# Cow Flats Hot Spring, Idaho

Cow Flats Hot Spring in Idaho. 138°F (59°C). Roadside · Public Land. Idaho County.

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

## Can you soak at Cow Flats Hot Spring?

Only once it cools. The water leaves the ground at 138°F, hotter than any hot tub. You can drive right up to it. It's on US Forest Service land. We haven't confirmed whether it has a pool or charges a fee.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 138°F (59°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| Elevation | 3,440 ft |
| Access | Roadside · Public Land, 86 ft from the nearest road (Milner Trail) |
| Land | Nezperce National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Idaho County |
| Nearest town | Grangeville |
| Coordinates | 45.43100, -116.01500 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Spring Bar Campground, 6.2 mi |

## About Cow Flats Hot Spring

Cow Flats is a hot roadside spring on the Nezperce National Forest in Idaho County, a long drive from anything; Grangeville, the closest town listed, is nearly thirty-five miles off. The water comes up close to a hundred and forty degrees, which hurts. Access is listed open; the ground is Forest Service. Milner Trail, which the record lists as a road, passes within a hundred feet.

Calling this roadside is accurate. Milner Trail comes within about ninety feet of the water, in country a little under thirty-five hundred feet up where winters stack ten or eleven feet of snow while the other seasons are fairly damp. Spring Bar Campground is listed about six miles away. The file holds nothing on what the spring itself looks like.

The temperature sits right at the line where touching hurts. Test carefully. the record says winter, which for a snowbound forest road is a puzzle. No water chemistry was ever sampled here. Spring Bar is the place to camp nearby.

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Grangeville](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/grangeville), 0 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [Riggins Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/riggins-hot-springs): 106°F source, pH 9.4, Short Walk, near McCall, Valley County
- [Burgdorf Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/burgdorf-hot-springs): 113°F source, Roadside, near McCall, Valley County, developed pools, pools 99–113°F, $20 day pass, year_round (short closures)
- [Secesh Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/secesh-hot-spring): Hot, Hike, near McCall, Valley County, primitive pools, pools 98–103°F, free, jul-oct
- [Boulder Creek Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/boulder-creek-spring): 82°F source, pH 9.9, Roadside, near McCall, Valley County
- [Stinky Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/stinky-warm-spring): 88°F source, pH 8.8, Roadside, near McCall, Valley County
- [Lick Creek Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/lick-creek-warm-spring): 91°F source, pH 9.0, Short Walk, near McCall, Valley County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Cow Flats Hot Spring?**
Cow Flats Hot Spring has a water temperature of 138°F (59°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Cow Flats Hot Spring located?**
Cow Flats Hot Spring is located in Idaho County, Idaho at 3,440 feet elevation, near Grangeville. Coordinates: 45.4310°N, 116.0150°W.

**How do I get to Cow Flats Hot Spring?**
Cow Flats Hot Spring has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Milner Trail (86 ft from the road).

**Is Cow Flats Hot Spring free to visit?**
Cow Flats Hot Spring has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.

**Can I camp near Cow Flats Hot Spring?**
Yes, Spring Bar Campground is located nearby (6.2 miles away).

**Is it safe to soak at Cow Flats Hot Spring?**
With care. At 138°F Cow Flats Hot Spring is hot enough to need short sessions, fifteen to twenty minutes, and plenty of water. Enter slowly and get out if you feel light-headed.

## Sources

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