# Forge Creek Hot Springs, Idaho

Forge Creek Hot Springs in Idaho. Hot. Hike · Public Land. Custer County.

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

## Can you soak at Forge Creek Hot Springs?

USGS lists Forge Creek Hot Springs as a hot spring, with no temperature on record. Reaching it takes a hike. 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 | Hot (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 8.7 (Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 5,920 ft |
| Access | Hike · Public Land, 3.6 mi from the nearest road |
| Land | Salmon National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Custer County |
| Nearest town | Challis |
| Coordinates | 44.89600, -114.56300 |
| Nearest campground | YELLOWJACKET GUARD STATION, 7.9 mi |

## About Forge Creek Hot Springs

Forge Creek Hot Springs is backcountry water in the Salmon National Forest, Custer County, over thirty miles from Challis and three and a half miles of walking past the last road. The survey calls it hot and gives no temperature. Access is open. That is a thin record for a place this far in, and it should shape how you think about going.

Nearly six thousand feet. The hike is three and a half miles or so from an unnamed road, and the winter snow is about eight and a half feet, with a fairly dry year otherwise. Yellowjacket Guard Station is the closest lodging in the record, eight miles off. The file has nothing on the route.

Nothing is rated as a best season. The temperature is unknown; the only reading is an August 1979 chemistry sample that calls the water alkaline. Do not plan on soaking from this page alone. Yellowjacket Guard Station for lodging, hiking in required.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1979-08-01 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 8.7 |
| Calcium | 4.5 mg/L |
| Sodium | 67 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 36 mg/L |
| Chloride | 8.8 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Challis](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/challis), 45 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [Mormon Ranch Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/mormon-ranch-warm-spring): Hot, pH 9.4, Hike, near Challis, Custer County
- [Snowshoe Johnsons Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/snowshoe-johnsons-hot-spring): 108°F source, Hike, near Challis, Custer County
- [Hospital Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/hospital-hot-spring): 115°F source, pH 8.9, TDS 278 mg/L, Hike, near Challis, Custer County, primitive pools, parking or permit fee, late may-sep (river permit season)
- [Lower Loon Creek Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/lower-loon-creek-hot-spring): 120°F source, pH 9.0, Short Walk, near Challis, Custer County, primitive pools, parking or permit fee, late may-sep (river permit season)
- [Cox Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/cox-hot-springs): 131°F source, pH 8.9, Hike, near Challis, Custer County
- [Foster Ranch Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/foster-ranch-hot-springs): 135°F source, pH 9.1, Hike, near Challis, Custer County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Forge Creek Hot Springs?**
Forge Creek Hot Springs is classified as hot. An exact temperature measurement has not been recorded.

**Where is Forge Creek Hot Springs located?**
Forge Creek Hot Springs is located in Custer County, Idaho at 5,920 feet elevation, near Challis. Coordinates: 44.8960°N, 114.5630°W.

**How do I get to Forge Creek Hot Springs?**
Forge Creek Hot Springs has Hike road access (3.6 mi from the road).

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

**Can I camp near Forge Creek Hot Springs?**
Yes, Yellowjacket Guard Station is located nearby (7.9 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Forge Creek Hot Springs?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 8.7 (alkaline).

## Sources

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