Corder Hot Spring
Corder Hot Spring sits just nine feet from Fry Drive near Idaho City, making it among the most accessible thermal springs in Boise County. The 131-degree Fahrenheit water carries a pH of 9.2 and virtually no calcium or magnesium, producing distinctly soft, silky-feeling water at 3,200 feet elevation.
Pulling up alongside Fry Drive, the spring is immediately visible from the road. The forested hillsides of Boise County rise steeply around the drainage, with ponderosa pine and Douglas fir dominating the slopes. Annual snowfall exceeds eight feet here, and the spring's steam stands out against winter landscapes. The water runs clear with a faint mineral scent. The South Fork Payette River corridor lies nearby, shaping the surrounding terrain into narrow valleys and timbered ridgelines.
Corder's chemistry, with 75 mg/L sodium, 38 mg/L sulfate, and just 5.7 mg/L chloride, is textbook Idaho Batholith thermal water. Deep circulation through granitic bedrock strips out calcium and magnesium through ion exchange while concentrating sodium and raising pH. The 131-degree source temperature and 82-degree differential above ambient air suggest a circulation depth of several thousand feet through the batholith's fractured granite.
Hot Springs Campground sits about 6 miles away near Garden Valley along the Banks-Lowman Highway, with reservable sites at 3,169 feet elevation. The campground sits across the road from the South Fork Payette River and a natural hot springs soaking pool. At the source, Corder's 131-degree water requires cooling before contact. Winter access depends on road plowing schedules for Fry Drive.
Is Corder Hot Spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Hot spring soaking
- Easy day trips
- Overnight camping trips
The water at Corder Hot Spring is alkaline (pH 9.2).
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Overview Hot Springs Campground is located just east of Garden Valley, Idaho along the Banks-Lowman Highway at an elevation of 3169 feet. Visitors enjoy rafting, kayaking, fishing on the South Fork Payette River, and soaking in the hot springs at the river's edge. Recreation The South Fork Payette River is across the road from the campground, offering fishing, whitewater rafting, and kayaking. A natural hot springs soaking pool is located on the river directly across the road and down a...