Saline Valley Warm Springs is the stuff of desert legend — a cluster of lovingly tended natural hot pools in one of the most remote and beautiful corners of Death Valley National Park. Set in the wide-open Saline Valley, ringed by towering desert mountains and far from any pavement, this clothing-optional oasis has drawn a devoted, communal crowd of soakers for decades.

The springs are a desert miracle: warm mineral water captured in hand-built rock pools, with showers and palm trees at the developed Lower and Palm Springs sites, plus a wilder, undeveloped Upper Hot Springs a couple of miles beyond. Soaking in warm water under a brilliant canopy of stars, with snow-capped peaks on the horizon and no city light for a hundred miles, is an experience like no other, and a famously friendly, communal spirit prevails.

Getting there is a serious undertaking, so come prepared. The springs lie roughly 35 miles down rough dirt roads from the nearest pavement — the access routes (over the North Pass, or the rugged Lippincott or Steele Pass roads) call for a high-clearance vehicle, ideally four-wheel drive, and good backcountry sense. There is no cell service, no fuel, and no services of any kind for many miles, and roads can wash out in storms.

This is true desert wilderness: carry far more water, food, and fuel than you think you'll need, tell someone your plans, and pack out absolutely everything. The springs are clothing-optional, so visit with that in mind. Fall through spring offers the most bearable temperatures (summer in the valley is brutally hot). Earn it, respect the place and the community that maintains it, and Saline Valley rewards you with one of the most magical soaks in the West.