As the days shorten and temperatures drop, some of the most welcoming pieces of Montana real estate are those wonderful parcels of land that are home to our state’s delightful hot springs.
In fact, a hot soak on a cold day is a Montana tradition that’s older than the state itself. In 1879, Bozeman resident Jeremiah Mathews, a wagon and carriage maker, opened Mathews’ Warm Springs, now Bozeman Hot Springs. The Bozeman Avant-Courier enthused, “Mr. Mathews' work may be considered one of the best possible things for the country and will undoubtedly be taken advantage of accordingly.”
The paper was right, and other developed hot springs soon followed. An Irish immigrant named Martin Quinn founded Quinn’s Hot Springs on a prime piece of Montana real estate southwest of Flathead Lake near the town of Plains. Quinn’s was advertised as a place to treat rheumatism and intestinal ailments, as well as a method of removing alcohol, tobacco, and mining toxins from the body. Patrons thought the springs were so effective that they took to calling Martin “Dr. Quinn.”
Photo courtesy of Marianne Wiest Photography
Today, a number of hot springs are found across Montana. The Bozeman area boasts several, including the lively Norris Hot Springs and the more secluded Potosi Hot Springs tucked into a hideaway in the Tobacco Roots Mountains.
Southeast of Bozeman, Chico Hot Springs dates back to 1900 and now offers a full resort and day spa with two large open-air hot springs pools. The Yellowstone Hot Springs re-opened in 1919 and is now welcoming guests to its rebuilt pools with gorgeous Paradise Valley views.
Quinn’s is still in business and more beautiful than ever after a complete remodel of their pools in 2020. In addition, ten other hot springs are scattered throughout the Bitterroot and Summit Valleys as well as the Helena area.
Montana’s abundance of geothermal activity makes for some wonderful soaking options wherever your winter travels take you. See the recent article in our Pure Montana Magazine for additional soaking suggestions. And if your road leads you to a place you’d like to call home, Pure West Christie’s Real Estate is your source for real estate is Western Montana and beyond.
Main photo courtesy of Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash
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