Clothing-optional hot springs etiquette

What clothing-optional actually means

Clothing optional means exactly what it says: you may wear a swimsuit, and you may not. That's it. It is not a nude resort with a dress code in reverse, and it's not a clothing-mandatory-nude setup where everyone must strip. At a clothing-optional spring you'll typically find a mix — plenty of people in swimsuits, plenty without — and nobody is keeping score.

A few things worth knowing so you walk in with the right expectations:

• It's not a social scene. Legitimate clothing-optional hot springs are wellness and nature experiences, not parties. If a place markets itself with suggestive imagery or sounds like it's really about something else, trust your instincts and check reviews before committing.
• Nudity is normalized, not noticed. After about ten minutes, most first-timers report that the novelty wears off entirely. People are there for the water, the quiet, and the setting — not each other.
• Expect a range of ages and body types. The crowd at most established clothing-optional springs skews older and thoroughly ordinary. That's part of what makes it comfortable: nobody looks like a model, and nobody's trying to.
• The rules change by zone. At developed resorts, nudity may be welcome in the pools but not in the lobby, restaurant, or parking lot. Signage usually spells this out, and staff will too. When in doubt, cover up.

The etiquette that actually matters

Hot springs etiquette overlaps a lot with onsen or bathhouse etiquette worldwide, but clothing-optional adds a few non-negotiables. These are the rules that keep a shared soak comfortable for everyone, including the people who arrived in swimsuits and intend to keep them on.

The staring rule

Do not stare. This is the single most important rule at any clothing-optional spring, and it's also the easiest to follow. Glance naturally, the way you would at anyone in a public pool, and then look somewhere else. Sustained eye contact with someone's body is the fastest way to make the whole pool tense — and at well-run spots, it's also the fastest way to get asked to leave. If you catch yourself looking, redirect. Nobody thinks twice about a normal glance; everyone notices a fixed gaze.

Consent and personal space

• Ask before you join someone. A pool with room is a pool you can enter freely; a small pool with one or two people in it deserves a quick "mind if I join?" before you climb in.
• Keep your hands and your body to yourself. This should go without saying, but it doesn't: unwanted touching, brushing up against strangers, or using the setting as a pretext for flirting is harassment, and established venues treat it as such. Clothing-optional does not mean consent-optional.
• Couples, read the room. Affection between partners is fine. Sustained sexual behavior in a shared pool is not — it's the one thing that will reliably ruin everyone else's afternoon and get you removed.
• Respect the "no" you never have to say. If someone shifts away, goes quiet, or leaves a pool you entered, take the hint without commentary.

Phones and cameras: the hard line

Leave the phone in the locker, the car, or your dry bag. Photography at clothing-optional springs is the third rail. Many venues ban cameras and phones outright in pool areas; even where no explicit rule is posted, pulling out a phone around undressed strangers is a serious breach of trust. If you absolutely need your phone for a medical or accessibility reason, mention it to staff first and keep it out of sight otherwise. And never, ever take a photo of another person without their clear, explicit permission — no exceptions, no "I was just shooting the scenery," no candid shots. Violating this at a developed resort will get you expelled; at a wild spring it will get you a reputation fast.

Hygiene: shower before you soak

Wash before you get in the water, not just a rinse of the swimsuit area — a real shower with soap. Many resorts have mandatory showers at the pool entrance, and even at backcountry springs where there's no shower, the principle holds: arrive clean, rinse off sweat and sunscreen, and keep lotions and oils out of the water. If you have an open cut or wound, sit the soak out or cover it properly. This rule matters at every hot spring, but at clothing-optional ones it's especially noticed, because the whole arrangement depends on everyone trusting that the water is clean and the people in it are considerate.

Where nudity is and isn't OK

• In the pools: expected and unremarkable.
• Changing areas and designated decks: usually fine — follow the posted signs.
• Lobbies, dining areas, trails to the parking lot, and anywhere visible from public roads: not fine. Wrap up. This is the rule newcomers break most often, usually by accident, by walking too far from the pools in just a towel or less.
• At wild springs: keep it to the immediate pool area. Trailheads, approach trails, and overlooks are shared with hikers who didn't sign up for the experience. Be ready to cover up if a hiking group arrives — a sarong or towel within arm's reach is standard kit for a reason.

The rest of the basics

• Keep voices low. Sound carries over water. Long loud conversations, speakerphone calls, and Bluetooth speakers don't belong.
• Alcohol: many venues restrict it, and intoxication plus hot water plus a clothing-optional setting is a bad combination everywhere. Keep it minimal or skip it.
• Leave no trace, especially at wild springs. Pack out everything, including towels you might be tempted to "donate." Don't leave trash, and don't rearrange rocks in ways that change the pools.
• Tip staff at resorts. The people cleaning the pools and locker rooms do unglamorous work — acknowledge it.

Resort vs wild: two very different experiences

Clothing-optional soaking splits roughly into two worlds, and knowing which one you're walking into shapes everything from what to bring to how the norms are enforced.

Developed resorts and retreats have staff, signage, changing rooms, and someone who will intervene if a guest crosses a line. That's the big advantage for first-timers: the norms are posted, enforced, and modeled by regulars. You'll pay a day-use fee, shower before entering, and generally find a calmer, more predictable environment. The tradeoff is less of a wilderness feel and, at some places, an advance reservation requirement.

Backcountry and wild springs — hike-in pools on public land — run on self-policing. There's no front desk, no posted rulebook beyond whatever signs volunteers maintain, and no one to eject a problem soaker. The etiquette is the same in spirit, but enforcement is social: regulars set the tone, and newcomers are expected to read it quickly. Nudity at wild springs is often a long-standing local custom rather than an official policy, which means the vibe can shift with the crowd. A weekday morning might be mellow and clothes-optional in practice; a Saturday afternoon at an Instagram-famous spot can draw crowds that don't know or follow the norms. Arrive early, keep your group small, and be the person who models good behavior.

A practical note on legality: on federal and most state lands, nudity itself is rarely the issue — disorderly or lewd conduct is. In practice that means quiet, non-sexual nudity at an established wild soak is widely tolerated, while behavior that draws complaints can bring enforcement. Policies vary by venue — check the listing page before you go, especially for backcountry spots where the rules are informal.

First-timer advice

If you've never been to a clothing-optional spring, here's how to make the first visit easy on yourself.

• Start at a developed resort, not a wild spring. Having staff, signage, and regulars around removes 90 percent of the guesswork. A place like Strawberry Park in Steamboat Springs or Orvis Hot Springs near Ridgway is a gentler introduction than a remote hike-in pool.
• You don't have to disrobe. Plenty of first-timers soak in a swimsuit the entire visit, and nobody cares. Clothing-optional includes the option of clothing. Go at your own pace; the second visit is often when people relax enough to try it.
• Bring a towel or sarong regardless. Even if you plan to wear a suit, you'll want something for the walk between pools, the deck, and the changing area. Two towels is better than one.
• Go at an off-peak time. Weekday mornings and early afternoons are quieter at nearly every spring. You'll get more space, less social pressure, and a better read on the normal rhythm of the place.
• Go with a friend if you're nervous. Everything is less intimidating with company, and you'll have someone to confirm that yes, this is normal, and no, nobody's looking.
• Don't overthink your body. Everyone at a clothing-optional spring has a normal human body, and the regulars genuinely do not care about yours. The self-consciousness fades fast — ask anyone who's been.
• Hydrate and pace yourself. Hot water dehydrates you; alternate soaking with cool-downs and drink water between pools. This is standard hot springs advice that first-timers at clothing-optional spots sometimes forget because they're focused on everything else.
• If something feels off, leave. Trust your gut. A legitimate venue will have staff to talk to; a wild spring with a bad crowd isn't worth your afternoon. There are 26 springs in our clothing-optional collection — pick another one.

Where to go: notable clothing-optional springs by region

The site's clothing-optional collection tracks 26 springs across the country. Below is a tour of the standouts, grouped by region, to help you pick a first visit or plan a trip around several.

California

California's clothing-optional soaking leans toward the retreat end of the spectrum — places built around wellness, quiet, and unplugged time. The best-known is Harbin Hot Springs, a members-only, paid retreat where the clothing-optional pools sit within a larger wellness campus: every guest over 18 has to buy a Harbin membership (from a $15 one-month trial), and reservations are currently required. It's the archetypal first-timer-friendly introduction: structured, staffed, and clear about where the clothing-optional areas begin and end. If you want the retreat experience without guessing at the norms, Harbin is the place to start.

Colorado

Colorado ties New Mexico for the most clothing-optional springs we track, and it spans the full range from polished resort to land-trust sanctuary. Strawberry Park Natural Hot Springs outside Steamboat Springs is the well-documented classic — a resort and spa setting that's easy to plan around, with clear policies and a long track record. Near Ridgway, Orvis Hot Springs offers another resort and spa experience in a quieter corner of the San Juans. For something with a different feel, Valley View Hot Springs at the Orient Land Trust pairs the soak with a land-trust setting — conservation land, dark skies, and a community ethos that regulars take seriously. And Dakota Hot Springs near Penrose rounds out the state's resort and spa options. With this many choices, Colorado is the easiest state in which to build a multi-stop clothing-optional road trip — but policies vary by venue, so check each listing page before you go.

New Mexico

New Mexico's entry is Ojo Caliente's Round Barn, a resort and spa setting attached to one of the oldest hot springs destinations in the country. The Round Barn's clothing-optional setup sits within a historic spa property, which makes it a comfortable pick if you like your soaking with a side of architecture and history. It's also a good example of the zoned approach: the clothing-optional area is distinct from the rest of the property, so you always know where you are.

Pacific Northwest

The Northwest is where clothing-optional soaking gets wilder — literally. Goldmyer Hot Springs in Washington is a hike-in backcountry soak, the kind of place where you earn the pools with your legs and share them with whoever else made the trek. Limited access — a nonprofit preserve with paid permits and a cap of 20 visitors a day — keeps the crowds down, and the backcountry setting means the self-policing norms described above apply in full: arrive clean, keep it quiet, pack everything out, and be ready to cover up on the trail. Across the border in Oregon, Umpqua Hot Springs near Idleyld Park is another backcountry classic — tiered pools above a river, long-standing clothing-optional custom, and a weekend crowd that can test the norms. Go on a weekday if you can. For the resort side of the Northwest, Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat and Conference Center near Detroit, Oregon, offers the structured retreat experience: staffed, intentional, and clear about expectations. Between the three, the region covers the whole spectrum — pick your comfort level.

A final word

Clothing-optional hot springs have a simple deal at their core: everyone agrees to be comfortable, everyone agrees to let everyone else be comfortable, and the water does the rest. The etiquette isn't complicated — don't stare, ask before joining, keep the phone away, wash first, and keep it to the pools. Nail those five and you'll fit in anywhere, from a polished Colorado resort to a hike-in pool in the Cascades.

If you're ready to pick a spot, browse the full clothing-optional hot springs collection — 26 springs, each with its own listing page noting what's confirmed and what isn't. And for the universal rules that apply at every soak, clothed or not, our general hot springs etiquette guide has you covered. When a listing doesn't confirm a detail you care about — hours, day-use fees, current policies — nothing on file confirms it, so check before you go.