Okay — full disclosure. My name is Joanne Gardner and I spend some time every month promoting Norris Hot Springs. I book the music there and write a few stories, do some social media things…what I’m trying to establish is that my opinion of this place is likely colored by my personal appreciation of what Norris Hot Springs once was and now is.

I appreciate sitting with my friend Holly Heinzmann in a rather gloomy wooden pool one day several years ago on a vacation. We’d been looking for potential hot springs sites and wandered into Norris. She was able to see beyond the gulag fences with wire on top, beyond the threatening signs warning of all manner of mayhem if one was to break “the rules.” When she asked me what I thought of the place, I could only question her sanity — “You can’t be serious,” I said.

“Joj, close your eyes and feel the water,” answered Holly, “this water is amazing.”

And she was right. She bought the place (it wasn’t even for sale) and has slowly and deliberately changed it into a model of sustainable and green growing and building practices. She planted a garden and started a café that feeds patrons the bounty of her garden as much as possible. She started a summer grill that provides foods sourced from no further away than 50 miles — local, organic and sustainable – with real relationships with real growers and ranchers.
She took the fences down, planted 800 trees, landscaped, painted and added a whimsical amazing collection of gods and goddesses to look over the soakers. She cleaned and updated as much equipment as she could — without missing her own very wise words — This water is amazing.

Holly added a stage after a lot of research, after reading wind charts and product descriptions — after considering yurts and tents and straw bale structures, she settled on a dome, built over radiant flooring heated by the hot springs. The DOME — the Poolside Stage is now host to live music three nights a week all year long.

And again — it’s my job, so maybe I’m too close to be objective — but some of the musicians that have graced that little stage out by this amazing historical wooden pool are amazing. Rodney Crowell, Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (ask about the night Jeff performed with the staff when a band cancelled at the last minute — some libations were involved and it was amazing. Kris Clone on the bass, Tom Murphy on mandolin and Holly and yours truly offering back up vocals.)
Blues legend Tracy Nelson has been there, Mollie O’ Brien from Prairie Home Companion Fame, the guys from Storyhill, Kane’s River, Pete and Ann Sibley, the absolute best of the local bluegrass and acoustic scene have played out there and soaked out there, enjoyed the amazing organic offerings, microbrews and great selection of wine.

Touring musicians get in touch with us to play shows when on the way somewhere else — we’ve had blues musicians, jazz musicians, Celtic, folk and those pesky bluegrassers from all over — musicians on their way to the Story Hill Festival, Targhee and Red Ants Pants make time in their busy schedules to play the dome at Norris Hot Springs.

We know you live in an amazing place and want to make sure you are fully aware of the gem in your own back yard. Check out the website for directions, hours of operation and more — www.norrishotsprings.com. We hope to see you soon — you never know who’ll be on the stage or in the pool at Norris Hot Springs. Come for a soak, for dinner and drinks or for the music. We don’t mind if you tell your friends,   after all — it IS the coolest place in Montana.