by Emma Reynolds
Castle Hot Springs, located just an hour north of Phoenix and Scottsdale in Morristown, Arizona, is a historic resort nestled at the base of the Bradshaw Mountains that has attracted wellness enthusiasts and leisure travelers since its inception in 1896.
An Arizona Wellness Resort is Born
More than 125 years ago, Arizona entrepreneur Frank M. Murphy sought out to create an Arizona wellness resort focused on the healing properties and restoring benefits of thermal waters and the desert climate. The region’s indigenous peoples had used water for medicinal healing purposes for centuries before. He began building Castle Hot Springs in the late 1880s, and it officially opened in 1896. Thus, Arizona’s first wellness resort was born.
The Early Years
In the early years of Castle Hot Springs, visitors would embark on a five-hour trek via horseback in the dry Arizona heat to reach this unique hideaway. It wasn’t until 1898 when the development of a train depot nearby (and a bus route 10 years later) made it easier for people to access the resort, and just in time for its boom in popularity. While it may seem that wellness is a recent trend, the turn of the 20th century saw a major shift in people taking care of their health, making Castle Hot Springs one of the country’s most lauded destinations.
The resort’s wellness acclaim largely surrounded the hot springs themselves, which, of course, came to be long before the resort’s inception. The hot springs are fed by a cistern that was created by displaced tertiary volcanic rock tens of thousands of years ago. The geothermal waters emerge from the surface where up to 200,000 gallons flow each day into three cascading pools, with temperatures ranging from 106, 96, and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Not only were the three natural hot spring pools a restorative escape for many intrepid travelers, but it was also a scenic, beautiful vacation destination for America’s wealthiest families. Castle Hot Springs’ guest register in the 1920s and 30s included prestigious families like the Rockefellers, Pews, Vanderbilts and Astors, and even presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy (before he took the oval office).
Given its long and prestigious pedigree, it’s no surprise that the grounds themselves are filled with unique history. In the 1940s, Castle Hot Springs was even used as a military rehabilitation center to treat wounded war veterans. The Palm House was one of the most beloved buildings on property, but it sadly burnt down in 1976.
Evolving and Staying True
Today, the resort has been lovingly developed for the modern traveler, and is still a sought-after healing destination, as originally intended. The management and team strive to continue its original wellness legacy through Castle Hot Springs’ desert soaking availability, on-site farm program which supports incredible culinary offerings, comprehensive healing spa treatments and adventure activities. Guests can enjoy hiking, horseback riding, yoga, meditation, as well as Arizona’s first via ferrata adventure course – complete with an exciting suspension bridge.
To reserve your stay and enjoy an unforgettable experience in the desert, visit Castle Hot Springs.