Wilbur Springs

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—temperature

A natural thermal spring.

Scale30/60

Documentation14/20

Character10/20

The details

Soak: Temperature unrecorded
Area: Ukiah
Coordinates: 39.039, -122.421

Get directions →

About Wilbur Springs

Wilbur Springs is a natural hot spring in California.

At that temperature it's temperature unrecorded — check current conditions and always test the water before getting in.

Plungeworthy rates Wilbur Springs 5.4/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

A solar-powered, device-free sanctuary in the Coast Range hills: four long soaking flumes stepped at 100, 105, and 109°F, a spring-fed pool, and a cold plunge, all fed by 150°F mineral water. Clothing-optional inside the bathing area, clothed everywhere else, phones banned at the water — the quietest soak in California by design.

Getting there

Parking: On-site lot, reservation required to pass the gate
Road: Paved CA-20 from Williams, then ~3 miles of gravel Bear Valley Road
Hike: 0 mi round trip (easy)
Heads up: No walk-ins, ever — book before you drive.

When to go

Year-round; spring wildflower season in the surrounding nature preserve is the sleeper pick. On-site tent camping runs April through October only.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: Day use ~$69 weekday / ~$77 weekend, reservation only, 10am–5pm
Dogs: Service dogs only
Hours: Day use 10am–5pm
Camping: Six hike-in tent sites on the property (seasonal); lodge rooms year-round
Warnings: Cameras and phones are prohibited in the bathing area and the rule is enforced. Remote — the nearest store is 20+ miles.

Researched from Wilbur Hot Springs — day use · Wilbur Hot Springs — plan your visit. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Wilbur Springs recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.