Are There Hot SpringsWho is responsible
Are There Hot Springs is edited by John Levitt. The editor is responsible for what we publish, reviews pages against their sources before they go live or are updated, and decides on corrections.
Our sources
We base every guide on official sources, such as:
- national and state park services, including the US National Park Service
- forest and land management agencies, which set permits, closures and rules on public land
- geological surveys and NOAA's list of thermal springs in the United States
- public health agencies, including the CDC and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission
- state park systems, state historical agencies and official national and state tourism boards
When a detail such as opening hours or a price is only published by a resort or operator, we may check it there, but we only link to government-run and official sources. We don't use reviews, forums, social media or other travel sites as sources of fact.
Each guide lists its sources at the end, with what each one confirms.
What we check
For every place we list, we check that it exists, that the public can visit it and how. Where official sources give them, we report water temperature, access, permits, fees, seasons and rules. When sources disagree, we use the most recent one from the body that manages the site, and we say when a figure is approximate.
Distances to the nearest hot springs on pages for states without them are measured in a straight line, and we say so on the page. Road distances are longer.
Safety
Hot springs can be dangerous. Our safety advice comes from public health agencies, and we point out hazards such as scalding water, unsafe pools and difficult access where official sources warn about them. When a land manager closes a spring, we say so and stop giving directions to it.
How we use AI tools
We use AI tools to help research and draft pages. They don't decide what is true: every fact on a page has to match an official source, and the editor reviews each page before it is published or updated.
Reviews and updates
Every guide shows the date it was last reviewed against its sources. We review pages regularly and straight away when we hear of a closure, a change in access or a mistake.
Independence
No hot spring, resort, land manager or tourism board pays to be listed, to be described in a particular way or to be ranked. We don't accept free visits or gifts in return for coverage. The site has no advertising and no affiliate links. If we ever add either, we will label it clearly and keep it separate from our editorial choices.
Corrections
If we get something wrong, we fix it. Our corrections page explains how to report a mistake and what happens next.