In this post, I’ll share everything you need to know about visiting the Santa Rita Hot Springs, a set of magical thermal pools in the small town of Santiago, Baja California Sur.
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About Santa Rita Hot Springs
Hiding away down a long dusty road in the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, the Santa Rita Hot Springs are an oasis in the desert.
Pools of steaming hot thermal waters sit alongside a cool river, lined with palm trees and greenery. An unexpected but beautiful sight in Baja’s arid climate.
Located outside the small town of Santiago in Baja California Sur, the Santa Rita Hot Springs feel like another world.
A completely different environment to the coastline of nearby Cabo, escaping to the mountains and enjoying the peace and solitude of nature was magic.
The springs are located on the property of a local ranch, Rancho Santa Rita, and form part of the Sierra de la Laguna Reserva de la Biosfera (Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve).
You can visit the springs on a day trip from Cabo, or dedicate a few days to the area, staying in Santiago and exploring all its natural gems.
Whether you’re visiting for the day, or staying the night in the area, read on for everything you need to know about the Santa Rita Hot Springs.
Quick facts
- 📍 Location: 1-1.5 hours from Cabo, outside the small town of Santiago on Google Maps here
- ⏰ Opening hours: Thursday – Tuesday 8 am – 5 pm (CLOSED WEDNESDAYS)
- 💰 Entrance fee: 200 pesos
- 🚗 How to visit: Self-drive a rental car, or join a tour
- 🥾 Hike length: ~ 0.5 km / 0.3 mi
- 🪫 Difficulty: Easy
- 👙 Swimming: Yes
Where are the Santa Rita Hot Springs
The Santa Rita Hot Springs are located outside the small, rural town of Santiago.
Santiago is around 1.5 hours from Cabo San Lucas, 1 hour from San Jose del Cabo and 2 hours from La Paz.
The springs are 20 + minutes further outside of Santiago town, past the tiny rural village of San Jorge.
If you’re driving, I’ve got directions below.
Day trip or stay?
It’s possible to visit the Santa Rita Hot Springs as a day trip from Cabo, or as a stopover when driving between Cabo and La Paz.
However, we would really recommend spending a few days in Santiago if you’ve got a vehicle. Whether you’ve rented a car from Cabo specifically for this excursion, or you’re doing a road trip around the state.
There is a lot to see around Santiago, and the area showcases a completely different view of Baja Sur.
The Sierra de la Laguna mountains and desert landscape are some of the most picturesque scenery we have ever seen, and the blink-and-you-miss-it town of Santiago is a refreshing change from the busy and developed Cabo.
There are a few other attractions around the area, like the stunning Sol de Mayo waterfall, and hiking at Rancho Ecologico El Refugio. The town itself is worth exploring for a few hours too.
Take a few days to soak up the nature, breathe the mountain air, hike and enjoy the small-town vibe. You won’t regret it!
I’ll share some recommendations at the end of this post for accommodation around the area.
How to get to Santa Rita Hot Springs
There are only two ways to get to the springs:
- 🚗 Self-drive
- 🚐 Join a tour
The springs are very remote, nestled deep into the Sierra de la Laguna. There is no public transport. If you don’t have a car, join a tour.
Driving
The first part of the journey is getting to the town of Santiago.
Whether you’re coming from Los Cabos in the south, or La Paz in the north, it’s an easy trip along Highway 1.
From Santiago, head south out of town towards the old zoo. Take a turn towards the village of San Jorge, where the road turns to dirt.
As you approach San Jorge, I would suggest ignoring Google Maps and just following the signs to the hot springs. Be sure you’re looking at the Aguas Termales Santa Rita signs, as there are a couple of other smaller springs around this area.
There are a couple of different routes to the same place, but the signs will lead you via roads that are actually roads.
Some of the ‘roads’ around here are nothing more than dirt tracks and be a little sketchy without a 4×4.
Be prepared for a bumpy ride. The road is washboard and riddled with potholes. It turns to very soft sand in parts as you drive across a few different arroyos (dry riverbanks).
It’s not necessary to have a 4×4, but it will definitely make the drive more comfortable.
If you’re in a regular car, just take it really easy and follow someone else’s tracks through the arroyos.
The exception is if there has recently been rain. The arroyos can become washed out and flooded, and the road will not be passable without a 4×4. If you’re not sure, check in with someone local in Santiago before attempting to make the trip in a standard car.
Driving around Santiago
Joining a tour
If you don’t have a rental car or you’re not confident navigating the roads, you can join a tour.
It’s not a very common day trip, but there is one company that runs a tour from Cabo.
We recommend this tour with Good Trips Baja.
They will pick you up from your accommodation in Cabo, either Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo, and take care of transport to the springs.
You’ll have a guide to share more information about the flora and fauna and lead you to the springs.
Depending on your hiking ability and desire, they will take you further upriver into the canyon to find hidden hot springs and waterfalls.
On the way back, you’ll stop for lunch afterwards at a local restaurant in Miraflores (get the lobster tacos!).
🌵 Book your tour to the Santa Rita Hot Springs
Exploring Santa Rita Hot Springs
Once you arrive at the ranch and park in the car park, you should find a ranchero sitting at a table waiting to take your entrance fee (200 pesos) and give you a national park bracelet.
From the parking lot, it’s a short walk to reach the springs. Along the way, there are some palapas with chairs and tables, areas for camping, basic pit bathrooms and a few cabins too.
We loved how green it was here, and there were some huge trees and palms along the trail. Immediately a contrast from the dry, dusty road we just had driven down.
The first part of the river you encounter is cold, as you’ll feel. To the right, you’ll see a wide section of the river with crystal clear water and lush palms growing. It’s absolutely beautiful!
This entire part of the river is cold, but still a perfect place for a swim, especially in the warmer months.
To reach the hot springs, you need to cross a small wooden bridge and hop across some rocks. They are around to the left, elevated near the wall of the canyon.
The water in the pools really was hot! We have visited some ‘hot springs’ which were nothing more than lukewarm and felt a bit icky. But these thermal waters were beautiful.
The hottest part is against the canyon wall, and you can feel the steaming water bubbling out.
When you inevitably heat up, you can jump into the river to cool off!
We spent a couple of hours soaking here, switching between the cool river and the hot springs. I was in awe of the surroundings, looking around at the water, green plant life and palm trees in the middle of the desert!
The hot pools
If you’re up for some exploration, you can hike further upstream into the canyon.
This trail on AllTrails gives you a rough guide to follow. Otherwise, you can just rock-hop along the river banks. If you go far enough, you’ll find a small waterfall and some private hot springs!
We enjoyed the shady palapas to eat our picnic before we left.
The palapa area
Amenities at the hot springs
There are very few amenities at the ranch.
There is a basic pit toilet, as well as some covered palapas with tables and chairs. This is a great spot to eat your snacks, in the shade.
You need to pack in any drinks or food you need, as there is nothing available at the ranch.
They also have a small area for tent camping.
What to bring
- 👙 Swimwear
- 🧖🏽♀️ Towel
- 😎 Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
- 🥾 Comfortable walking shoes (if you want to go further upstream)
- 📸 Camera, GoPro or phone
- 💧 Reusable water bottle
- 🥪 Snacks or lunch
- 💰 Cash
Where to stay in Santiago
If you’ve made the decision to stay in Santiago for a night or longer, you’ve got a pretty easy choice of accommodation – there are only a handful of options!
1. Stay at Santa Rita Hot Springs
It is possible to stay at the hot springs, but this option won’t suit most people.
The accommodation is primarily camping, and the area is only accessible for tents, not vehicles. If you’ve got a van or rooftop tent, you will have to park outside the ranch, and it’s not the nicest spot.
It’s pretty off-grid camping, with just the palapas, a few chairs and tables and BBQ grills to cook with. There is one pit toilet.
I did see a few cabins when we visited, but I didn’t note any more information about them. I imagine they would be basic.
Unless you’ve got enough gear to be relatively self-sufficient here, it’s probably not the best option.
2. In Santiago town
If you’re planning to do other activities around the Santiago area, staying in the town is more central. We spent two nights in Santiago town at the only hotel, Hotel Don Julio.
It was perfectly clean, with comfortable beds, hot water in the shower, strong wifi and a small fridge in our room. There was private off-street parking, and the hotel has a terrace that offers a beautiful vantage point for sunset over the mountains, and a view over the square.
The owner Luis was kind and welcoming and built the hotel himself. We paid 800 pesos per night and highly recommend it. The best way to book is to get in touch via WhatsApp (+52 624 159 1909).
3. Stay at Rancho Ecologico Sol de Mayo
The other major attraction in the area, Cascada Sol de Mayo, is on another private ranch.
Rancho Ecologico Sol de Mayo offers accommodation, and the whole set-up is a bit more sophisticated and ready for tourists.
You can camp in your vehicle or tent, or stay in one of their cabañas.
The cabins are basic, but have everything you need for a short stay. There is no WIFI and limited electricity but it’s the perfect place to unplug and connect with nature.
They have a kitchen with everything you need to cook a meal. However there is no fridge, so come with non-perishable items. If you’re planning to eat at their restaurant, be sure to confirm if they are open in advance so you don’t get stuck without food.
The best part of the cabins is their rooftop balconies, which are perfect for stargazing in a completely dark area, without any light pollution!
You can book the cabins directly with the ranch, via Facebook or WhatsApp.
Final thoughts on Santa Rita Hot Springs
The Santa Rita Hot Springs is one of Baja’s greatest natural treasures. The oasis in the desert, with water, green vegetation and palm trees is so at odds with the arid, dry desert landscape surrounding it.
Whether you’re coming on a day trip from Cabo, or staying a few days in Santiago, the hot springs are a must-visit!
Be sure to give yourself enough time to spend a few hours rotating between the hot springs and the cool river. And take some time to explore further upstream too!
While you’re in the area, we would highly recommend visiting Cascada Sol de Mayo and Cañon de la Zorra too. Similar landscape, with a big waterfall!
OUR SANTIAGO GUIDES
The Comments
Jennifer Mary Dean-Mervinsky
I know El Sol de Mayo won’t let a dog on the trail but what about at Santa Rita? Must be the whole reserve…….no doggies on trails, right?
Sally Rodrick
Jennifer Mary Dean-MervinskyHi Jennifer, great question I actually don’t know I’m sorry! It is part of the biosphere reserve so I guess that may be the rule but the sights are managed by independent ranchos. I tried to find a number but there’s nothing online. My apologies! Enjoy your trip. Sally