Big Creek Hot Springs
Big Creek Hot Springs registers 199 degrees Fahrenheit, essentially boiling at its 4,280-foot elevation, making it one of the hottest springs in the entire United States. Recent USGS measurements confirmed 94 degrees Celsius. This is not a soaking destination. It is a geothermal spectacle.
Steam billows from the source in the Salmon National Forest, visible well before the half-mile walk from the road ends. Mineral deposits paint the surrounding rock in vivid yellows and whites. The air carries a sharp sulfur edge. The spring occupies a clearing in the forest where nothing grows near the scalding outflow. The Salmon River Mountains rise in every direction, forested and remote, with deep valleys cutting between ridgelines.
Big Creek Hot Springs taps one of Idaho's deepest and hottest geothermal reservoirs, where water circulates miles below the surface before rising along faults in the Salmon River Mountains. The sodium-dominant chemistry with 220 mg/L sodium and minimal calcium mirrors other deep-sourced Idaho springs, but the near-boiling temperature indicates unusually direct pathways to the heat source. The 154-degree differential above ambient air temperature ranks among the state's most extreme.
Do not attempt to soak. Water at 199 degrees Fahrenheit causes instant severe burns. View from a safe distance only. The half-mile walk from the road is straightforward. Wallace Lake Campground, 27 miles away, offers 12 first-come, first-served sites with drinking water. The Salmon River Mountain Road to the campground provides panoramic views but is slow going on gravel.
Is Big Creek Hot Springs worth visiting?
Best for
- Observing powerful hot springs
- Overnight camping trips
Not ideal for
- Casual soaking
The water at Big Creek Hot Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 7.6).
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12 campsites on Wallace Lake with picnic tables and fire rings. Within the campground are vault toilets and drinking water. Fishing in the lake. Primitive boat launch can be used for non-motorized canoes or rowboats on the lake. The drive on Salmon River Mountain Road offers fantastic views of the Salmon River Range and of deep pine forests.