01 · Hottest pool you can soak in
Mercey Hot Springs
Privately owned resort near Firebaugh, with drive-up access. Entry is paid. Camping nearby.
- Drive
- 2 hr 40 min
- Pool temperature
- 102–106°F
- Entry
- Paid
Explore / California / Near San Luis Obispo
Last checked 10 Nov
Hot springs near San Luis Obispo
12 hot springs within 120 miles of San Luis Obispo, the closest about 10 min away by road. Each one is checked for closures, wildfire and weather warnings every morning.
Montecito Hot Springs · Unknown (see source) · Public domainSykes Hot Springs · Andy Mai veroz · CC0
- Closest drive
- 10 minSycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, California · 9 miles by road
- Free to soak
- 5Closest is Montecito, 1 hr 55 min
- Hottest soak
- 106°FMercey, pools 102–106°F
- Today
- 2 to checkMontecito Hot Springs and Sykes Hot Springs. The other 10 have no closures reported.
Today
Conditions near San Luis Obispo
Checked every morning against Forest Service closure notices, national wildfire perimeters and National Weather Service warnings. How we check
ClosuresCheck before you go: Montecito Hot Springs and Sykes Hot Springs.Checked
WildfireFire activity reported near Sykes Hot Springs.Checked
WeatherNo weather warnings in effect for these springs.Checked
Get closure news by email
New closures, reopenings and new states, about once a month. No spam.
Short list
Where to start
Four picked from the 12: the closest, the best free soak, the hottest pool you can safely sit in, a resort or developed pool and one more worth the drive.
02 · Worth the drive
Little Caliente Hot Springs
Free natural pools on Los Padres National Forest land near Santa Barbara, about a 1.2 mile hike in. Camping nearby.
- Distance
- 79 mi
- Source water
- 90°F
- Entry
- Free
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03 · Closest to San Luis Obispo · Resort
Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa
Privately owned resort near San Luis Obispo, with drive-up access. Entry is paid.
Typical pool temperature
80–115°F
04 · Best free soak
Remington Hot Springs
Free natural pools on Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District land near Lake Isabella, a short walk from parking. Camping nearby.
Map
Where they are
Rings are straight-line distance from San Luis Obispo at 60 and 120 miles. Roads take longer, especially over mountain passes.
Questions
Asked often
Are there hot springs in San Luis Obispo?
Not in San Luis Obispo itself. The closest is Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, about 10 min by road (9 miles) near San Luis Obispo.
What's the closest hot spring to San Luis Obispo?
Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, about 10 min by road (9 miles) near San Luis Obispo. Entry is paid. Drive times are from Google Maps; mountain roads can close in winter.
Which hot springs are within two hours of San Luis Obispo?
5 are within about two hours by road: Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa (10 min), Franklin Hot Springs (35 min), Gaviota Hot Springs (1 hr 10 min), Montecito Hot Springs (1 hr 55 min) and Esalen Institute Hot Springs (2 hr). Mountain passes and forest roads can close in winter, so check before you drive.
Are there free hot springs near San Luis Obispo?
Yes. 5 of the 12 are free. The closest free one is Montecito Hot Springs, about 1 hr 55 min by road (101 miles) near Montecito.
Is there a hot springs resort near San Luis Obispo?
Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa is the closest, about 10 min by road (9 miles) near San Luis Obispo. There are 4 resorts in this list.
Are hot springs near San Luis Obispo open in winter?
Some are. Gaviota Hot Springs, Montecito Hot Springs, Mercey Hot Springs and Willett Hot Springs and 1 more stay accessible all winter, and none has a closure reported today. Mountain roads can close after storms, so check before you drive. See every California spring you can reach in winter
How do you know if a hot spring is open today?
We check every spring each morning against Forest Service closure notices, national wildfire perimeters and National Weather Service warnings. When nothing turns up we say "no closures reported", not "open", because a missing report isn't proof a spring is open.
All 12
Every spring, nearest first
Drive times by road from San Luis Obispo, from Google Maps (November 2026). Mountain passes and forest roads can close in winter, so check before you go. Water is the typical pool temperature, or the source temperature where that's all we have.
1Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & SpaSan Luis Obispo10 min9 mi by roadNot on fileResortPaidNo closures reported
3Gaviota Hot SpringsGoleta1 hr 10 min72 mi by road99°F sourceNaturalNot confirmedNo closures reported
7Remington Hot SpringsLake Isabella3 hr 10 min173 mi by road80–115°F poolNaturalFreeNo closures reported
8Little Caliente Hot SpringsSanta Barbara79 miStraight line, hike in90°F sourceNaturalFreeNo closures reported
9Big Caliente Hot SpringsSanta Barbara81 miStraight line, hike in105–115°F poolNaturalFreeNo closures reported
11Willett Hot SpringsOjai104 miStraight line, hike in108°F sourceNaturalNot confirmedNo closures reported
12Sespe Hot SpringsOjai105 miStraight line, hike in105°F poolNaturalNot confirmedNo closures reported
For lodges, cabins and campgrounds
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