Langford Hot Springs: road status, fees and temperature

Langford Hot Springs is the only hot spring on public land in Texas: a flat, half-mile round-trip trail inside Big Bend National Park leads to a rock-walled pool on the Rio Grande, free to soak in once you're through the gate. The road in is unpaved, and Big Bend closes dirt roads after flood damage, but as of September 2026 Hot Springs Road doesn't appear on the park's list of closed roads. It's covered in more detail in our hot springs in Texas guide; for other states, see the full hot springs locator map.

1 reviewed pick with directions and access notes

Fact box

Field	Detail
Coordinates	Approximate, 29.182°N, 102.992°W, per the NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive, Hot Springs Historic District
Trail length	0.5 mile round trip from the historic district parking area; a longer 1-mile loop follows the bluff above the Rio Grande
Temperature (NPS)	105°F at the source, per the National Park Service place page
Temperature (NOAA archive)	106°F, historical estimate, base year 1980
Soak cost	Free
Park entrance fee	$30 per vehicle, 7-day pass; cashless payment only as of 2026
Road in	Hot Springs Road, a roughly two-mile gravel road; the narrow one-way stretch is closed to motor homes and oversize vehicles
Legal status	Public, National Park Service
Status, checked September 2026	Not on the park's list of closed roads; no active park alert mentions the springs. Check the current conditions page before you go

Getting there

Hot Springs Road runs about two miles of gravel off the main park road to a small parking area at the historic district, with a vault toilet, a picnic table and interpretive panels on site. The road is narrow enough that a stretch of it runs one-way, off-limits to motor homes and oversize vehicles (National Park Service, Langford Hot Springs). From the parking area, a flat, half-mile round-trip trail passes the old store ruins and reaches the rock-walled spring at the river's edge; there's no way to drive to the water. A longer option extends the walk into a roughly 1-mile loop along the bluff above the Rio Grande.

Getting into the park costs $30 per vehicle for a 7-day pass, and Big Bend has gone cashless as of 2026, so bring a card (National Park Service, Big Bend fees and passes). The soak itself costs nothing once you're inside the park. It still doesn't qualify for our free hot springs guide, which counts a mandatory fee to reach the water, here the $30 gate, as a cost of the soak.

The springs and their history

Langford Hot Springs sits inside Big Bend's Hot Springs Historic District, named for J.O. Langford, who developed the site in the early 20th century. His original bathhouse was largely washed away in a 1938 flood, and only its foundation remains today; the ruins of his 1927 store, post office and motor court still stand nearby along the riverbank (National Park Service, Hot Water, Health & History). The National Park Service's own page for the spring lists the source temperature at 105°F, close to the NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive's independent reading of 106°F for the same location, a historical estimate dated to 1980.

How this guide was researched

This page was compiled from the National Park Service's official pages for Big Bend National Park, including its current conditions, fees and history pages, and the NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Road conditions change quickly after storms; verify the current status on the park's conditions page before you go. Last checked September 2026.

Before you go

The Rio Grande sets the terms here. This is a river floodplain, not a maintained pool, and the same flood that took most of Langford's original bathhouse in 1938 is a reminder that conditions can shift fast. As of September 2026, Hot Springs Road isn't on Big Bend's list of closed roads, and none of the park's active alerts mention the springs, but the park does close its unpaved roads until further notice after storm damage; in September 2026 that list included Old Ore Road and Black Gap Road. Check the park's current conditions page the day you go rather than relying on an older trip report.

Source water at Langford runs well above comfortable skin temperature before it mixes down in the pool, so test with your hand before getting all the way in, and never submerge your head. Hot spring water is exactly the warm freshwater that Naegleria fowleri lives in, and the CDC advises against putting your head under in any natural warm freshwater because of it (CDC, preventing brain infection when swimming). The infection is very rare in absolute terms, but it's severe enough that keeping your head above water is the one rule worth following every time. See our hot spring safety guide for more on both the burn risk and Naegleria.

Summer heat is a bigger daily risk than the water itself out here: daytime temperatures in the Big Bend region regularly top 100°F from June through September, and the trailhead has little shade. Carry more water than feels necessary.

FAQ

Is Langford Hot Springs open?

As of September 2026, Hot Springs Road doesn't appear on Big Bend National Park's list of closed roads, and none of the park's current alerts mention the springs. The road is unpaved and can close after storms, so check the park's conditions page before you drive out.

Is Langford Hot Springs free?

The soak itself is free. Getting into Big Bend National Park costs the standard $30 per-vehicle, 7-day entrance fee, which is cashless as of 2026.

How hot is Langford Hot Springs?

The National Park Service lists the source at 105°F. The NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive independently lists a historical estimate of 106°F for the same spot, dated to 1980.

How long is the hike to Langford Hot Springs?

A flat 0.5-mile round trip from the historic district parking area. A longer, roughly 1-mile loop adds a walk along the bluff above the Rio Grande.

What happened to the original bathhouse at Langford?

A 1938 flood washed away most of J.O. Langford's original bathhouse; only its foundation remains today, alongside the ruins of his 1927 store, post office and motor court.

We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked September 2026. Read our full methodology.