Baranof Warm Springs
108–110°F
Pool temperatures
Boat access
Moderate access
Free
No fee reported
Baranof Warm Springs is a small seasonal community on the east side of Baranof Island, about 20 miles from Sitka. A free public bathhouse stands near the dock, and a boardwalk and trail lead to natural hot pools beside the Baranof River rapids. Spring water is around 124 F and pools are cooled to about 108 to 110 F. There is no road, so visitors arrive by floatplane or boat.
01 · Before you go
Plan your visit
What to expect on the ground: rules, facilities and when to go.
- Camping nearbyDispersed camping is reported nearby. A Forest Service cabin at the north end of Baranof Lake is a common base but is reached by floatplane or boat.
- Toilets
- PoolsBathhouse with 3 tubs plus a developed rock-lined river pool; about nine to ten springs in total
- ModerateSummer, when the community and bathhouse are in use and transport is most frequent.
- SeasonNatural pools reported accessible year-round; the bathhouse is mainly used in summer when the seasonal community is occupied. Winter transport is limited.
- Winter: possible with effortBoat access only; pools open year-round, winter transport limited. Winter guide
- Free to soakNo admission charge; the bathhouse is kept up by the local property owners association. Floatplane or charter costs apply.
Best time to go. Summer, when the community and bathhouse are in use and transport is most frequent.
02 · Live
Conditions
Access status, weather and hazards. Closure feeds are checked automatically every morning.
Access
No closures reported
No closure, fire or weather warning found in Forest Service, wildfire (NIFC) or National Weather Service feeds. That isn't confirmation it's open, so check with Mixed: private community lots and Tongass National Forest.
Checked 22 Oct · updated daily
Checked Oct 2026: searches for 2025-2026 closures, fire or landslide closures at Warm Springs Bay found none. A state project to rebuild the harbor floats and add seaplane floats was reported, so dock conditions may differ from older guides. Boardwalk is city-maintained per Wikipedia.
Source water is about 122 to 124 F, so test before entering. The Baranof River rapids and falls between the bay and Baranof Lake have caused deaths, so stay off the rocks near the water. Remote: no road, ferry or regular service, so weather can delay flights and boats. Brown bears on Baranof Island. Heavy rain triggers landslides across the Sitka area; the documented 2015 slides hit Baranof and Chichagof Islands, but no specific landslide at Warm Springs Bay was found in sources. Much of the shoreline is private cabins, so stay on the public boardwalk and the signed facilities. Boat dock has been slated for state rebuild.
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03 · Route
Getting there
Nearest town: Sitka.
- 1
Baranof Warm Springs Bay is about 20 miles east of Sitka on the east side of Baranof Island, with no road or ferry.
- 2
Most visitors fly by floatplane (about 30 minutes) or take a boat.
- 3
A public bathhouse sits near the waterfront dock, and boardwalk and trail lead along the Baranof River to natural pools beside the rapids.
57.0850, −134.8390 · nearest town Sitka, AK
04 · Where to stay
Stay nearby
Start early and stay close. Places to stay near Sitka, from campgrounds to cabins.
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Checked against 4 sources, with closures, wildfires and weather warnings re-checked daily.Show sourcesShare your photosSuggest an update
- hotspringsguides.com (access, bathhouse, fee, camping, hazards, seasonal use)
- en.wikipedia.org (temperature, pools, location, boardwalk)
- coastview.org (springs, community, trail)
- juneauempire.com (harbor rebuild)
