Alhambra Hot Springs
Alhambra Hot Springs produces 138°F water at 4,297 feet elevation in Jefferson County, Montana, just 84 feet from Warm Springs Creek Road near Clancy. USGS readings confirm 55.6°C. The sodium-dominant chemistry (210 mg/L sodium) includes notable iron content at 150 micrograms per liter, which may tint the water or stain surrounding rock.
The spring rises along Warm Springs Creek in the foothills south of Helena, where the northern Elkhorn Mountains transition into rolling grass and timber country. Elevation sits just above 4,200 feet, with ponderosa pine and Douglas fir on the slopes and cottonwood along the creek bottom. Annual snowfall averages 57 inches, and air temperatures mean 43°F, producing cold winters and moderate summers. The Continental Divide lies roughly 15 miles to the west.
The name references the historic Alhambra mining camp and stage stop established in the late 1800s along the road between Helena and Butte. The springs attracted early development as a small resort, capitalizing on the hot water and proximity to mining activity. The nearby Elkhorn mining district drew prospectors through the 1880s and 1890s. Current development status at the spring site is limited.
Alhambra is reachable year-round via Warm Springs Creek Road from Interstate 15 south of Helena. Summer through early fall provides the most comfortable visiting conditions. Strawberry Cabin, a reservable 1941-era Forest Service lookout at 6,100 feet in the Elkhorns, sits 6 km away and can be booked through Recreation.gov. Helena offers full services 15 miles north.
Is Alhambra Hot Springs worth visiting?
Best for
- Hot spring soaking
- Easy day trips
- Overnight camping trips
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Overview Explore a magnificent recreation and wildlife resource at the doorstep of Montana's Capital City. From prairie to alpine, mayflies to mountain goats, and scenic driving to expert climbing routes -- the Elkhorns you will discover a diverse landscape! Built in 1941, Strawberry Cabin lies at the top of Strawberry Butte (6,100 feet) in the heart of the Elkhorn Mountains. The combination of lookout and log cabin are typical of this period. The cabin is an excellent example of a C-46 one...