Baker Hot Springs, Washington
Whatcom County, Washington3.9 (117 reviews on Google)
Baker Hot Springs, Washington is a free, undeveloped hot spring in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, about 2.3 miles in a straight line from the shore of Baker Lake. From Baker Lake Road, drive 4 miles up Forest Road 1130 and turn onto Forest Road 1144 to the parking area at its end, then walk about 0.3 mile up a short path to a single gravel-bottomed pool held by rocks and logs. The Forest Service route to that parking area leaves State Route 20 at milepost 82 and follows Baker Lake Road north 17.7 miles before the turn onto Forest Road 1130. NOAA's thermal springs survey lists the spring at 108°F, but visitors put the silty, sulfur-scented pool nearer 100°F, warmest where bubbles rise through the gravel. The Forest Service no longer maintains the pool, whose built tub and changing room were removed in 1978. No recreation pass is required at the trailhead, which has no toilets or drinking water.
Sources: fs.usda.gov, wta.org, alltrails.com, openstreetmap.org, hotspringsguides.com, hotwaterslaughter.com, pnt.org
National Forest Development Road 1144 passes within a quarter mile of Baker Hot Springs (Whatcom County, Washington). Filed as an undeveloped backcountry pool in visitor reviews. Vent temperature from NOAA's survey: 108°F. The price band on file is free and our amenity fields are blank for this listing. Sources say clothing optional in visitor reviews.
Source: NOAA thermal springs survey — BAKER HOT SPRING, 0.19 mi
At a glance
Water temp
105–110°F — keep sessions short and hydrate
NOAA thermal springs survey — BAKER HOT SPRING, 0.19 mi
Survey-measured
Road required
High clearance
Visitor-confirmed
Getting there
Short Walk
Visitor-confirmed
Clothing
Clothing Optional
Visitor-confirmed
Camping on site
Not indicated
Unverified
Cell service
Spotty at best
Information verified: — roads and policies change without notice.
Camping & lodging nearby
Options within about 20 miles of Baker Hot Springs.
Disclosure: Some links on this site are affiliate links, and we earn a commission if you book or buy through them. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details
Conditions at the spring
What we can actually confirm
Every attribute shows its source. Where nothing confirms it, we say so rather than guess.
Clothing policy
Clothing Optional
Vehicle needed
High Clearance
Getting to the water
Short Walk
Camping on site
Not indicated
Development
Primitive/Backcountry
The water
Baker Hot Springs: common questions
Where is Baker Hot Springs?
In the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (Mt. Baker Ranger District), Whatcom County, Washington, at the end of Forest Road 1144. The Forest Service's directions to that parking area: from State Route 20 at milepost 82, take Baker Lake Road (Forest Service Road 11) north 17.7 miles, turn left on Forest Road 1130 for 4 miles, then turn right on Forest Road 1144 and follow it to its end. Cell service drops out on the forest roads, so save directions before you go.
Sources: fs.usda.gov, wta.org (1), wta.org (2)
How long is the hike to Baker Hot Springs?
About 0.3 mile each way, roughly 0.6 mile round trip, on an easy path that climbs a short hill at the start. From the parking lot take the path heading uphill on the right; the old road heading downhill is closed Forest Road 1144, which leads to the Swift Creek Trail, not the springs. No official elevation-gain figure is published.
Sources: wta.org (1), wta.org (2), alltrails.com, fs.usda.gov
Is Baker Hot Springs open?
Yes, as of October 1, 2026. The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest lists no closure for the springs, Forest Road 1130 or Forest Road 1144, and visitors reported soaking there through spring 2026. The Forest Service does not maintain the pool and no longer has a recreation page for it; the built tub and changing room were removed in 1978. Beyond the parking area, Forest Road 1144 is closed to vehicles.
Sources: fs.usda.gov (1), fs.usda.gov (2), wta.org, hotwaterslaughter.com, hotspringsguides.com, fs.usda.gov (3)
How hot is Baker Hot Springs?
NOAA's thermal springs survey lists the spring at 108°F. The pool is cooler: visitors put it around 100°F, warmest where bubbles rise through the gravel bottom, and it runs cooler in cold weather. The water is silty and smells of sulfur.
Sources: hotspringsguides.com, hotwaterslaughter.com, wta.org (1), wta.org (2)
Is Baker Hot Springs clothing optional?
In practice, yes. No rule is posted either way and the forest's current alerts include no nudity order, but nude soaking is common, so expect mixed company and bring a swimsuit if you prefer one.
Sources: hotspringsguides.com, wta.org, fs.usda.gov
Do you need a Northwest Forest Pass for Baker Hot Springs?
No. The Forest Service says a recreation pass is not required at the Swift Creek Trailhead, which is reached from the same Forest Road 1144 parking area, and there is no fee to soak. There are no toilets or drinking water at the trailhead.
Sources: fs.usda.gov, pnt.org
Do you need a high-clearance vehicle?
It is recommended. Forest Road 1130 is gravel, and its condition depends on when it was last graded: in April 2026 one visitor thought almost any car could make it, but by May 2026 another described constant potholes and said not to try it without high clearance. Allow extra time for the 4.5 miles of forest road.
Sources: wta.org (1), wta.org (2), wta.org (3), wta.org (4)
Can you visit Baker Hot Springs in winter?
People do, but plan for snow. Forest Road 1130 can carry packed snow and ice: in February 2025 a visitor got through in a small SUV but saw a van and a truck stuck, and in February 2017 a group parked at Baker Lake Road and walked about 4.5 miles each way, partly on snowshoes. Microspikes help on the path, and the pool is cooler in cold weather. The nearby Forest Service campgrounds are open May to September only.
Sources: wta.org (1), wta.org (2), fs.usda.gov (1), fs.usda.gov (2)
How far is Baker Hot Springs from Baker Lake?
About 2.3 miles in a straight line from the nearest Baker Lake shoreline. By car it is about 4.5 miles of forest road (Forest Road 1144, then 1130) back down to Baker Lake Road at Boulder Creek, where the Forest Service's Boulder Creek Campground sits close to the lake. Park Creek Campground, about 2 miles south in a straight line, is the closest of the lake's campgrounds.
Sources: openstreetmap.org, fs.usda.gov (1), wta.org, fs.usda.gov (2), fs.usda.gov (3), fs.usda.gov (4)
Tips before you go
Practical notes from operators, land managers and published sources — plus reviews written here.
Take the uphill path: from the round parking lot at the end of Forest Road 1144, the path to the springs climbs a short hill on the right and is about 0.2-0.3 mile. The obvious old road heading downhill past the berms is closed FR 1144 toward the Swift Creek Trail (USFS), and several visitors have walked half a mile or more the wrong way. Sources: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2026-05-02.210254394503 , https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2019-10-16.4908157718 , https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mbs/recreation/trails/swift-creek-trail-607
Road: Forest Road 1130 is 4 miles of gravel from Baker Lake Road, then 0.5 mile on FR 1144. Its condition swings with grading: freshly graded in August 2025, suitable for most cars in April 2026, but a festival of potholes needing high clearance by May 2026; one family took 40 minutes in June 2025. A September 2025 visitor found a gate locked; a November 2025 visitor found the road open. USFS lists no closure on either road as of 2026-10-01. Sources: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2025-08-10.131433442500 , https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2026-05-13.130254713313 , https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2026-05-02.210254394503 , https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2025-07-03.182242857207 , https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2025-09-20.124238685757 , https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2025-11-17.114138792744 , https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mbs/newsroom/releases/current-and-upcoming-road-closures-mt-baker-snoqualmie-national-forest
The pool: one main pool, roughly 12 ft square and about 2 ft deep, held by a low dam of rocks and logs; hot water bubbles up through the gravel bottom and the back corner is hottest. Silty, with a strong sulfur smell; a cold stream runs alongside. Sources: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2025-07-03.182242857207 , https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2026-05-02.210254394503 , https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/baker-hot-springs
Sanitation: no toilets or drinking water at the trailhead (PNT). Visitors report trash and human waste around the parking lot (June 2025), and an undated account says low flow and heavy use mean the pool often fails fecal-coliform standards and has tested positive for E. coli — keep your head out of the water, pack everything out and bring no glass. Sources: https://www.pnt.org/locations/swift-creek-trailhead/ , https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2025-07-03.182242857207 , https://hotwaterslaughter.com/hotspring/mount-baker-hot-springs , https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/baker-hot-springs
Parking and camping: the lot holds roughly 10-15 cars. There is no campground at the springs; the nearest USFS campgrounds are Boulder Creek (8 sites + 1 group site, at the FR 1130 turnoff) and Park Creek (12 sites), both reservable on Recreation.gov, open May-September, vault toilets, no drinking water. A forest-wide food storage order applies. Sources: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2026-05-02.210254394503 , https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mbs/recreation/boulder-creek-campground , https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mbs/recreation/park-creek-campground
Been here?
Loading…
What to pack for Baker Hot Springs →
Contact & location
Address: Washington 98237
Keep this page honest
Road and closure status for Baker Hot Springs is the fastest-decaying fact on this page. If something has changed on the ground, tell us and we will re-check it.