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Idaho, 11 public soaking sites

Hot Springs in Idaho

Idaho's national forests list riverside soaking pools along the Payette, Lochsa and Salmon rivers, and the state runs developed hot pools at Lava Hot Springs.

11
Sites listed for soaking
run by USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Lava Hot Springs Foundation (State of Idaho)
1
No fee posted
Goldbug Hot Springs
232
Thermal springs on NOAA’s list
hottest listed feature 203 F
September 22, 2026
Agency pages read
each quote links the page it came from
Site by site

Public hot springs in Idaho

11 hot springs in Idaho are listed for soaking by the agencies that run them. Each card below carries that agency’s own fee, season, access and rules, quoted and linked, as the page read on September 22, 2026. A fee line that says nothing about cost is written as a question for the managing office rather than as free.

Kirkham Hot Springs

Primitive spring

USDA Forest Service, Boise National Forest, Lowman Ranger District

FeeDay use fee of $5 per vehicle, even when parked along the highway.
SeasonEnd of May to end of September.
AccessBeside the South Fork Payette River just east of Lowman on State Highway 21; a trail leads down to the pools.
  • Day use only, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., no overnight camping; the gate closes at 9 p.m.
  • Dogs on leash and only in the picnic area; not on trails or in or near the hot springs.
Kirkham Hot Springs is located at the river's edge. A trail leads down to the soaking pools and small steaming waterfalls.
Kirkham Hot Springs, Boise National Forest, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
This is a DAY USE ONLY site, open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING. Gate will close daily at 9 p.m.
USDA Forest Service on Kirkham Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Must be on leash and only in picnic area. Dogs are not allowed on trails, in or near the hot springs.
USDA Forest Service on Kirkham Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Take caution walking on rock surfaces near the hot springs. They are uneven and can be slick when wet.
USDA Forest Service on Kirkham Hot Springs. Read it at the source

Hot Springs Campground and Group sites

Primitive spring

USDA Forest Service, Boise National Forest, Emmett Ranger District

FeeCheck fees with Boise National Forest, Emmett Ranger District
SeasonBeginning of May to end of September.
AccessJust east of Garden Valley on State Highway 17; the pool is across the road and down a staircase.
A natural hot springs soaking pool is located on the river directly across the road and down a staircase.
Hot Springs Campground and Group sites, Boise National Forest, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Pine Flats Campground

Primitive spring

USDA Forest Service, Boise National Forest

FeeCheck fees with Boise National Forest
AccessA few miles west of Lowman on the Banks to Lowman Highway; a quarter mile trail from the campground.
A 1/4-mile nature trail begins in the campground and leads to a natural hot springs soaking pool on the riverside.
Pine Flats Campground, Boise National Forest, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Baumgartner Campground

Developed pool

USDA Forest Service, Sawtooth National Forest, Fairfield Ranger District

FeeCampground fees are $10 a night for a single site, $20 for a double and $40 for the group site.
SeasonGenerally Memorial Day weekend through the end of September, depending on the season.
Access12 miles east of Featherville on the South Fork of the Boise River.
Waterabout 98 to 111 F
  • The pool is open dawn to dusk and is drained nightly; cleaning day is Tuesday and it may not open until noon.
  • No soap, alcohol or glass near or in the pool.
  • Swimsuits required; no pets around or in the pool.
The hot springs wading pool, located within the campground ranges from 98-111 degrees Fahrenheit and is open daily from dawn until dusk.
Baumgartner Campground, Sawtooth National Forest, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Pool cleanings are on Tuesdays and the pool may not open until noon.
USDA Forest Service on Baumgartner Campground. Read it at the source
Soaps, alcohol and glass are not allowed near or in the pool.
USDA Forest Service on Baumgartner Campground. Read it at the source
Swimsuits are required and no pets are allowed around or in the pool.
USDA Forest Service on Baumgartner Campground. Read it at the source

Jerry Johnson Hot Springs (via Warm Springs Trailhead)

Primitive spring

USDA Forest Service, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Lochsa Highway 12 Corridor

FeeCheck fees with Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Lochsa Highway 12 Corridor
SeasonThe trailhead is open year round.
AccessHike in from the Warm Springs Trailhead on US Highway 12 along the Lochsa River.
  • Day use only, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; no overnight camping at the springs.
Warm Springs Trailhead serves as access to the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness and to the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs.
Warm Springs Trailhead, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
No overnight camping at Jerry Johnson Hot Springs is permitted. There is a restriction for day use only, hours are 6am to 8pm.
USDA Forest Service on Jerry Johnson Hot Springs (via Warm Springs Trailhead). Read it at the source

Sunbeam Hot Springs (Upper O'Brien Campground)

Primitive spring

USDA Forest Service, Sawtooth National Forest, Sawtooth National Recreation Area

FeeCheck fees with Sawtooth National Forest, Sawtooth National Recreation Area
AccessNortheast of Stanley on Idaho 75 along the Salmon River.
Watersource water about 169 F; soakers mix in river water
Visitors can fish for steelhead and trout or soak in the fabulous Sunbeam Hot Springs which maintains a temperature of 169 degrees Fahrenheit. You can adjust the temperature by moving rocks to allow river water to flow in.
Upper O'Brien Campground, Sawtooth National Forest, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Goldbug Hot Springs

Primitive spring

Bureau of Land Management, Salmon Field Office

FeeNo fee.
AccessSouth of Salmon on Highway 93; a hike from the trailhead, the first quarter mile over private land on a public easement.
  • Dogs leashed while crossing the private property.
  • The Salmon-Challis National Forest prohibits camping within 500 feet of the springs.
Access to this hot springs requires a hike from the trailhead which starts at the end of the county road.
Goldbug Hot Springs, Bureau of Land Management, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Dogs must be leashed while crossing the private property.
Bureau of Land Management on Goldbug Hot Springs. Read it at the source
camping is prohibited within 500 feet of Gold Bug Hot Springs.
Bureau of Land Management on Goldbug Hot Springs. Read it at the source

Red River Hot Springs

Developed pool

USDA Forest Service, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Highway 14 Corridor

FeeCheck fees with Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, Highway 14 Corridor
AccessAbout 9 miles up Red River Hot Springs Road 234 from its junction with Road 222 south of State Highway 14.
Forest Service permitted commercial resort with 3 rooms for rent in the lodge, 3 cabins for rent, a hot tub, swimming pool, showers, and bathrooms.
Red River Hot Springs, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Easley Hot Springs Resort

Developed pool

USDA Forest Service, Sawtooth National Forest

FeeCheck fees with Sawtooth National Forest
SeasonOpens after Memorial Day.
This resort offers swimming in warm non-chlorinated water.
Easley Hot Springs Resort, Sawtooth National Forest, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Lava Hot Springs State Hot Pools

Developed pool

Lava Hot Springs Foundation (State of Idaho), Lava Hot Springs Foundation

FeeCheck fees with Lava Hot Springs Foundation
SeasonOpen every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Waterabout 102 to 112 F
Bubbling out of natural underground springs, the hot water is laden with minerals, but has no sulfur odor.
Hot Pools, Lava Hot Springs Foundation, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Sharkey Hot Springs

Developed pool

Bureau of Land Management, Salmon Field Office

FeeCheck fees with Salmon Field Office
AccessOff Highway 28 about 25 miles from Salmon, the last 2 miles on National Forest Road 185.
Sharkey Hot Springs is a unique developed recreation site featuring two large concrete soaking pools, two heated changing rooms, vault bathrooms, a fire pit with a seating area, and an interpretive kiosk.
Sharkey Hot Springs - Idaho, Bureau of Land Management, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
The water at Sharkey Hot Springs is from natural sources and is not treated.
Bureau of Land Management on Sharkey Hot Springs. Read it at the source
A small waterfall pouring between two pale boulders into a clear green pool, with steam drifting off the top of the fall
The falls and a lower pool at Goldbug Hot Springs, Idaho. The first quarter mile of the trail crosses private property on a public easement, and the BLM asks for dogs on a leash there. “Goldbug Hotsprings (25920311177)”, BLMIdaho, Public domain
No fee posted

Free hot springs in Idaho

One site in Idaho carry a fee line from the managing agency that names no charge. A parking pass, a permit for the road in or a fee at a nearby campground can still apply, and the fee line is the agency’s to change, so it is quoted here as it was written.

No fees
Bureau of Land Management on Goldbug Hot Springs, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Goldbug Hot Springs is listed in full above, with season, access and rules: Goldbug Hot Springs.

How many springs

Thermal springs counted in Idaho

NOAA’s Thermal Springs List for the United States counts 232 thermal features in Idaho, the hottest listed at 203 F, out of 1661 across 23 states. The count is a measure of geology: Natural surface hydrothermal features (springs, pools, mud pots, mud volcanoes, geysers, fumaroles and steam vents) at 20 C (68 F) or warmer; temperatures are the maximum reported surface reading. Most sit on remote ground, on land with no public access, or too hot to approach, which is why the soaking list above is the shorter one. The hottest reading can belong to a fumarole or a steam vent rather than a pool.

Thermal Springs List for the United States, compiled by George W. Berry, Paul J. Grim and Joy A. Ikelman, NOAA Key to Geophysical Records Documentation No. 12, 1980; published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (formerly the National Geophysical Data Center). Data file read September 22, 2026: the thermal springs list and its documentation. Every state’s count is on the national table.

The water

What the CDC and the Park Service say about soaking

Two hazards come up in every agency’s own words: what lives in warm water, and how hot the ground and the water can be. Both are quoted below as the agencies write them, and they apply at every site above.

Always keep your head above water in hot springs and other naturally hot (geothermal) water.
CDC, Preventing Brain Infection When Swimming, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Naegleria fowleri lives in soil and warm freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs around the world.
CDC, Naegleria fowleri Infections, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Hold your nose shut or use a nose clip if you jump or dive into the water.
CDC, Preventing Brain Infection When Swimming, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Avoid digging in, or stirring up, sediment in shallow fresh water. Naegleria fowleri amebas are more likely to live in sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds, and rivers.
CDC, Preventing Brain Infection When Swimming, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
All thermal waters contain organisms that may cause illness, including skin rash, gastrointestinal illness (vomiting and diarrhea), or other infections that can be life-threatening.
National Park Service, swimming in Yellowstone, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Burns from thermal features are a common cause of serious injury and death in the park. The ground surrounding these features may look solid, but it can be just a thin crust with super-heated water below.
National Park Service, Yellowstone safety, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Even thermal runoff can be extremely hot and cause burns.
National Park Service, Yellowstone safety, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Toxic gases may accumulate to dangerous levels in some hydrothermal areas. If you begin to feel sick while exploring a geyser basin, leave the area immediately.
National Park Service, Yellowstone safety, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Pets are not allowed in thermal areas or on boardwalks, even if they're on a leash or carried in arms, strollers, or backpacks.
National Park Service, Yellowstone safety, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Idaho hot springs questions

Hot springs in other states

Idaho snowpackHow deep the snow is on Idaho's mountains, for the trails and roads into the springs.First snow in IdahoWhen the first snow usually falls in Idaho, the start of the season for a warm soak.Hot springs by statePublic soaking sites in every state, Hot Springs National Park and Yellowstone, and NOAA's thermal springs counts.

Compiled September 22, 2026 from USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Lava Hot Springs Foundation (State of Idaho) pages, one per site, each linked beside its quote and read on September 22, 2026. Site types above: primitive spring and developed pool. Fees, seasons and access change between seasons, a spring can be closed by flood, fire or repair at short notice, and a soak is at the soaker’s own risk, so the managing office is the one to check before a trip. Every state is in the national hot springs guide.