Horse Creek Hot Spring
- Free
- Roadside
A hot spring with dispersed camping in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, near the border of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and Montana's Bitterroot National Forest. It sits at 6,200 feet, about 36 miles of forest roads west and north of North Fork. There is no potable water and there are no picnic tables or fire rings.
- Price
- Free
- Nearest town
- North Fork
- Hike (one way)
- Roadside
Plan your visit
Tickets & booking
| Price | Free |
|---|---|
| Access | Free public access |
On site
| Lodging | No |
|---|---|
| Camping nearby | Yes |
| Land manager | USFS |
Not stated by the land manager: swimwear, ages, dogs.
Soak responsibly
- Pack out everything, including food scraps and toilet paper. Use WAG bags where required.
- No soap, shampoo or sunscreen in the pools; rinse away from the water.
- Check permits and closures with USFS before you go.
- Keep groups small and give others space. Respect posted dog and camping rules.
Water temperature
This venue doesn't publish pool temperatures.
Mineral profile
Total dissolved minerals
164 mg/L
Lightly mineralized · Sodium–sulfate (sodium sulfate water)
- pH
- 9
- Temp at source
- 102°F
- Lithium
- 0.06 mg/L
- Fluoride
- 8.6 mg/L
- Boron
- 0.03 mg/L
Lab analysis of the source water at “Horse Creek Hot Springs”, sampled 1980 by the USGS and partners (data). Pool water may be cooled, mixed or treated, and spring chemistry is generally stable over decades. We report measurements only; we don't make health claims.
What's here
- dispersed camping beside the spring
- near the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness boundary
- trout fishing in Woods Creek
- elevation 6,200 ft
Getting there
| Elevation | 6,065 ft |
|---|---|
| Road | From North Fork: west 14 mi on FR 030, north 8 mi on FR 038, then 14 mi northwest on FR 044 and FR 065 |
| Trail | Several wilderness trails start from a trailhead 4 mi west on FR 065 |
Things to do near North Fork
Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
Wilderness border is next to the campground; trails branch from a trailhead 4 mi west on FR 065.
Historic Shoup townsite
1881 gold-mining town on the Salmon River Road; old log schoolhouse and scattered mills and mining equipment.
Salmon River Road
Scenic drive west from North Fork to Corn Creek with wildlife viewing, historic mines and pictographs.
Campgrounds
- Horse Creek Campground0 mi
- Wild camping5.1 mi
- Swamp Camp8.9 mi
- Alta Campground11.3 mi
Trailheads
- Chicken Creek Deer Creek Trailhead9.1 mi
- Main Bluejoint Trailhead13.8 mi
- Corn Creek Trailhead14.4 mi
Straight-line distances. Campground and trailhead data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nearby springs
Barth Hot Springs
A riverside hot spring on the Wild and Scenic Main Salmon River in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, reached only by boat on a multi-day float. The Forest Service calls it the only hot spring on the river and asks boaters not to camp or stop for lunch there. Soap and nudity are not allowed, and the rocks on the short climb up are loose and wet.
Lost Trail Hot Springs Resort
A family resort at the base of Lost Trail Pass in the upper Bitterroot Valley, on the site of the old Gallogly Hot Springs. A chemical-free 20 x 70 ft pool averages about 95F and is covered by a dome in colder months, alongside a 103-105F hot tub and a dry sauna. Lodges, cabins and an RV park and campground are on site; hours are limited outside July and August.
Red River Hot Springs
An off-grid lodge in the Nez Perce National Forest near Elk City with a natural hot spring pool that is not chlorinated. It rents lodge rooms, cabins (one with its own outdoor mineral soaking tub) and dry RV and tent sites, and a cafe serves burgers and breakfast burritos on weekends. Day soaks are paid per visit with no re-entry, and nudity is prohibited.
Barth Hot Springs: 28 mi · Lost Trail Hot Springs Resort: 30 mi · Red River Hot Springs: 41 mi
Sources (2)
· checked November 2026
Prices, hours and rules are checked against the official site and land-agency pages. Spot something out of date? Let us know.