Distinctly Montana Magazine

48 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 BOULDER HOT SPRINGS INN, SPA AND RETREAT CENTER Boulder Hot Springs opened its doors in the 1890s (June of 1891), as Hotel May, a Victori- an-style lodge that gained popularity quickly. At the time, the Northern Pacif- ic Railroad had a depot just 600 feet from the hot springs, and the passen- ger rate to the location was only 20 cents. It didn't take long for Boulder to become a hotspot, as many took advantage of train travel to venture west, and Hotel May was a prime spot on the way to Yellowstone National Park or Lake McDonald (the future Glacier National Park). It is rumored U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was among these visitors. As money poured in, so did interest from capitalists. In 1909, James A. Murray purchased the lodge, giving it a dramatic Mis- sion-style makeover, which remains its exterior today. Murray, an eccentric Butte millionaire who proclaimed he never made an honest dollar in his whole life, didn't have much luck in the hospitality industry. Another resort he owned—Hunters Hot Springs—burned down, and Boulder Hot Springs took a mas- sive hit when the same earthquake that ravaged Broadwater Hot Springs in 1935 destroyed Boulder's Olympic-sized swimming pool. Shifts away from dependence on the railroad for travel out West also posed a challenge for Murray. Through the decades, Boulder Hot Springs has seen many changes, switching from a high-end resort to the Western-themed Diamond S Ranchotel in the 1940s through the 1960s. While op- erating under owner C.L. "Pappy" Smith, the locale had a Sunday night smorgasbord that attracted all walks of life. The good times didn't last, as the hot springs would find them- selves again in disrepair. But there would once more be hope for this mystical place. The late Anne Wilson Schaef, a Clancy native, purchased the building with partners in the 1980s, shifting the focus of the resort to wellness and rehabilitation, making it a drug- and al- cohol-free environment. Schaef, a former psychotherapist and best- selling author of When Society Becomes an Addict, reopened the resort, where she would regularly host conferences for her "Living in Process" movement. Conferences remain a large part of Boulder Hot Springs' clientele, as the 33-room destination is seeing a new boom in business, both with retreat-goers and soakers. The resort has two indoor pools (one co-ed and one for women, both averaging around 103 and 106 degrees. The women's pool has a cold plunge, which is usually under 70 degrees). An outdoor pool averages around 96 to 100 degrees. There are more improvements to come at Boulder Hot Springs, as owners and management are embarking on an exterior surface renovation, thanks largely to a historic preservation grant. Despite a lot of bad breaks for the historic hot springs of Mon- tana, a new era of interest has begun, and hot spring enthusiasts keen on physical and psychological fitness make their way to the many hot springs in and around the Treasure State. Fairmont, Broadwater Hot Springs and Boulder Hot Springs are no excep- tion to this fad. In fact, these three only scratch the surface. B E S T O F M O N TA N A B M D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A ' S 2023 www.roundhouse-sports.com www.roundhouse-sports.com 1 4 2 2 W e s t M a i n S t r e e t B o z e m a n , M T 4 0 6 - 5 8 7 - 1 2 5 8 1 4 2 2 W e s t M a i n S t r e e t B o z e m a n , M T 4 0 6 - 5 8 7 - 1 2 5 8 B E S T S K I S H O P B E S T S K I S H O P I N I N M O N T A N A M O N T A N A N O M I N A T E U S ! N O M I N A T E U S !

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