Longmire Mineral Springs

Longmire Mineral Springs is a group of bubbling mineral springs in Longmire Meadow, reached along the Trail of the Shadows. The draw is the mix of visible spring activity, mineral colors and the story of an early resort. It is a short nature-and-history stop, not a place to bathe; visitors can’t soak here, and the spring water isn’t for drinking.

The Trail of the Shadows starts across the main road from the National Park Inn and loops around the meadow for about 0.7 mile. Give yourself time for the circuit, where the springs are one stop among several features. The near-road dirt-and-gravel section is the more accessible part and can work for wheelchair users with help; the far side has tree roots and a short boardwalk. Parking and restrooms are available in Longmire. The nearby National Park Inn serves meals, and the General Store has groceries and basic supplies; both are separate Longmire facilities, not services at the springs.

These are soda springs rich in sodium bicarbonate. Escaping carbon dioxide makes the bubbles you can sometimes see and hear; they may be less noticeable when the underground water table is low in drier seasons. Iron in the water turns reddish as it oxidizes, while dissolved calcium and carbonate minerals leave pale-brown travertine patches. From the path, look for bubbles and mineral stains around the stone spring enclosures, and include the stonework for scale in a photo.

James Longmire encountered the springs during his Mount Rainier journey. He and his sons cleared a rough trail from their home in Yelm, about 60 miles away, and opened the Longmire Medical Springs Resort in 1890. Historic advertisements claimed the water could cure illnesses; that was period sales talk, not a reason to drink it today.