All About Our Water

What’s in our water? Iron Mountain Hot Springs water isn’t just hot, although it is that—our hottest soaking pool named Mother Lode is a toasty 108°F—it contains an assortment of beneficial minerals which it picks up on its journey to the surface from deep within the earth. There are fourteen dissolved minerals found in our geothermal waters—boron, calcium, chloride, fluoride, iron, lithium, manganese, magnesium, potassium, phosphate, silica, sodium, sulfate and zinc.

Where does the water come from? The water for our 16 geothermal soaking pools originates from one of three springs: the Hobo Spring which surfaces at approximately 103°F, the Gamba Spring at 108°F and the Redstone Well at 118°F. Every hot spring is different. Even if the kinds of minerals in the water are the same, the number and concentration usually differ. Check out our mineral spotlight blog series for detailed information about each of the minerals found in Iron Mountain Hot Springs water.

How do we take care of our geothermal water? Even though Mother Nature does the heavy lifting by providing the geothermal spring, we work diligently to keep our water pure. We never add chlorine or other chemicals to our soaking pools. To ensure pristine quality, the water from our spring is filtered through two sand filters before entering the pools. Each pool has its own separate water supply and outflow; the water does not flow from one soaking pool to another. In addition to being drained and power-washed weekly, the water in the pools is completely replaced every two hours. It’s discharged via “creek beds” that return the water to the river, as Mother Nature would do naturally.

Why is soaking in our water beneficial? Soaking in mineral hot springs for therapeutic reasons is an ancient wellness practice called balneology. Iron Mountain Hot Springs has 16 soaking pools, ranging in temperature from 98°F to 108°F, plus a freshwater family pool and outdoor showers for cooling off. Not only does our water feel fabulous, soaking in hot springs boosts health in a number of ways. The warm water improves mental and physical health by helping you feel more relaxed; the minerals subtly work on mending the body from the outside in. Some studies even suggest soaking in hot springs can help you lose weight by burning calories! Skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis benefit from geothermal hydrotherapy treatments. Recently, spine injured athletes participated in a neuroplastic functional training (NFT) class that took place at Iron Mountain Hot Springs. The warm water allowed participants to stay immersed longer to practice life-changing techniques.

Our geothermal water is a precious natural resource for health and healing. As stewards of this natural treasure, we make it our mission to take care of our water on its journey from the spring to the soaking pool. Visit Iron Mountain Hot Springs to learn more.