Bonneville Hot Springs, Idaho: access, season and temperature
There are two places called Bonneville Hot Springs, and they're not related. This page covers the free, undeveloped soak in Idaho's Boise National Forest, about a two-hour drive from Boise via Highway 21. The other, a commercial resort hotel in North Bonneville, Washington, is a separate property with no connection to this site. Idaho's version is one of the primitive springs in our hot springs in Idaho guide.
Fact box
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nearest town | Lowman, Idaho (about a two-hour drive from Boise via Highway 21) |
| Access | Short walk, about a quarter mile from Bonneville Campground, when the campground is open; snowshoe from a Highway 21 pullout outside that window |
| Fee | None; day-use parking is free |
| Legal status | Public, Boise National Forest |
| Season | Bonneville Campground typically opens in April or May and closes in October or November depending on snowpack |
| Cell service | Unreliable to absent in the area |
| Temperature (source, historical) | The NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive lists Bonneville at 185°F (historical estimate, base year 1980) |
| Temperature (pools, recent) | Current reports describe source temperatures around 120–180°F, with a small soak shack tub near 104°F and several smaller pools running roughly 95–105°F as creek water mixes in |
Not the resort in Washington
If you searched for "Bonneville hot springs" and landed here expecting a full-service hotel, you're thinking of Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa in North Bonneville, Washington, a commercial hotel property that reopened to guests in 2026 after several years closed, unrelated to this site apart from sharing part of a name. Idaho's Bonneville Hot Springs is a primitive, undeveloped spring on national forest land with no lodging, no staff and no fee.
Access and season
Bonneville sits about a quarter mile from Bonneville Campground off Highway 21, roughly a two-hour drive from Boise. While the campground is open, typically April or May through October or November depending on snowpack, it's a short, easy walk in. Outside that window, reaching the springs means a snowshoe trip in from a Highway 21 pullout instead, since the campground road isn't plowed. Day-use parking is free, and cell service is unreliable to absent in the area, so plan accordingly before you leave the highway.
The pools
A small rustic soak shack holds a cast-iron bathtub fed by the spring, running close to a comfortable 104°F according to current reports, while several smaller pools nearby sit in the 95–105°F range as they mix with the adjacent creek. The NOAA archive's 185°F historical estimate for the source is well above what any of the pools or the tub actually reach, since that figure reflects the water at or near its underground origin rather than after it cools and mixes on the surface.
How this guide was researched
This page draws on U.S. Forest Service recreation information for the Boise National Forest, the NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive, and published visitor reports, cross-checked against Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa's own listings to confirm the two locations are unrelated. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Access and campground season change with snowpack; verify current status with the Lowman Ranger District before you go. Last checked August 2026.
FAQ
Is Bonneville Hot Springs in Idaho the same as the resort in Washington?
No. Idaho's Bonneville Hot Springs is a free, primitive soak in the Boise National Forest. Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa is a separate, unrelated commercial hotel in North Bonneville, Washington.
Is Bonneville Hot Springs free?
Yes. There's no fee, permit or reservation required; day-use parking is free.
Can you visit Bonneville Hot Springs in winter?
Only by snowshoe. Bonneville Campground's access road typically closes for the season by late fall and reopens in April or May.
How hot is Bonneville Hot Springs?
The source is estimated at 120–180°F depending on the point measured. A small soak shack tub runs near 104°F, and nearby pools mix down to roughly 95–105°F.
How far is Bonneville Hot Springs from Boise?
About a two-hour drive via Highway 21, then a quarter-mile walk from Bonneville Campground when it's open.
We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked August 2026. Read our full methodology.