Are There Hot SpringsAre there hot springs in North Dakota?
No. North Dakota has no hot springs of its own. Its rocks do hold very hot water, but at the bottom of the Williston Basin, about 13,000 feet down, where the North Dakota Geological Survey has measured 297 to 299°F. None of it reaches the surface.
The nearest hot springs are in Hot Springs, South Dakota, about 270 miles from Bismarck and 400 miles from Fargo in a straight line. In North Dakota itself, warm water means indoor waterparks, such as Splashdown Dakota in Minot, whose 45-person cloverleaf hot tub is the biggest we found.
The nearest hot springs to Fargo and Bismarck
All the nearby hot springs are to the south-west and west: the Black Hills, then north-east Montana and central Wyoming.
| From | Nearest hot springs (straight line) | Next nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | Hot Springs, South Dakota400 miles | Saco, Montana, 510 milesThermopolis, Wyoming, 600 miles |
| Bismarck | Hot Springs, South Dakota270 miles | Saco, Montana, 330 milesThermopolis, Wyoming, 420 miles |
From Bismarck, Montana's Sleeping Buffalo near Saco is only about 60 miles farther than Hot Springs, South Dakota. From Fargo, the Black Hills are the clear choice.
North Dakota's hot water, two and a half miles down
Western North Dakota sits over the deepest part of the Williston Basin, a bowl of sedimentary rock thousands of feet thick. At the bottom of the basin lies a hot aquifer. The North Dakota Geological Survey has recorded water at about 297 and 299°F at roughly 13,000 feet in McKenzie County, and expects even hotter water where the basin is deepest.
Oil wells already bring some of that heat up: in south-western North Dakota, hot, low-salinity water above 212°F comes up with oil and gas from the Lodgepole Formation, and it is usually treated as waste and pumped back underground. Just across the border near Estevan, Saskatchewan, a company drilling for geothermal power has tested water up to 261°F.
Near the surface, the ground stays at a steady 45 to 75°F year-round, which is why most of North Dakota's "geothermal" systems are heat pumps with vertical loops, not hot water. For a hot soak, the water has to be heated.
What to know before you soak in North Dakota
North Dakota's hot water is locked far underground; at the surface, warm water means indoor waterparks and hot tubs.
- Natural hot springs
- None
- Biggest hot tub
- 45 people, Splashdown Dakota, Minot
- Nearest hot springs
- Hot Springs, South Dakota, about 270 miles from Bismarck
- Listed here
- 4 places
- Hottest water measured
- 297 to 299°F, 13,000 ft down
Map of heated pools in North Dakota
Where each of the 4 places in North Dakota is. Pin shapes show the type; open the larger map for more detail.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
North Dakota heated pools
Four indoor waterparks with hot tubs, from Minot to Fargo and the Turtle Mountains.
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Waterpark
Splashdown Dakota Super Slide
Minot24,000 sq ft of slides and pools with a 45-person cloverleaf hot tub, at the Sleep Inn.
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Waterpark
Splashers of the South Seas
Grand ForksA 40,000 sq ft indoor waterpark at the Canad Inn with an adult hot tub.
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Waterpark
Coconut Cove Waterpark
FargoA lap pool, hot tub and sauna at the Delta by Marriott.
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Waterpark
Turtle Island Indoor Water Park
BelcourtAn 80-degree indoor park with a lazy river and hot tub, opened in December 2023.
Questions about soaking in North Dakota
Could North Dakota use its deep hot water?
Possibly. The state geological survey is studying it; for now, hot water that comes up with oil is mostly pumped back underground.
Is there hot water underground in North Dakota?
Yes, deep down. The state geological survey has measured 297 to 299°F at about 13,000 feet in McKenzie County.
Where is the biggest hot tub in North Dakota?
Splashdown Dakota Super Slide in Minot has a 45-person cloverleaf hot tub, according to North Dakota Tourism.
Are there hot springs near Bismarck?
The nearest is Hot Springs, South Dakota, about 270 miles away in a straight line, then Saco, Montana, about 330 miles away.
Are there hot springs near Fargo?
The nearest is Hot Springs, South Dakota, about 400 miles away in a straight line.
How to visit
Best time to visit
All four are indoors and open year-round; winter is when they come into their own.
Prices and fees
Day passes vary, and some waterparks are for hotel guests; check before you go.
How to get there
Fargo and Grand Forks are on I-29 in the Red River Valley. Minot is in the north-west, and Belcourt is near the Turtle Mountains on the Canadian border.
Safety and etiquette
Hot tub tips for a waterpark.
- Keep it shortWaterpark hot tubs are warm and busy; 10 to 15 minutes at a time is plenty.
- Watch the little onesChildren overheat faster than adults; the CPSC's 104°F limit is a maximum, not a target.
- Clean up afterwardsWash off with soap after the hot tub, as the CDC recommends, especially after a busy shared tub.
How we checked this page
Information here was checked on against the sources below.
- North Dakota Geological Survey: Getting into hot water (2024) (297-299°F at 13,000 ft)
- North Dakota Geological Survey: Geothermal resources (Geologic Investigations 69) (hot water co-produced with oil)
- North Dakota DMR: Geothermal energy (2007 newsletter) (ground 45-75°F, heat pumps)
- North Dakota Tourism: Splashdown Dakota Super Slide (45-person hot tub)
- North Dakota Tourism: Splashers of the South Seas (hot tub)
- North Dakota Tourism: Places to enjoy a dip (Coconut Cove hot tub, sauna)
- North Dakota Tourism: Turtle Island Adventure Parks (80-degree park)
- NOAA: Thermal Springs List for the United States
- CPSC: Hot tub temperatures
- CDC: Preventing hot tub rash
Hot springs elsewhere in the United States
Other states where we list hot springs.