How to Visit the Santa Rita Hot Springs Near Cabo

Just an hour outside of Los Cabos, Santa Rita Hot Spring’s turquoise-blue thermal pools and located right beside a refreshing mountain stream, so you can heat up, cool then, and repeat!

The hot springs are hidden within the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, surrounded by palm trees and tiny waterfalls. And best of all, this spot is still quite of the tourist radar, 20+ minutes down a bumpy dirt road, so it never gets too crowded!

On your way to visiting them, it can feel like you’re lost in the desert. But that’s why I created this Santa Rita Hot Springs guide, so you can visit this tranquil oasis without getting lost!

🌿 Go with a local guide (roundtrip transport): If you’re (understandably) uncomfortable driving a rental car 20 minutes down a bumpy dirt road, join this local guided tour from Los Cabos! In addition to soaking in the hot springs, you’ll get to hike through the surrounding UNESCO reserve!

☀️🌺🌿 Article Outline (Jump Ahead)

What to Expect at Santa Rita Hot Springs

We visited Santa Rita Hot Springs during our drive between San Jose del Cabo and La Paz. It was the perfect way to break up our trip, and our time in the Sierra de la Laguna mountains here ended up being one of our favorite parts of our trip!

To reach the hot springs, you have to drive past the small town of Santiago down a bumpy dirt road. Park and pay $150 pesos (cash only) per person at Rancho Santa Rita, a small private owned ranch that manages access to the hot springs.

Then, it’s a short five minute walk to reach the hot springs. Along the way, we passed some of the ranch’s cows crossing the trail!

The hot springs themselves are the pools across the small bridge tucked between boulders. You’ll also notice the wide stream that flows right beside the hot springs, if you swim upstream a bit you’ll discover a small waterfall!

Getting to Santa Rita Hot Springs

There are two ways to visit Santa Rita Hot Springs:

🚙 Drive yourself, which gives you the freedom to visit nearby Sol de Mayo Waterfall (Cañón de la Zorra) as well. However, the road to Rancho Santa Rita is rough and bumpy, so I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re nervous about driving.
🇲🇽 Join an ecotour from Los Cabos, which includes roundtrip transportation, time at the hot springs, and hiking through the Sierra de la Laguna mountains!

If you choose to drive yourself, here’s what to know 👇🏼

📍 Location Pin: Rancho Santa Rita
🕗 Hours: 8 AM – 5 PM, closed Wednesdays
🚗 Drive Time:
- ~1 hr from San José del Cabo
- ~1 hr 15 min from Cabo San Lucas
- ~2 hrs from La Paz

From Cabo or La Paz, drive toward the small town of Santiago. In Santiago you’ll have to follow a bumpy dirt road for about 20-25 minutes toward the ranch.

The road was rough, but we were able to make it in our rental sedan. I’ve heard that this area can get flooding, though, so do not attempt to drive here if there has been heavy rain.

Since reception is spotty, I’d highly recommend downloading an offline map of the area on Google Maps! And while you’re in the area, check out nearby Santa Rita Hot Springs!

What to Bring to Santa Rita Hot Springs

👙 Swimsuit, sunglasses, and hat
💦 Quick-dry towel: I love my Nomadix travel towel which repels sand and folds down quite small.
🥾 Comfortable hiking shoes or sandals with grip: I love these waterproof shoes that double as grippy hiking shoes and water shoes. I also bought a pair of sandals, too!
🍶 Reusable water bottle: Bring plenty of water to stay hydrated!
🍌 Snacks and water
💵 Pesos: For the entry fee, plus water/food
🪲 Bug spray: I love this natural (yet effective) bug balm and itch relief stick from Badger
🩹 Small first aid kit: I have this tiny basic first aid kit, which has band-aids and antibacterial ointments. It takes up much less room than a full first aid kit, and I’ve needed it so many times with little cuts and scrapes while traveling.
🎒 Dry bag or waterproof backpack (optional): I put all my belongings in a waterproof dry bag anytime I go swimming somewhere. They’re also great for boat tours.