Hot springs in Idaho: 11 soaks, from roadside to hike-in

Goldbug Hot Springs

A two-mile trail climbs about 1,350 feet from a Highway 93 trailhead south of Salmon, crossing bridges and a short stretch of private land under a public easement before reaching a cascade of pools on the hillside. The NOAA thermal springs archive lists the source at 113°F (historical estimate, base year 1980); trail reports describe the upper pools running close to that and the lower pools cooling into the 90s and low 100s°F as they mix with creek water. No fee or permit, just the day-use hike. Full trail directions and safety notes are on the dedicated Goldbug Hot Springs page.

Jerry Johnson Hot Springs

From the Warm Springs Pack Bridge trailhead on U.S. Highway 12, a 1.4-mile trail follows Warm Springs Creek to three spring sources feeding a series of rock-walled pools in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. Temperatures near the source run 95–115°F according to trail reports. Day use only, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., with no overnight camping and no fee. More on the dedicated Jerry Johnson Hot Springs page.

Kirkham Hot Springs

Kirkham sits directly beside the South Fork Payette River off State Highway 21 near Lowman, with vault toilets and a changing area making it the most developed free-standing spring on this list. The Boise National Forest charges a $5 day-use fee per vehicle, covered by interagency passes or an annual Boise National Forest day-use pass sold through Recreation.gov, and the site is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. with no overnight camping (Boise National Forest, Kirkham Hot Springs). More on the dedicated Kirkham Hot Springs page.

Sunbeam Hot Springs

A drive-up soak on the bank of the Salmon River along Highway 75, about 11 miles northeast of Stanley. Multiple rock pools and two metal tubs mix geothermal source water, listed by the NOAA archive at 169°F (historical estimate, base year 1980), with river water; a bucket left on site lets visitors adjust the temperature by hand. A 1937 Civilian Conservation Corps stone bathhouse still stands nearby as a historic marker. Free, no facilities beyond the tubs, and best from July through October, since spring runoff can submerge the riverbank pools. Full details are on the dedicated Sunbeam Hot Springs page.

Boat Box (Elkhorn) Hot Spring

Also called Elkhorn Hot Spring, this is a single metal tub bolted into the riverbank about 3.3 miles north of Stanley on Highway 75, fed by a plastic pipe from a hillside source. The NOAA archive lists the source at 136°F (historical estimate, base year 1980), with the tub itself typically running around 110°F per trail reports. Free, first-come, first-served, with room for two or three cars at the roadside pullout.

Frenchman's Bend (Warfield) Hot Springs

Reached via 11 miles of Warm Springs Road southwest of Ketchum, the last 7 of them well-maintained dirt, Frenchman's Bend is a free, primitive roadside soak in the Sawtooth National Forest. The road floods out during spring runoff, typically mid-March through the end of June, which makes this a summer-and-fall destination more than a year-round one.

Burgdorf Hot Springs

A historic resort 32 miles north of McCall in the Payette National Forest, operating since the 1860s. Access is by reservation only, for rustic off-grid cabin stays or two-hour day soaks booked through the resort's site, which opens bookings 90 days out and closes the property on Wednesdays. Summer access is by car via Warren Wagon Road; in winter, the resort is reachable only by snowmobile. Pool temperatures run roughly 96–113°F. More on the dedicated Burgdorf Hot Springs page.

Trail Creek Hot Springs

A pullout on Warm Lake Road about 19 miles east of Cascade leads to a short, steep 0.1-mile scramble down to two pools on the riverbank. The lower pool runs warm rather than hot; the upper pool has a valve that lets bathers mix in cold river water to control the temperature. Free, no facilities, and accessible most of the year since Warm Lake Road stays paved and largely open. Full details are on the dedicated Trail Creek Hot Springs page.

Pine Flats Hot Springs

Next to Pine Flats Campground on the South Fork Payette outside Lowman, a half-mile trail from the campground reaches the springs. The Boise National Forest charges the same $5 day-use fee as Kirkham (an interagency America the Beautiful pass also covers it); camping at Pine Flats itself runs separately, $15 a night. Full details are on the dedicated Pine Flats Hot Springs page.

Bonneville Hot Springs

About a two-hour drive from Boise via Highway 21, Bonneville sits a quarter-mile from Bonneville Campground, which typically opens in April or May and closes in October or November depending on snowpack. Outside that window, reaching the springs means a snowshoe trip in from a Highway 21 pullout. Day-use parking is free; cell service is unreliable to absent in the area. Full details are on the dedicated Bonneville Hot Springs page.

Rocky Canyon Hot Springs

North of Crouch, on the far side of the Middle Fork Payette River from the trailhead, Rocky Canyon requires fording the river to reach a set of volunteer-built rock-and-sand pools on the hillside. Source water runs 115–120°F per the NOAA archive (120°F, 1980 baseline) and trail reports; the ford itself is the main obstacle, running cold and occasionally waist-deep, and dangerous during spring runoff. Best visited in late summer or early fall when the water is lower. Full details are on the dedicated Rocky Canyon Hot Springs page.

This guide was compiled from public land-manager sources (the U.S. Forest Service districts for the Salmon-Challis, Nez Perce-Clearwater, Boise, Payette and Sawtooth national forests, and the Bureau of Land Management), the NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive, the Burgdorf Hot Springs resort site and published trail reports. We haven't visited these sites ourselves. Fees, road conditions and access rules change, and Idaho in particular has closed springs before over crowding and resource damage; verify current status with the ranger district before you go. Last checked August 2026.