7 Nevada Hot Springs Locals Say Were Better Before Tourists

Nevada’s desert hides dozens of natural hot springs. Some are developed, others remain rugged, but many locals say the experience has changed as more travelers found them. Increased traffic often means crowded pools, litter, and even closures.

These springs once offered quiet escapes but now carry the weight of heavy tourism. Nevada’s hot springs are still worth visiting, but many longtime residents point out how tourism changed the experience. Crowds don’t erase the landscapes, yet they do shift the rhythm of these places. If you go, leaving no trace matters more than ever.

1. Fish Lake Valley Hot Springs (Esmeralda County)

Wide horizons and big skies made Fish Lake Valley Hot Springs a place I’d escape to when city life felt overwhelming. The spring itself sits at the edge of the valley, with mountains rising up in the distance. You could arrive midweek and have the whole area to yourself, listening only to the sound of water bubbling up from the earth.

Locals used to bring just a towel and maybe a friend, treating the spring as a spot for quiet conversation or silent reflection. At night, the stars would fill the sky without interruption from artificial light. Sometimes, it felt like time slowed down in the desert.

That sense of solitude is rare now. Word spread online, and the valley started to fill with RVs, campers, and larger groups. The noise level rose, and people sometimes left behind trash, which changed the landscape’s feel. It’s not unusual to see several cars parked along the dirt road even on weekdays. The vastness of Nevada’s desert is still there, and the water still soothes, but for those who remember the old days, the spring’s peacefulness feels harder to find. Going now means sharing the experience, for better or worse, with many more people.

2. Goldstrike Hot Springs (near Boulder City)

There’s something bittersweet about Goldstrike Hot Springs if you’ve been around Boulder City long enough. Years ago, I remember hiking down the canyon with just a couple friends and feeling like we’d stumbled on a private treasure. The silence along the trail and the way the sun bounced off those canyon walls made the place feel ancient and undisturbed.

Back then, most people who visited knew to tread lightly. The pools near the Colorado River were small, a series of warm eddies tucked into the rock. You could soak for hours and not see another soul, except maybe a bighorn sheep across the river.

All that started to change as word got out. With more visitors came more trash, and a few people tried to carve their own paths to the water, causing erosion. The National Park Service eventually had to close off most pools for safety and conservation. These days, the remaining areas tend to get crowded, especially on weekends. The hike is still beautiful and the water still steams, but the sense of wilderness has faded. If you go now, recognize the fragile state of this canyon. The hot springs haven’t disappeared, but the way people interact with them is forever altered. Most soaking pools are closed by the National Park Service due to hazards and overuse. Hiking access remains but swimming is restricted.

3. Spencer Hot Springs (near Austin)

If you ask anyone from central Nevada about their favorite getaway, Spencer Hot Springs often tops the list. Not long ago, the place was the kind of secret only a handful of locals and cross-country bikers knew. The springs bubble up through old steel tubs scattered across the sagebrush landscape, and wild burros sometimes wander through as curious onlookers.

When I first visited, the air was filled with the scent of sage and the only noise came from wind or the occasional coyote. It was a place where you could watch sunlight fade over the Toiyabe Range and feel completely alone with your thoughts. The charm came from its simplicity and the honest quiet of the Nevada range.

Now, the tubs are rarely empty. Directions are easy to find online, leading to more visitors year-round. You’ll hear laughter and music more than you hear silence, and the presence of vehicles is steady. The views still stretch for miles, and the water remains inviting, but those long stretches of silence are harder to come by. Spencer’s wild character is intact, but the sense of hidden discovery has mostly faded into memory.

4. Soldier Meadows Hot Springs (north of Gerlach)

Getting to Soldier Meadows Hot Springs always felt like embarking on an adventure. The drive is rough, and the last stretch bumps over wild, remote land. Years ago, it was mostly locals and a handful of travelers who made the effort, and the wetlands there seemed untouched and wild.

The pools themselves sit near fragile marshes and grasses, with water so clear you could see the bottom. Soaking at sunrise or late in the evening brought a sense of connection to the land. People respected the space, keeping noise low and campfires minimal, knowing that the ecosystem was delicate.

As word spread, more visitors arrived, sometimes in groups. Vehicles wandered off designated paths, causing damage to sensitive areas. Campfires left scars, and trash occasionally accumulated. The pools still captivate with their natural beauty, but the area now bears the marks of heavier use. Locals mourn the changes, remembering a time when the meadows felt untouched. Nevada’s remote hot springs remain stunning, yet the responsibility to protect them grows every year.

5. Ruby Valley Hot Springs (Elko County)

Ruby Valley Hot Springs gave me one of my most peaceful mornings in Nevada. I remember arriving before dawn, steam rising from the pools and the Ruby Mountains painted pink by early light. For years, it was a place that felt tucked away, with just a few footprints in the mud to show anyone else had been there.

During the week, the road was often empty except for an occasional rancher’s truck. The pools are deep and shockingly clear, surrounded by soft marsh grasses. There’s a quiet majesty to the way the valley stretches out, interrupted only by the splash of a kingfisher or the gentle movement of water.

Now, weekends bring more visitors. Cars sometimes line the road, and groups gather for long afternoons. Trash left behind has become an issue, and the old sense of undisturbed wilderness is harder to find. Locals often suggest coming on weekdays if you want to experience what made it special in the first place. The scenery and water still draw people in, but the rhythm of the place is different now.

6. Trego Hot Springs (near Black Rock Desert)

Trego Hot Springs carries a unique energy, shaped as much by its geography as by the changing crowds. Before Black Rock Desert’s fame exploded, it was mostly local ranchers and a few hardy travelers who stopped by. The spring itself is a long, shallow trench, steaming in the early mornings and evenings.

For a long time, the surrounding playa was a quiet place, used mainly by those who respected the land. You could camp out, soak under the stars, and wake to a view that felt endless. The water has always been mineral-rich and warm, a comfort after dusty days.

That all changed as Burning Man grew in popularity. Now, Trego draws festival-goers and off-roaders, leaving behind traces of their visits. The hot spring is still a sight, but the signs of frequent use, tire tracks, trash, and crowded camps, are hard to miss. Those who found Trego in quieter times recall it fondly, but for new visitors, the experience is shaped by the ebb and flow of Nevada’s changing desert culture.

7. Carson Hot Springs (Carson City)

Carson Hot Springs has been part of Nevada’s landscape for more than a century, drawing visitors with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Once a rustic bathhouse where locals soaked in wooden tubs, the springs eventually became a commercial resort with indoor pools, outdoor soaking areas, and private baths.

Old photographs show its long history as a stop for travelers passing through Carson City. Locals often say the atmosphere shifted as the springs gained popularity. What once felt like a quiet community spot is now a busier destination that attracts tourists from across the state and beyond.

The water still carries the same soothing properties, but the addition of modern facilities and crowds has changed the pace. Today, Carson Hot Springs remains a fixture in the city’s wellness scene, blending historic character with a more commercial identity shaped by steady tourism.