Jackson Hot Springs Lodge

What to expect

Jackson is a handful of buildings on Highway 278 in the Big Hole Valley, a wide ranching basin ringed by the Pioneer and Beaverhead mountains. Jackson Hot Springs Lodge is the reason most people stop. It is a western-style lodge with a bar, a restaurant and an old dance hall, and behind it sits one large outdoor hot spring pool.

The pool is concrete and open to the sky, fed by pipes at the shallow end. It is commonly listed at about 30 by 75 feet. The lodge keeps it between 100 and 106°F38 and 41°C, and because spring water flows through all the time, it adds no chemicals. On a winter night, with snow on the ground and steam lifting off the water, it is one of the better soaks in this part of Montana.

Inside, the lodge leans hard into its ranch-country setting. The bar walls are hung with hunting trophies, and the lounge has a fireplace, a pool table and shuffleboard. The dance hall has long hosted community nights such as New Year’s Eve dinners with music. It is relaxed and very local.

Getting there

Jackson sits on Montana Highway 278, the road that links Dillon with Wisdom across the Big Hole.

• From Dillon: Take Highway 278 west from I-15. The road climbs over Badger Pass and Big Hole Pass and drops into the valley. Jackson is about 45 miles from Dillon, roughly an hour in good weather.
• From Wisdom and the north: Follow Highway 278 south through the valley.
• From Elkhorn Hot Springs: Drive south on the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway to Highway 278, then west to Jackson. The two resorts are about 31 miles apart, and plenty of people soak at both on the same day.

The lodge is at 108 Jardine Avenue in Jackson. The roads are paved, but winter storms can make the passes slick, and blowing snow is common in the open valley.

When to go

The lodge is open year-round, but only Thursday through Sunday. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday it keeps the pool, restaurant and rooms for private events, so a midweek drive will end at a locked door. The website does say the lodge is open during hunting season from October 22 to November 1 and asks you to call for details, which may mean extra days.

Other dates to know:

• Closed December 24 and 25.
• Fully open from December 26 to January 3 for the holidays.
• The pool closes December 29 for cleaning.

Winter is the best time to soak. Cross-country skiers and snowmobilers use the valley, and the hot water feels best when the air is well below freezing. Summer brings anglers on the Big Hole River, along with hikers, cyclists and riders. Weekends are busier than Thursdays.

The 2026 Sand Creek Fire, which started on August 1 in the hills northeast of Jackson, was still listed as not fully contained in October. Check smoke and road conditions if you are visiting this fall.

Prices and booking

• Day soak: $12 adults, $9 kids. Towels rent for $2 at the front desk.
• Rooms: Western-style rooms with fireplaces in rooms 1 to 12. Two-queen rooms are $179 a night, king rooms $169, a two-room suite with three queens $199, and king rooms with a half bath $129. Rooms come with swim passes, counted as two passes per bed.
• Sleeper cabins: Two small cabins with a queen bed at $119, with a private restroom next door.
• Whole houses: The Jackson House and the Spring House (two bedrooms each) are $319 with six swim passes. The Studio is $219 with two passes, and The Den sleeps four for $255 with four passes.
• Tent camping: $25 per tent. Pool access is extra.
• Pets: Five pet-friendly rooms (7, 12, 20, W and Z). The fee is $25 per pet, with a two-pet limit.

Add 8% state bed tax to rooms. Check-in is 3pm and check-out 11am. All bookings are paid up front and are non-refundable. If you call to cancel within the lodge’s 48-hour window you can get a one-time room credit valid for a year. The lodge takes cash and cards but not checks.

Rules and etiquette

• No children under 5 in the hot spring. The lodge says the water is too hot for them.
• Rooms do not have TVs except in the whole-house rentals, and Wi-Fi works in the lodge only.
• Good manners: Rinse off before you get in and keep glass away from the pool deck. The water has no chemical treatment, so keeping it clean matters.
• Swimwear: Wear a swimsuit. It is a family pool attached to a bar and restaurant.

Where to stay nearby

Staying at the lodge is the simplest plan, especially in winter when the passes are rough at night. Other options:

• Wisdom, north up the valley on Highway 278, is the next town.
• Dillon, about 45 miles away, has full services, motels and the closest groceries of any size.
• Elkhorn Hot Springs in the Pioneer Mountains has its own lodge and cabins in normal seasons. It reopened for pools only after the 2026 fires, so check first. See our Elkhorn Hot Springs guide.

Safety notes

• Heat: At up to 106°F41°C, long soaks can make you lightheaded, particularly after a drink at the bar. Take breaks and drink water.
• Winter driving: Highway 278 crosses two passes and the valley gets bitterly cold in winter. Carry winter gear and a full tank.
• Ice: The walk from the lodge to the pool and the pool deck can freeze. Wear sandals with grip.
• Remote area: Cell signal in Jackson is spotty. The nearest hospital is in Dillon.

History

Captain William Clark passed through on his return trip in July 1806 and wrote about a spring so hot he could not hold his hand in it for more than a moment. Settlers later piped the water into a plunge, and the present lodge was built in the 1950s. It has changed hands several times. A 2008 profile said the Peterson family had run it since 1990, and by 2013 it had new owners who also ran Quinn’s Hot Springs near Paradise. We found no news of a more recent sale in 2026.