Look for the steam to find hotsprings.
Finding hotsprings that are accessed by good roads is easy. But thousands of hotsprings exist off the beaten path. Some are hard to get to, but rewarding in their isolation. You might walk up the side of a mountain or descend into a river canyon; hotsprings can be anywhere. If you plan ahead, do some research and look for clues, you can find hotsprings all over the United States.
Instructions
1. Open your computer browser. Search for the Google Earth program and download it to your desktop. Open the Google Earth program and type in the general area where you are going to be searching for hotsprings.
2. Scroll the elevation to 2,200 feet. Scan along river banks, creeks and mountain ranges for Youtube icons, geographic symbols that denote hotsprings or names of hotsprings. Write down the locations.
3. Type "hotsprings" and the state where you are going to be looking for hotsprings into your computer's browser. Look for pages that list all the hotsprings for that state. Take note of the ones you wish to visit.
4. Order a USGS map online or download one if the one you want is available online (see Resources). Mark the locations on the map. Use the map to find other remote hotsprings that may not be on your other sources' locations.
5. Drive to the area where the hotsprings are using your map as a guide. Look for road signs denoting hotsprings. Some have them, some don't. Camp in a designated place as close as possible to the hotsprings.
6. Get up at daybreak. To find lesser-known or remote hotsprings, walk down trails or drive along the riverbanks or side roads using directions from your map. Look for well-worn paths that lead into the forest, along ridges or open meadows. Look for steam rising from the trees, open ground or creek beds. When you see the steam, you have found a hotspring.
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