rough, narrow wash.
Langford's bathhouse is long gone, but its foundation remains on the north bank of the Rio Grande and still contains the spring. The Hot Springs Historic District records people living here for thousands of years, right up to the early 1900s, when the community had its own post office. Pictographs are painted on the limestone cliffs nearby. The ruins of Big Bend's first resort and an early homestead are also close by.
Anyone staying overnight will need to camp elsewhere, and alcohol and pets are barred from the hot springs area. The springs can also flood, so keep that in mind when you plan your visit.
Rio Grande Village has more to see before or after your soak. A campground, a visitor center, and a camp store with showers are nearby. The Daniels Ranch picnic area on the west side of the village is a good birding spot, and the trailhead for the Hot Springs Canyon trail is close by.
