El Dorado Hot Springs is a great place to soak in naturally heated spring water. It""s about 45 miles west of Phoenix, but well worth the drive. My husband (I'm using his account) and I drove 300 miles for an overnight stay (9PM-11AM). We had a great time. The place is very very rustic, but that only adds to the atmosphere. The people working there are very nice and will go out of their way to help make your stay enjoyable. Our first stay was for 2 hours in August. We rented one of the private areas that opens up to the desert. As soon as we entered our private area, it felt completely natural to soak naked. Despite the the gap filled bamboo/bush walls, I felt completely at ease with being naked. There was very little fear of prying eyes. In fact, my exhibitionist side (I never had one before) took over and I ventured out into the desert wearing only my high heeled sandals and nothing else. Posted signs clearly state that doing so will infringe on the privacy of yourself and others. The nature walk was amazing. I explored the far east, south, and west borders of the property. The 30 minutes I was out, I was constantly looking down at my naked body and empty hands. I am still amazed that I was naked, in public, for that long, with nothing to cover up with. My husband loves my ""no-lines"" tan. This is how confident this place made me feel about my privacy. The hot spring water is so soothing and relaxing. When things get too hot, a separate cold tub is there for a quick cool off. I never used the cool tub. I would just go straight from the hot water to one of the thickly padded lounge chairs and let the sun and hot air dry my body. The water temp is controlled by flow...the higher the flow, the hotter the tub water. The water simply overflows onto the ground where there is a handy shower head to wash off before you leave. The area is not muddy due to the overflow. The water just streams away. The overnight stay was incredible. Again, I was naked from beginning to end. A nearby firepit and ""for sale"" firewood kept things warm and toasty on this cool Sept night. The area is pitch black at night, so bring flashlights. We lit a few cintronella candles to help keep the mosquitos away. A concrete walkway leads to carpet-on-dirt around the hot tub. I was able to walk barefoot anywhere on the carpet without hurting my feet. The employees do a great job of sweeping it off prior to our arrival. It helps, too, to have the car parked a mere 25 feet away from the front door of our private area. Rooms are available for rent, too. Again, they are very rustic rooms, but it's not about the rooms, its about the water. A semi-private area, called Desert Pete, is a NUDE ONLY area. (no, I did not go into this area) El Dorado is a great place to spend a few hours soaking. If soaking is not your thing, at least give it a try. The soothing hot water just may change your mind.
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