# Sleeping Child Hot Springs, Montana

Sleeping Child Hot Springs in Montana. 122°F (50°C). Short Walk · Public Land. Ravalli County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana/sleeping-child-hot-springs
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Sleeping Child Hot Springs?

Only once it cools. The water leaves the ground at 122°F, hotter than any hot tub. It's a short walk from the road. It's on US Forest Service land. We haven't confirmed whether it has a pool or charges a fee.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 122°F (50°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 8.1 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 4,929 ft |
| Access | Short Walk · Public Land, 401 ft from the nearest road |
| Land | Bitterroot National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Ravalli County |
| Nearest town | Hamilton |
| Coordinates | 46.10600, -114.00400 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Black Bear Campground, 5.7 mi |

## About Sleeping Child Hot Springs

Inside the Bitterroot National Forest in Ravalli County, Montana, Sleeping Child Hot Springs emerges hot, thirteen miles or so from Hamilton. Access is open. Water comes out hotter than a soak. A 1974 USGS sample came back alkaline with iron. The Forest Service is the land owner, and no fee appears in the row.

Four hundred feet or so from the nearest road, inside national forest. Elevation is modest. Winters are heavy, around eight feet of snow. Precipitation is on the high side for Montana. Black Bear Campground is the nearest listed, under six miles away. the record names no road and no trail.

Open access on Forest Service land. Hot water, so test it. Winter is what the record recommends, and with eight feet of snow you will want to know road conditions. Black Bear Campground is the camping given. No fee is given. The chemistry is from 1974, and the temperature too.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1974-08-15 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 8.1 |
| Calcium | 6.2 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.2 mg/L |
| Sodium | 110 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 81 mg/L |
| Chloride | 8.8 mg/L |
| Iron | 30 µg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Hamilton](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/montana/hamilton), 34 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Montana](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana)
- [Medicine Hot Springs, MT](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana/medicine-hot-springs): 117°F source, pH 8.6, Short Walk, near Hamilton, Ravalli County
- [Gallogly Spring, MT](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana/gallogly-spring): 100°F source, Short Walk, near Hamilton, Ravalli County
- [Blue Joint Hot Springs 2, MT](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana/blue-joint-hot-springs-2): 84°F source, Roadside, near Hamilton, Ravalli County
- [Blue Joint Hot Spring 1, MT](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana/blue-joint-hot-spring-1): 84°F source, Short Walk, near Hamilton, Ravalli County
- [Prospector Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/prospector-hot-springs): Hot, Backcountry, near Hamilton, Ravalli County, primitive pools, free, mid-late summer
- [Horse Creek Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/horse-creek-hot-springs): 109°F source, pH 6.4, Roadside, near Salmon, Lemhi County, primitive pools

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Sleeping Child Hot Springs?**
Sleeping Child Hot Springs has a water temperature of 122°F (50°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Sleeping Child Hot Springs located?**
Sleeping Child Hot Springs is located in Ravalli County, Montana at 4,929 feet elevation, near Hamilton. Coordinates: 46.1060°N, 114.0040°W.

**How do I get to Sleeping Child Hot Springs?**
Sleeping Child Hot Springs has Short Walk road access (401 ft from the road).

**Is Sleeping Child Hot Springs free to visit?**
Sleeping Child Hot Springs has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.

**Can I camp near Sleeping Child Hot Springs?**
Yes, Black Bear Campground is located nearby (5.7 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Sleeping Child Hot Springs?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 8.1 (slightly alkaline).

**Is it safe to soak at Sleeping Child Hot Springs?**
With care. At 122°F Sleeping Child Hot Springs is hot enough to need short sessions, fifteen to twenty minutes, and plenty of water. Enter slowly and get out if you feel light-headed.

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals