Recreation

The wealth of geothermal resources in Idaho provides residents and visitors with an abundance of opportunities to enjoy a relaxing dip in the state's hot springs and pools. Native Americans, gold miners, Oregon Trail immigrants, river runners, and local residents have all taken advantage of easy accessibility to the many hot springs in Idaho. Recreational use of these geothermal resources ranges from relaxing in small hot pools along rivers and roads, to taking a grueling backpack trip in search of the “perfect soak,” to visiting a developed commercial resort for swimming, soaking, and just plain taking it easy.

Most of the geothermal recreation areas, both undeveloped springs and developed resorts and spas, are found in the central part of the state, and across southern Idaho south of the snake river. The geothermal springs in the center of the state often occur in rugged mountain settings and are associated with the Idaho Batholith, a huge granite formation that contains faults and fractures which provide conduits for hot fluid movement to the land surface.

The map below shows the location of geothermal springs in Idaho with surface water temperatures from 86° to 199° F.

Geothermal Springs in Idaho

Non-Commercial Springs

Non-commercial hot springs are common on the public lands of Idaho (U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.). In some places, people have arranged rocks, timbers, and even bathtubs to create soaking pools. Several books and websites are available for those interested in finding out more about these undeveloped hot springs (see the lists at the bottom of the page).

Commercial/Developed Resorts and Pools

The commercial value of geothermal waters in Idaho was discovered in the late 1800’s. Development of a geothermal area was often the result of the location being on a main thoroughfare. Local residents and hopeful prospectors on their way to the gold fields were the customers for some of the commercial sites in southern and central Idaho. Access to the railroads was also a draw for commercial hot springs, sometimes causing the thermal waters to become a destination spot.

Currently there are 34 developed resorts and pool in 14 counties throughout central and southern Idaho that are open to the public. Use the site number in this table to find the hot spring location on the map following the table.


Site # County Name Nearby Town Comments
1 Adams Zims Hot Springs New Meadows Two pools - one for swimming, one for soaking.
2 Bannock Downata Hot Springs Malad City Swimming pool, hot tub, water slides, hydrotubes, kids water park.
3 Bannock Lava Hot Springs Lava Hot Springs Two swimming pools heated by heat exchangers are open in summer, and soaking pools open year round.
4 Bannock Aura Soma Lava Lava Hot Springs Soaking pool at the motel.
5 Bannock Lava Hot Springs Inn Lava Hot Springs Five outdoor soaking pools.
6 Bannock Riverside Inn and Hot Springs Lava Hot Springs Indoor baths and tub and an outdoor tub.
7 Bannock Home Hotel and Motel Lava Hot Springs Indoor baths and outdoor soaking pool.
8 Bear Lake Bear Lake Hot Springs Montpelier Soaking pools.
9 Boise Haven Hot Springs Lowman Small soaking pools.
10 Boise Sawtooth Lodge Grandjean Swimming pool.
11 Boise Terrace Lakes Recreational Ranch Crouch Private country club but pool is open to public.
12 Boise Twin Springs Boise Mountains Resort with hot springs and steam sauna facilities.
13 Camas Baumgartner Campground 11 miles east of Featherville Soaking pool in Baumgartner Campground in the Sawtooth National Forest (Fairfield Ranger District)
14 Custer Challis Hot Springs Challis Swimming pool.
15 Custer Mountain Village Resort Stanley Soaking pool for motel guests.
16 Custer Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch Stanley Swimming pool at the ranch.
17 Franklin Cub River Lodge Preston Watercress Spring at the Cub River guest ranch.
18 Franklin Riverdale Resort Hot Springs Preston Swimming pool, hot pools, water slide, and hot tubs in rooms.
19 Franklin Maple Grove Hot Springs Thatcher Three pools, camping.
20 Freemont Green Canyon Hot Springs Newdale Indoor and outdoor swimming pool.
21 Idaho Burgdorf Hot Springs Burgdorf Rustic cabins in remote setting with a swimming pool.
22 Idaho Red River Hot Springs Elk City Remote resort in the Nez Perce National Forest. Public and private pools.
23 Idaho Riggins Hot Springs at the Lodge Riggins Swimming pool
24 Jefferson Heise Hot Springs Ririe Swimming pool, and water slide.
25 Owyhee Givens Hot Springs Givens Hot Springs Swimming pool.
26 Owyhee Desert Hot Springs Resort (previously Murphy Hot Springs) Idaho/Nevada line Small resort with a swimming pool close to the middle of nowhere!
27 Power Indian Springs Resort American Falls Swimming pool, open in summer months only.
28 Twin Falls Banbury Hot Springs Hagerman Swimming pool, and slide, open in the summer.
29 Twin Falls Miracle Hot Springs Hagerman Swimming pool and private hot tubs.
30 Twin Falls Sligar’s Thousand Springs Resort Hagerman Swimming pool, private hot tubs, and Jacuzzi.
31 Twin Falls Nat-Soo-Pah Hot Springs Hollister Swimming pool, water slide, and diving boards.
32 Twin Falls Twin Falls Community Pool Twin Falls Pool water heated by a heat exchanger.
33 Valley Gold Fork Hot Springs Donnelly Three outdoor pools with naturally heated sidewalks and decks. (more information)
34 Valley Silver Creek Plunge North of Crouch Remote resort. Accessible by road in spring, summer, and fall, and by snowmobile during Winter months.


Recreation Sites Map

Websites

Books

  • Hot Spring & Hot Pools of the Northwest by Marjorie Gersh-Young
  • The Hiker’s Guide to Hot Spring in the Pacific Northwest by Evie Litton
  • Idaho for the Curious, A Guide by Cort Conley
  • Idaho Off the Beaten Path by Julie Fanselow
Last Modified: Tuesday, February 9, 2010