Tucked away in the Bradshaw Mountain range, a short northwest of Phoenix, Castle Hot Springs was advertised as an “oasis in the mountains” when it opened to the public in 1896 as the first wellness resort in Arizona. It lives up to that description even more so today, with its lush manicured lawns, chic bungalows, rejuvenating spa treatments, yoga and meditation classes and on-site farm, which supplies fresh produce to the resort’s Harvest Restaurant and Bar 1896.
With the rugged mountains as its backdrop, the cerulean blue desert sky as its canopy, and the three natural pools of mineral-rich hot water for which it is named, Castle Hot Springs feels worlds away from everyday 21st century life — easily accessible, yes, but on its own plane of peace, calm and quiet.
A Resort is Born
The allure of the hot springs here was recognized long before Colonel Charles Craig and his troops happened upon them in 1865. But it was only upon the group’s discovery of them that the pools and encompassing land received the name that would stick with it to this day. Taking their cue from the peaks’ resemblance of castles and the water to which the Apache Nation attributed healing powers, the area was thus dubbed Castle Hot Springs.
The waters’ ability to alleviate certain health conditions became a key calling card for the resort in its earlier years thanks to its original owner, Frank M. Murphy. The same pamphlets that described Castle Hot Springs as a mountain oasis also touted the desert hot springs‘ power to help cure rheumatism, blood disorders, insomnia, kidney disease, anemia and other common illnesses at the time. Also advertised: the resort’s full-time resident physician, masseur and masseuse.
A Favorite Vacation Destination for the Rich and Famous
The administrative building (now The Lodge), which was renamed the Kennedy Center after John F. Kennedy stayed at Castle Hot Springs to recover after WWII. / Photo courtesy Scottsdale Public Library
The messaging clearly worked, as some of the United States’ most elite families ended up traversing the dusty desert roads in search of relaxation and rejuvenation at the springs over the decades. The legendary list of celebrities and dignitaries who stayed at Castle Hot Springs includes such names as Astor, Wrigley, Cabot, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Roosevelt, Deupree and Uihleins (of the Schlitz Brewery fortune). Joseph N. Pew, founder of Sun Oil Company (now Sunoco) and one of the richest men in the country in his day, was an especially familiar face at the resort: Along with his wife, he visited Castle Hot Springs a total of 60 consecutive seasons.
In addition to the nation’s wealthiest names, Hollywood stars, artists, authors and actors all flocked to the resort throughout the decades. In 1931, Cecil B. DeMille, “the Father of American cinema,” staged his cast and crew there to film his second talkie film. Painters Maxfield Parrish and Olaf Weighorst and author Zane Grey all escaped here to work and relax, inspired by the picturesque scenery and quiet of the desert. It’s even rumored that Clark Gable, Carol Lombard and George Gershwin were guests, although there’s no record of their stays.
In 1945, perhaps the most famous guest arrived when the site had been leased to the military. Future president John F. Kennedy retreated there to recover from wounds he’d received as a naval officer in World War II.
Diving Into the Springs
Throughout its many iterations and owners over the past century-plus, one thing has remained consistent at Castle Hot Springs: the eponymous springs themselves.
The three hot springs pools are fed by an enormous cistern estimated to be buried upwards of 10,000 feet underground — the result of a volcanic rock being displaced tens of thousands of years ago. Every day, this reservoir produces 400,000 gallons of water at 115 degrees Fahrenheit — the hottest temperature known for a spring that isn’t also volcanically active. The water is pushed from a crack in the rock wall and flows down to fill Castle Creek and, subsequently, the three deep pools with pure, odorless, mineral-infused and crystal-clear water.
Details aside, it’s the springs’ incredible beauty that truly shines. Surrounded by majestic Saguaro cacti, well-postured palm trees and warm-hued limestone walls, they are shimmering emeralds carved into the desert landscape. Whether or not their mineral-laden waters truly possess healing powers matters little when you consider the benefits borne of floating alone, in soothing hot water, with nothing but nature as your companion.
The Full Resort Experience
It’s not often that a destination can truthfully claim to have something for everyone, but Castle Hot Springs does. Golfers can practice their chipping and putting on the resort green. Wine and cocktail connoisseurs will be enthralled at the creative offerings at Bar 1896. Foodies will find everything they crave on a tour of the farm and dining Harvest Restaurant, from healthy and light to comforting and savory. And then there is the abundance of outdoor activities in Arizona’s heartland: hiking, rock climbing, testing one’s mettle on the Via Ferrata, paddleboard yoga, regular yoga, rejuvenating spa treatments — again, something for everyone. It’s a wellness resort-meets-inclusive experience, and no detail is left unattended. For more than a century, Castle Hot Springs has been the place to retreat to for individuals seeking countless different things. After a few days here, it’s as clear as the hot springs water to see why.