Gigantic Warm Spring

What to expect

Gigantic Warm Spring is not a hot spring, and it helps to know that before you drive out. The water rises at about 68°F20°C and stays there all year. On a 95-degree August afternoon in central Montana that feels perfect. On a cool evening it feels cold.

What makes the place unusual is the volume. The Lewistown visitor site says about 50,000 gallons a minute well up from the spring, and the family that runs it calls it the largest warm spring in the world. That is their own claim, not a measured ranking, but the flow is obvious when you get in. The water is very clear, and it fills a broad swimming area before running off as Warm Spring Creek. Willows grow around the edges and give some shade.

It is a simple, local summer spot. Families from Lewistown come out for the afternoon, spread out at the picnic tables, play volleyball or horseshoes, and swim. Some people fish in the creek below. There is no lodge, spa or restaurant, and that is part of the appeal.

The spring sits on the Vanek family’s ranch, which locals call Vanek’s Paradise Ranch. Alan Vanek’s grandfather bought the land in 1938, and the family opened the spring to the public in the early 1940s. His grandmother, Marie Vanek, sat in a booth all summer taking admission. An old handmade sign in one of the buildings still shows the original price: 10 cents a car.

Getting there

The spring is about 15 miles northwest of Lewistown, on the road toward Denton.

• From Lewistown: Drive north on US Highway 191 for about 9.5 miles. Turn left (west) onto Montana Highway 81. After about 5 miles, watch for the Warm Springs sign and turn right onto Warm Spring Lane. The total drive is about 15 miles and takes around 20 minutes.
• From Great Falls or Denton: Come east on Highway 81 and turn left onto Warm Spring Lane before you reach US 191.

The visitor site gives the address as 749 Warm Spring Lane, Lewistown, MT 59457. US 191 and Highway 81 are paved. Once you are on the ranch, it is a short walk from the car to the water.

Lewistown itself sits roughly in the middle of Montana, about two hours east of Great Falls and two hours north of Billings, so most visitors are already in the area or passing through.

When to go

This is a summer place. The spring keeps the same temperature in January, but the swimming area only opens to the public in the warm months, and the exact opening and closing dates move around from year to year. Call 406-538-9825 before you head out, especially in early June or close to Labor Day.

The best days are the hot ones. When Lewistown hits the 90s in July and August, the 68°F20°C water is a relief. On cooler or windy days you may find the place nearly empty, and you may not want to stay in long. Weekend afternoons are the busiest.

Rules and etiquette

• Admission: A recent KRTV report gives $5 for adults, $3 for children 5 and older, and free for kids under 5. The Lewistown visitor listing has slightly older figures of $4 for ages 14 and up and $3 for ages 6 to 13. Bring cash.
• No dogs. The visitor listing is clear about that.
• It is private land. You are a guest of the Vanek family. Follow the posted rules and any instructions from the family.
• Keep it clean. Locals take pride in the spring. Pack out your trash and leave the picnic area as you found it.
• Swimwear: This is a family swimming spot. Wear a swimsuit.

Where to stay nearby

There is no camping or lodging at the spring.

Lewistown, about 15 miles away, is the nearest town and has motels, restaurants, grocery stores and fuel. It is the obvious base. Denton, farther west on Highway 81, is a small farm town with limited services.

If you want hot water on the same trip, central Montana has few options. Hot spring resorts are mostly in the western half of the state. Boulder Hot Springs, between Helena and Butte, is one of the closer ones that sells day soaks.

Safety notes

• Cold shock on cool days: 68°F20°C is comfortable when the air is hot, but long swims on a cool day can chill you. Get out and warm up if you start to shiver, and watch small children closely.
• Swimming ability: This is open water, not a shallow soaking pool. Do not jump, dive or use rope swings unless the owners say an area is safe, and keep non-swimmers within arm’s reach.
• Sun: There is limited shade beyond the willows. Bring sunscreen, a hat and plenty of drinking water.
• Creek banks: The edges of the spring and creek can be slippery and muddy. Wear water shoes.

Is this the same as Giant Springs?

No. Giant Springs, in Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls, is a different and much better-known spring on the Missouri River. Gigantic Warm Spring is a private swimming spot near Lewistown, more than 100 miles to the east. Also do not confuse it with the community of Warm Spring Creek, a separate place about 16 miles northeast of Lewistown in the Judith Mountains.