A hot spring attached to a seemingly abandoned community center.
Excellent water was poured into the tranquility.
Caution
Some say that this is for locals only. Please consider visiting based on the latest local information.
Camas Recreation Center
I came to Montana in search of a place named Hot Springs, entering the Flathead Indian Reservation, close to Glacier National Park, which borders Canada.
The road was not even paved, even though it was in the city.
What do you perceive from the Indian Reservation landscape?
For me, at least, the scene was sentimental.
This is Camas Recreation Center.
It seemed to have been closed for a long time and was deserted.
I do not know exactly what the facility was, but I assume that it was a public facility of some sort, given the sense that it is a disproportionately large structure for this rural town.
There were bowling lanes and other facilities inside, no doubt in the purpose of community interaction.
There was a fenced-off corner in the front.
This was the hot spring, and was open for business.
Hours of operation were from sunrise to sunset.
It was not necessary to walk through the community center to get inside.
Once you have stuffed $5.00 (as of this writing) into the small box on the wall, open the door provided in the fence.
It means there is no one to confirm your payment except your own conscience.
Quality water
Picnic table under the shade of a tree.
Behind it was a concrete pool.
The pool was slightly covered by a wooden gazebo.
The clear, colorless spring water was being fed through a PVC pipe, making a sloshing sound.
This, in turn, accentuated the silence of the surroundings.
The water temp was 115 degrees F.
It is a fairly hot, but due to the relatively large size of the pool, it was at a temperature where soaking was possible only by natural cooling.
Clothing is required.
It was deep enough to soak an adult's chest, so I went down from where the stairs were.
The water has a pronounced burnt smell common to the Hot Springs.
The texture was tender to the touch.
The feeling was so heavy and dizzying that it was hard to imagine from its appearance.
I had no idea that so much good quality hot water was dripping down the drain with little management.
Hot Springs, Montana was full of unknown surprises.
Summary
Rose's Plunge, Hot Springs, Montana, U.S.
My rating
Type: Walk-in
Rule: Clothing required
Chemical use: Not detected
Water temp: Up to 115 degrees F
