Sulphur Creek Hot Springs

Current status

Sulphur Creek Hot Springs is closed for now, and getting there will stay hard for a while after the fire closure ends.

• Fire closure: The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest’s Miner’s Fire closure order took effect on August 15, 2026 and runs to December 31, 2026 unless it is rescinded sooner. It bans entry to a list of Darrington Ranger District roads, trails and sites, including Sulphur Creek Trail 793, Sulphur Creek Campground, the Suiattle Trailhead, the Suiattle River Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail between Mica Lake and Suiattle Pass.
• Road closure: Atmospheric river flooding badly damaged the Suiattle River Road (Forest Road 26). Order 06-05-26-03, signed April 2, 2026, closes FR 26 to all motor vehicles from the Suiattle Mountain Road junction to the Suiattle River Trailhead, along with several spur roads, through January 1, 2028 unless lifted sooner. The Forest Service alert places the closure at about milepost 4. The order only names motor vehicles, so walking or biking the road may be possible once the fire closure ends. Confirm that with the ranger station first.

Contact the Darrington Ranger Station, 1405 Emens Avenue North, Darrington, at (360) 436-1155. From October 2 it is open Mondays and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What to expect

Do not come here expecting a hot soak. Sulphur Creek Hot Springs is a single small pool beside Sulphur Creek in old forest near the Suiattle River, fed by a pipe from a warm seep. WTA describes it as more warm than hot, at about 90°F32°C, with room for two. Regular visitors leave a broom: you sweep the sediment off the bottom, open the pipe and wait about 20 minutes for it to fill.

The Forest Service calls the springs undeveloped and difficult to find, and the trail itself sees light use and little maintenance. WTA notes damage and blowdowns from the 2020 Downey Creek Fire, and the 2026 Miner’s Fire led to trail closures across this part of the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Expect to climb over logs and pick your way along a faint path.

A US Geological Survey mineral database entry records the geothermal site at about 1,880 feet in Snohomish County, on national forest land. The coordinates on this page come from that record and match the line of the trail on OpenStreetMap, but treat them as approximate.

There are no facilities at the pool. Pack out everything, including toilet paper.

Getting there

Under normal conditions:

1. From Darrington, drive north about 8 miles on State Route 530 toward Rockport. From Highway 20 at Rockport, drive south on SR 530 instead.
2. Turn east onto Suiattle River Road (FR 26) and cross the large bridge over the river.
3. Follow FR 26 about 22 to 23 miles to Sulphur Creek Campground. The trailhead is directly across the road, on the north side. WTA asks hikers to park off the road but not in the campground.
4. The trail climbs steeply at first and enters the Glacier Peak Wilderness after about a quarter mile. After roughly a mile it forks; the left branch heads for the springs.
5. At the log bridge, continue about 0.1 mile up the creek. The path is faint here. Look for stone steps that lead down to the pool.

WTA lists the whole Sulphur Creek Trail at 3.6 miles round trip with about 900 feet of gain and a high point of 2,250 feet. No parking pass is listed.

With the road closed to cars from near milepost 4, the trailhead is roughly 18 miles of closed road beyond the gate. That makes it an overnight trip by bike or on foot at best, and only once the fire closure lifts.

When to go

In a normal year, summer and early fall are the practical season. Snow can linger in the upper Suiattle valley into early summer, and fall rain makes the creek-side scramble slick. The water is only about 90°F32°C, so a warm afternoon is a better match than a cold, wet day.

For 2026, there is no season: the trail is closed. For 2027, watch the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie alerts page for the fire closure and for any change to the Suiattle River Road order.

Rules and etiquette

• Respect closures. Entering an area closed by forest order can bring fines of up to $5,000 for an individual.
• Wilderness rules apply inside the Glacier Peak Wilderness, which starts about a quarter mile up the trail. No motors or bikes past the boundary.
• Clothing: There is no forest-wide nudity order on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie. At a two-person pool this remote, clothing is up to the people sharing it. Ask before you strip if someone is already there.
• Do not dig or dam the creek to make a bigger pool, and leave the pipe and broom where you found them.
• No soap in the pool or the creek.
• Store food properly. The forest has a forest-wide food storage order requiring food to be kept in a bear-resistant manner, and a forest-wide 14-day limit on camping in one spot outside developed sites.

Where to stay nearby

• Sulphur Creek Campground is across the road from the trailhead. It is closed under the 2026 fire order and cannot be reached by car while FR 26 is closed.
• Darrington is the nearest town, about 30 road miles from the trailhead, with the ranger station, food and fuel.
• Rockport and Marblemount, on Highway 20 to the north, are the other bases if you come in from the north.

Safety notes

• Burned forest: Fire-killed trees fall without warning, especially in wind. Do not linger under dead snags, and do not camp near them.
• Route-finding: The last stretch is faint. Carry a map and a GPS track, and turn back if you lose the path.
• Water quality: The pool is not tested or treated. Keep your head above water and do not drink it.
• Remoteness: There is no cell service in the upper valley, and with the road closed, help is many miles away. Tell someone your plan and carry a satellite messenger if you go once the area reopens.
• Creek crossings: Sulphur Creek runs high and cold in early summer. Footing on wet logs and rocks is poor.