Visiting Calistoga mud baths and hot springs

About Calistoga mud baths and hot springs

Calistoga has been a spa town since Sam Brannan founded it in the 1860s. Spas along Lincoln Avenue offer mud baths of volcanic ash and mineral water, followed by mineral soaks and wraps, and several resorts have geothermally heated pools.

Tip: Book a mid-afternoon treatment after a morning of tastings, and drink plenty of water; the hot mud and minerals are dehydrating.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 1.5–2 hours.
• Cost: Expensive.
• Book ahead: Spa treatments book up at weekends; reserve ahead.
• Where: Calistoga, laid-back hot-springs town at the top of the valley.

Best time to visit Calistoga mud baths and hot springs

Calistoga mud baths and hot springs is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:

• January: 14°C (57°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, very quiet crowds.
• February: 17°C (63°F) highs, about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds.
• December: 14°C (57°F) highs, about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds.

When to visit Napa Valley has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Calistoga mud baths and hot springs is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Napa Valley Wine Train and Hot-air balloon flight.

• No. 12 of the 18 sights in our Napa Valley things-to-do list.
• One of the picks in napa Valley on a rainy day.

Near Calistoga mud baths and hot springs

Also in Calistoga, so you can walk between them:

• Old Faithful Geyser of California — 1 hour, low cost
• Schramsberg Vineyards — 1.5 hours, expensive
• Chateau Montelena — 1.5 hours, expensive

If you like Calistoga mud baths and hot springs

• Napa Valley Wine Train — Downtown Napa, 3–6 hours
• Hot-air balloon flight — Yountville, 3–4 hours with transfers
• Napa Valley Vine Trail — Downtown Napa, 2–4 hours

Staying near Calistoga mud baths and hot springs

Stay in Calistoga ($$$) to walk here: laid-back hot-springs town at the top of the valley. All areas to stay in Napa Valley.

Questions travellers ask