Red River Hot Springs
- From $20
- 7 hr 2 min from Boise
- Walk-in OK
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.
- Price
- From $20
- Nearest town
- Elk City
- From Boise
- 7 hr 2 min
- Reservations
- Walk-in OK
Plan your visit
Hours & season
| Hours |
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|---|---|
| Season |
|
Tickets & booking
| Price |
|
|---|---|
| Access | Day pass, walk-ins welcome |
| Booking |
|
Rules
| Swimwear |
|
|---|---|
| Ages |
|
| Dogs | No |
On site
| Lodging | Yes |
|---|
Water temperature
This venue doesn't publish pool temperatures.
Mineral profile
Total dissolved minerals
274 mg/L
Lightly mineralized · Sodium–sulfate (sodium sulfate water)
- pH
- 9.4
- Temp at source
- 131°F
- Lithium
- 0.48 mg/L
- Fluoride
- 22 mg/L
- Boron
- 0.32 mg/L
- Iron
- 0.03 mg/L
Lab analysis of the source water at “28n 10e 03d 1s Red River Hot Sps”, sampled 1922–1982 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.
The pools
| Pool | Temp |
|---|---|
| Natural hot spring poolNot chlorinated; no lifeguard. | — |
As published by the venue. Temperatures shift with the seasons and the weather.
Facilities
- Showers: yes
- Towel rental: yes
- Food on site: yes
- Restrooms: yes
- Sauna: no
| Glass containers | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Good to know |
|
What's here
- natural hot spring pool
- lodge rooms and cabins
- Honeymoon Cabin with outdoor mineral soaking tub
- dry RV and tent sites
- weekend cafe with burgers and breakfast burritos
- off-grid
Getting there
- From Boise7 hr 2 min271 mi
- From McCall4 hr 31 min164 mi
- From Lewiston (LWS)4 hr 13 min143 mi
Typical driving time without traffic or snow.
| Elevation | 5,050 ft |
|---|---|
| Road | 3827 Red River Road, Elk City, reached via Idaho Highway 14 |
Things to do near Elk City
Elk City Wagon Road
53-mile, mostly unpaved single-lane historic route from Harpster to Elk City (4-6 hrs); on the National Register.
Highway 14 along the South Fork Clearwater
Scenic drive from Grangeville to Elk City through forested canyons with fishing, hiking and picnic stops.
Trailheads
- Dry Saddle Trailhead12.5 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.
Stanley Hot Springs
Backcountry soaking pools in a clearing above the trail, fed by hot water flowing toward Huckleberry Creek. They are about five miles up Boulder Creek Trail 211 from Wilderness Gateway Campground on US Highway 12, past Huckleberry Flat and across Boulder Creek. The regional tourism office recommends late spring, summer or early winter.
Horse Creek Hot Spring
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.
Barth Hot Springs: 20 mi · Stanley Hot Springs: 37 mi · Horse Creek Hot Spring: 41 mi
Sources (3)
· 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.