Qualla: Chico Hot Springs https://qualla.com/chico-hot-springs en-us © 2026 Bendyline Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:21:04 GMT Qualla serial false Qualla support@bendyline.com yes https://qualla.com/_m/c/8/1/3/chico-hot-springs-wp/holiday-elk-31975254186.jpg Qualla: Chico Hot Springs https://qualla.com/chico-hot-springs Chico Hot Springs: Introduction https://qualla.com/chico-hot-springs/ Photo credit Mamalodon, CC0. On January 16, 1865, a miner named John S. Hackney made an entry in his journal: "I went out to the hot springs and washed my dirty duds." The mineral water that cleaned Hackney's laundry still flows at 113 degrees Fahrenheit, emerging from a deep fracture zone in Montana's Paradise Valley at 37 gallons per minute. Native Americans used these waters for bathing and washing long before European settlers arrived. By 1900, entrepreneurs had begun transforming the springs into a resort, and Chico Hot Springs has operated continuously ever since, drawing everyone from working cowboys to Hollywood stars seeking the simple pleasure of floating in naturally heated pools beneath the Absaroka Range.

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]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/c/8/1/3/chico-hot-springs-wp/c813-chico-hot-springs-intro.mp3 0:06 1 full Chico Hot Springs: Paradise Valley's Thermal Gift https://qualla.com/chico-hot-springs/ Photo credit David Coats, CC BY-SA 3.0. Chico Hot Springs sits in Park County, Montana, roughly 30 miles north of Yellowstone National Park. The hot springs emerge from a deep fracture zone, though scientists remain uncertain whether they connect to the Yellowstone Hot Spot or represent an independent geothermal system...

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Image: David Coats | CC BY-SA 3.0

]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/c/8/1/3/chico-hot-springs-wp/c813-chico-hot-springs-paradise-valleys-thermal-gift.mp3 0:06 2 full Chico Hot Springs: The Doctor and Mrs. Knowles https://qualla.com/chico-hot-springs/ Photo credit Los Paseos from Earth, CC BY-SA 2.0. The resort's early years centered on therapeutic claims. By 1916, a hospital wing with 20 rooms had been added to accommodate patients seeking treatment in the mineral waters. Dr. Townsend ran medical operations until July 1, 1925, when he departed and left Mrs. Knowles to manage...

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Image: Los Paseos from Earth | CC BY-SA 2.0

]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/c/8/1/3/chico-hot-springs-wp/c813-chico-hot-springs-the-doctor-and-mrs-knowles.mp3 0:06 3 full Chico Hot Springs: Stars and Ranchers https://qualla.com/chico-hot-springs/ Photo credit Los Paseos from Earth, CC BY-SA 2.0. The Art family purchased Chico and ran it for decades, maintaining the resort's unpretentious character while attracting an unusual clientele. Steve McQueen came here. So did Ali MacGraw, Dennis Quaid, Jeff Bridges, and presidential candidate George McGovern. The celebrity guests...

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Image: Los Paseos from Earth | CC BY-SA 2.0

]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/c/8/1/3/chico-hot-springs-wp/c813-chico-hot-springs-stars-and-ranchers.mp3 0:06 4 full Chico Hot Springs: Ancient Waters, Modern Challenges https://qualla.com/chico-hot-springs/ Photo credit Los Paseos from Earth, CC BY-SA 2.0. In June 2014, officials from Montana's Department of Environmental Quality discovered a groundwater seep from a hillside near the resort. The seep raised concerns about surface water pathogens potentially entering the aquifer, and authorities issued a boil water order for drinkin...

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Image: Los Paseos from Earth | CC BY-SA 2.0

]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/c/8/1/3/chico-hot-springs-wp/c813-chico-hot-springs-ancient-waters-modern-challenges.mp3 0:06 5 full