Hot Springs Campground Hot Spring
- Free
- 1 hr 28 min from Boise
- Roadside
A natural hot springs soaking pool on the South Fork Payette River, across the Banks-Lowman Road from the Forest Service's Hot Springs Campground and down a staircase. The campground east of Garden Valley is open from early May to the end of September and is reserved through Recreation.gov.
- Price
- Free
- Nearest town
- Garden Valley
- From Boise
- 1 hr 28 min
- Hike (one way)
- Roadside
Plan your visit
Hours & season
| Season |
|
|---|
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
261 mg/L
Lightly mineralized · Sodium–sulfate (sodium sulfate water)
- pH
- 8.95
- Temp at source
- 113°F
- Lithium
- 0.12 mg/L
- Fluoride
- 15 mg/L
- Boron
- 0.10 mg/L
Lab analysis of the source water at “08n 05e 06dcb1s Usfs H.S.Cmpgd Hot Sp”, sampled 1977–1978 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
- natural soaking pool at the river's edge
- South Fork Payette River
- staircase from the road
- reservable FS campground and group sites
Getting there
- From Boise1 hr 28 min56 mi
- From Boise (BOI)1 hr 36 min59 mi
Typical driving time without traffic or snow.
| Elevation | 3,117 ft |
|---|---|
| Road |
|
| Trail | Cross the road from the campground and descend a staircase |
Things to do near Garden Valley
Pine Flats Campground
Forest Service campground west of Lowman with a 1/4-mile trail to a riverside hot springs pool
Rocky Canyon Hot Springs
Three-tiered spring above the Middle Fork Payette up South Middle Fork Road from Crouch
Campgrounds
- Hot Springs Campground0.1 mi
- Riverpond Campground5.3 mi
- Pine Creek Campground8 mi
- Tie Creek Campground10.7 mi
Trailheads
Straight-line distances. Campground and trailhead data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nearby springs
Terrace Lakes Resort
A golf resort in Garden Valley with an outdoor geothermal pool open year-round to day visitors without reservations. The resort also has a restaurant and lounge, motel rooms, cabins, condos and RV spots. Drinks bought on site can be taken to the pool area with a wristband.
Pine Flats Hot Springs
Riverside soaking pools below a hot waterfall on a cliff above the South Fork Payette River, reached by a quarter-mile nature trail from the Forest Service's Pine Flats Campground west of Lowman. The campground runs end of May to end of September. In winter the gate is closed and visitors walk the road.
Rocky Canyon Hot Springs
A three-tiered hot spring above the Middle Fork of the Payette River, about 12 miles up South Middle Fork Road from Crouch. Reaching it means wading the river, which Visit Idaho says is only safe in summer at low water. Parking is a small pull-off on the left of the road.
Terrace Lakes Resort: 8 mi · Pine Flats Hot Springs: 11 mi · Rocky Canyon Hot Springs: 14 mi
Sources (1)
· 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.