Boulder Hot Springs Inn, Spa and Retreat Center

What to expect

Boulder Hot Springs is an old hotel in a valley at the foot of the Elkhorn Mountains, a few miles south of the town of Boulder. It sits on almost 300 acres of meadow, wetland and forest in what the owners call Peace Valley, a name the area’s tribes used for it. The main building is long, pale and stuccoed, with arches that give it a Spanish Mission look you do not often see in Montana.

The soaking setup has three parts:

• The outdoor pool sits behind the main building and has a shade structure. It holds about 96 to 100°F36 to 38°C depending on the weather, has a graduated depth, and is treated with bromine rather than harsh chlorine. Helena’s tourism office lists it as 20 by 60 feet.
• The indoor plunges are split into a women’s side and a co-ed side. Each has a hot plunge at 103 to 106°F39 to 41°C. The women’s side also has a cool plunge, usually under 70°F21°C. Both hot plunges are continuous flow and fully change their water every four hours, and staff clean them nearly every night.
• The steam rooms use natural mineral steam. Both sides have their own steam room, dressing room, toilets and a rest area.

There is no lifeguard. Showers are required before you enter any of the pools.

The place has a deliberately quiet character. The owners describe it as a center for healing, sustainability and community, and they run workshops and retreats alongside the hotel. The whole property is alcohol, drug and smoke free.

History

The springs have a long record. The hotel’s own history says prospector James E. Riley built a saloon and bathhouse here in 1863 for miners and ranchers, enlarged it in 1881, and started a 50-guest hotel in 1882 before dying of smallpox that September. In 1890 a lease holder from Minneapolis added a large Victorian wing with a veranda and renamed it the Hotel May.

Butte banker and mine owner James A. Murray bought the springs in 1909 and remodeled the hotel in 1910 with arches, fountains and stucco, giving it the California Mission style it still has. His nephew, later US Senator James E. Murray, owned it until 1940. After a string of owners it closed in 1989. Author Anne Wilson Schaef bought it in 1990, and after work that included tiled plunges and a thermal heating system it reopened in summer 1991. A limited partnership owns it now, and KTVH reported that the group won close to $500,000 from a Montana historic preservation grant to repair the failing exterior stucco.

Getting there

Boulder is on I-15 roughly midway between Helena and Butte. Take the Boulder exit, drive into town, then head south on Montana Highway 69. The resort is just south of town at 31 Hot Springs Road, down a long, winding driveway off MT-69. From Bozeman it is a little over an hour’s drive. Parking is next to the hotel.

When to go

The pools are open every day of the year. Winter is a good time for the outdoor pool, when the contrast between the air and the water is greatest and the Elkhorns behind the property carry snow. Summer afternoons can be hot, and the outdoor pool has little relief beyond its shade structure, so mornings and evenings are more comfortable.

The hotel also runs public buffets and events, which can make some weekends busier. Check the events calendar on the website before a weekend visit.

Prices and booking

• Day passes (from the website in 2026): Weekdays $12 adults, $10 seniors 60+, $7 children 3 to 12. Weekends and holidays $14, $12 and $8. A 10-pass costs the price of nine days. Walk-ins are welcome.
• What the pass includes: The outdoor pool, both plunge areas, steam rooms and dressing rooms.
• Massage: Book ahead at the front desk or by phone at 406-225-4339.
• Rooms: Twelve bed and breakfast rooms and suites, most with private baths, plus cheaper guest rooms that mostly share a bath down the hall. Pool and plunge use is included with a stay. Breakfast is served to overnight guests. Book through the Book Now link on the website.
• Cancellations: 48 hours’ notice for regular stays.
• Payment: The Helena tourism listing says cash and cards are accepted.

House rules worth knowing: no alcohol, no illegal drugs, no smoking within 20 feet of the building, no pets other than trained service dogs, and no candles, incense or cooking appliances in the rooms, since the hotel is a historic wood-frame building.

Where to stay nearby

The hotel itself is the obvious base. The Pioneer Room has a shared accessible bath designed for wheelchair users, and the outdoor pool is accessible with assistance. Boulder has a few small motels and places to eat, and the bakery in town is known for selling out of its cinnamon rolls before noon. Helena and Butte, each a short drive on I-15, have many more hotels. Public camping is not allowed on the property.

Nearby stops worth adding

Boulder is home to several radon “health mines,” including the Free Enterprise mine on the hill above town, which are a local curiosity. Elkhorn Hot Springs, Norris Hot Springs and Bozeman Hot Springs are all within reach for a multi-stop soaking trip in southwest Montana. Norris Hot Springs is the closest of those to Bozeman.

Safety notes

• Hot plunges: At 103 to 106°F39 to 41°C, the indoor plunges are hot. Keep soaks short and alternate with the cool plunge or a rest.
• Kids: There is no lifeguard. Children under 12 must be with an adult in the outdoor pool, and it is worth staying within arm’s reach of young children.
• Footing: Pool decks and tiled plunge floors are slick. Walk slowly.
• Steam rooms: Natural steam is hot and humid. Step out if you feel lightheaded, and drink water between rounds.