I love taking my kids on outdoor adventures so that they learn to love the outdoors as much as I do! This weekend, we spent the day doing one of my favorite things in Idaho: We went to a natural outdoor hot springs!
Idaho is home to more natural hot springs than any other state in the lower 48! I consider myself to be so lucky to live where I do, so I spend a lot of time taking advantage of it! This weekend it was cold, Phoenix didn’t have her coat, and I have a lot of battle wounds from falling (classic Natalie), but it was an adventure we won’t forget!
So, I wanted to share a list of all my favorite natural hot springs locations near Boise, Idaho where I live! If you live in Idaho, or if you don’t and you want to visit, you’ll have a list of some of the best hot springs spots!
Rocky Canyon Hot Springs – Near Crouch, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/wWwxZCAHPvE8Gpat5
- It’s best to bring water shoes or old tennis shoes, because you will need to ford through the river to get to the hot springs. Park on the side of the road, follow the short trail to the river, and you will see three pools with steam coming off across the river. The top pool is hottest, and they aren’t super deep, but they are really pretty!
Kirkham Hot Springs – Near Lowman, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/uaP9AF5ywsButwUq8
- Huge natural hot springs near Lowman (about 15-20 pools), but it can get really crowded on weekends. A lot of people party there, so just be aware of that! I always bring a trash bag with me to clean up random trash – nothing irks me more than people who litter in nature!
“Mile 16” Hot Springs – On the South Fork of the Salmon River towards Warm Lake, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/gozbD7Vz6rWHkaKW6
- This is right by my favorite (secret) salmon fishing hole that I fish at every summer. It only has one pool, so if there are other cars there you may want to wait. It’s so so pretty and such a gorgeous drive. You can camp along the river, or rent a cabin at Warm Lake, or drive further and go to Yellowpine. If anyone remembers when I got a flat tire in the mountains, this isn’t far from where I slept in my pickup overnight! Lol Also, the road in is a really windy mountain road (it’s paved) but make sure to pay attention to the speed limit signs. Don’t go faster than the signs say.
Boiling Springs Hot Springs – Past Garden Valley, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/19Gd2pWWosUZ267g9
- This one looks cool and is only about ½ mile hike from the parking lot, but the pools aren’t that great for sitting in because they are not very deep. If you keep following the main trail and hike another 2ish miles you will hit Pine Burl hot springs which is super cool, the tub is nice and you can fit 10-12 people in it. I’ve heard there are two other hot springs another mile up the trail, but I’ve never been to them.
Pine Burl Hot Springs – Past Garden Valley, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/19Gd2pWWosUZ267g9
- These are the hot springs you get to past Boiling Springs. Just follow the trail about 2 miles. Once you cross the creek, don’t keep walking along the trail, follow the creek upstream and you’ll see the hot springs about ¼ mile upstream.
Burgdorf Hot Springs – McCall, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/yGpWH1Qp96pLnPJ17
- These hot springs are in a super cool old mining town. It’s a paid spot, I think it’s about $10 per person. There are also cabins there that you can rent. They have one big pool and then two super hot pools that get to 114 and 118 degrees. I could only handle the heat for about three minutes! haha
Trinity Hot Springs – Near Pine/Featherville, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/ccujsWopfWsUy8t77
- This is another paid hot springs, but the staff here described it as “Neverland” and that’s how it felt! The place is run by hippies, but it was super fun. You might want to bring food because there are only a few restaurants in Featherville, and they close early. They do have a big commercial kitchen that you can cook in. They rent rooms and cabins, and if you rent a room you get to soak in the pools for free. When I went, we did Reiki massages and it was the coolest massage I’ve ever had! They also have a big yoga room and do aerial yoga there too.
Hot Spring at Mountain Village Resort – Stanley, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/V4krJha4FZczSMqx6
- These are private hot springs for guests of the hotel. The hotel itself isn’t the greatest (paper thin walls and kind of old, uncomfortable beds), but this hot spring is super cool and a great photo op area. While you are in Stanley, my favorite day hikes are Alice Lake and Sawtooth Lake (each around 12 miles round trip). Spending a day (or dinner) at Redfish Lodge is awesome too, or you can book a half day whitewater rafting trip!
Pine Flats Hot Springs – Near Lowman, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/ZktBuA5axsHTT7U76
- This is one of my favorite hot springs near Boise. I didn’t get pictures of all of it because it was dark when we got there, but the hot springs cascade off the rocks and you basically have a heated waterfall going into the pools. About a ½ or ¾ mile hike from the parking lot.
Atlanta Hot Springs – Atlanta, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/6JhDYuirxPgvpZLy7
- Atlanta is where I hosted my Wilderness Retreat this year, and we all went to visit these hot springs while taking part in one of my teaches! I heard a rumor that these recently became private, so I would call the Beaver Lodge (the only business open in Atlanta year round) and confirm before you go up there.
The Springs Hot Springs – Idaho City, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/7zxhbqoGJPVf9Xi27
- These hot springs in Idaho City are paid, but only about 45 minutes from Boise. It is recently renovated and it’s really nice inside. You can do massages in private yurts, or rent private tubs, too. They offer adults-only nights so check their calendar before you go. Great food and poolside service!
Trail Creek Hot Springs – On the way to Warm Lake, ID
- Location: https://goo.gl/maps/YzxivztsYCkGnvJc7
- Usually pretty popular, but has 3 tubs. It’s a little hike down to the hot springs and not far (¼ mile) but a little steep so wear tennis shoes or hiking shoes.
Things to remember when visiting a hot springs:
- This is the best book I’ve ever seen for finding hot springs! It has specific and super detailed directions on how to find each spot. It’s great to take on any outdoor adventures to see if there are any natural hot springs near the area you are at!
- Pack: Towel, swimsuit, and a dry pair of clothes for afterwards.
- Put your dry clothes in a spot where they won’t get wet from the mist of the hot springs.
- Always fun to bring a few white claws or beers!
- ALWAYS pack out your trash. Nothing irks me more than people who leave their trash. I always bring an extra bag to pick up other people’s trash when I’m leaving.
- It can be fun to bring a little portable speaker (but be respectful if others are there).
- Wear tennis shoes or water shoes, most hot springs have a little hike to get into them.
- Hot springs are fun to visit year round, but especially fun in the winter when it’s freezing cold outside and you get to soak in a hot natural tub.
- Often you will get to a hot spring and others will already be there. It’s normal etiquette to share the tub with strangers, just be respectful. Most hot tubbers are nice and friendly.
- Might be a good idea to check road conditions before you head out. Some hot springs are on forest service roads and could have bad conditions or be closed in the winter.
If you make it to any of these destinations, I’d love to see your photos! Tag me on social!
Happy hot springing!
xo Natalie
