Bailey Hot Spring
The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
Bailey Hot Spring comes out of the ground close to boiling, well past anything a person could sit in without cooling it first. It lies in the Tongass National Forest in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, a little over forty miles from Ketchikan, and the Forest Service lists it as open to the public. Low, wet country, a long way from any road.
Reaching it means backcountry travel. The nearest road is a bit more than eight miles off and goes unnamed on the record. Snow here is measured in hundreds of inches a year and the rain adds up to something similar, so count on saturated ground in any month. Reflection Lake cabin, some four miles distant, is the nearest overnight spot on file.
The record scores December through February best for a visit. Water this hot will scald. Do not get in without a way to cool it down. The chemistry on file dates from a 1976 survey, so treat the temperature as a historical reading until you see the steam yourself.
USGS hasn't flown a detailed laser scan here yet, so this view comes from aerial photos and older elevation data.
- Setting
- Hillside
- The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the southeast.
- Highest ground nearby
- 752 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
The water at Bailey Hot Spring is slightly alkaline (pH 8.2) with 413 mg/L total dissolved solids.
Overview Reflection Lake Cabin is situated on the Cleveland Peninsula at the shore of Reflection Lake approximately 50 air miles from Ketchikan. The cabin is available year-round and makes an excellent base for experiencing this corner of Alaska with its recreation options, beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife. The cabin is remote and accessible only by float plane or boat, depending on conditions. Boats can be moored in Short Bay, and visitors can hike 2.3 miles to the cabin along the...
Springs Near Bailey Hot Spring
More Springs Around 198°F
Slightly Alkaline Springs (pH ~8.2)
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