# Big Creek Hot Springs, Idaho

Big Creek Hot Springs in Idaho. 199°F (93°C). Short Walk · Public Land. Lemhi County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/big-creek-hot-springs
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Big Creek Hot Springs?

Yes. Big Creek Hot Springs has natural, undeveloped pools. Soaking is free. It's a short walk from the road.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 199°F (93°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 7.6 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 4,280 ft |
| Access | Short Walk · Public Land, 0.3 mi from the nearest road |
| Land | Salmon National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Lemhi County |
| Nearest town | Salmon |
| Coordinates | 45.30700, -114.33800 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Wallace Lake Campground, 16.6 mi |

## Plan your visit

| | |
|---|---|
| Type | Primitive pools |
| Cost | Free. No fee listed |
| Season | Year-round |
| Reservations | Not needed |
| Clothing | Clothing optional |
| Getting there | Drive to site, steep rough road, high clearance recommended; creek-fed travertine pools and rock sauna |
| In winter | Steep road can be icy; may need to park at base of hill and hike |
| Operator | US Forest Service, Salmon-Challis National Forest |

Checked October 2026. Sources: https://www.hotspringsguides.com/hot-springs/panther-hot-springs-idaho

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 199°F, the source water at Big Creek Hot Springs is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

## About Big Creek Hot Springs

Big Creek Hot Springs comes out of the ground close to boiling. The spot is Salmon National Forest land in Lemhi County, Idaho, twenty-three miles or so from Salmon. Open public land, Forest Service, reached by a short walk. Nobody should touch the source water. The USGS sampled it in 1982 and keeps a site record here.

You walk a third of a mile to reach the road, and nobody recorded a name for it. Elevation runs around forty-three hundred feet. Seven feet of snow or so falls annually, part of twenty-some inches of precipitation, and the mean temperature sits in the forties. Wallace Lake Campground is the closest camping known, almost seventeen miles off. The forest here is open to anyone.

Scalding, full stop. Look, do not step in. Nothing about a cooled pool shows up, so there is nothing here to soak in. December through February gets the nod, which with seven feet of snow makes for a cold approach. No fee. Public, Forest Service.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1982-08-12 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.6 |
| Calcium | 4.9 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.2 mg/L |
| Sodium | 220 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 45 mg/L |
| Chloride | 31 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Challis](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/challis), 76 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [Owl Creek Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/owl-creek-hot-springs): 122°F source, pH 8.4, Hike, near Salmon, Lemhi County, private, no public access
- [Horse Creek Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/horse-creek-hot-springs): 109°F source, pH 6.4, Roadside, near Salmon, Lemhi County, primitive pools
- [Snowshoe Johnsons Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/snowshoe-johnsons-hot-spring): 108°F source, Hike, near Challis, Custer County
- [Blue Joint Hot Springs 2, MT](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana/blue-joint-hot-springs-2): 84°F source, Roadside, near Hamilton, Ravalli County
- [Blue Joint Hot Spring 1, MT](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana/blue-joint-hot-spring-1): 84°F source, Short Walk, near Hamilton, Ravalli County
- [Salmon Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/salmon-hot-spring): 113°F source, pH 7.1, Roadside, near Salmon, Lemhi County, private, no public access

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Big Creek Hot Springs?**
Big Creek Hot Springs has a water temperature of 199°F (93°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Big Creek Hot Springs located?**
Big Creek Hot Springs is located in Lemhi County, Idaho at 4,280 feet elevation, near Salmon. Coordinates: 45.3070°N, 114.3380°W.

**How do I get to Big Creek Hot Springs?**
Big Creek Hot Springs has Short Walk road access (0.3 mi from the road).

**Is Big Creek Hot Springs free to visit?**
Big Creek Hot Springs has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.

**Can I camp near Big Creek Hot Springs?**
Yes, Wallace Lake Campground is located nearby (16.6 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Big Creek Hot Springs?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 7.6 (slightly alkaline).

**Is it safe to soak at Big Creek Hot Springs?**
No, not at the source. The water at Big Creek Hot Springs reaches 199°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals