Haven Lodge Hot Spring
Haven Lodge Hot Spring runs 147°F through Boise National Forest land at 4,000 feet, just a short walk from the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Route near Idaho City. With alkaline water registering a pH of 9.2 and over 100 degrees above ambient air temperature, this is one of the hotter springs along this stretch of central Idaho backcountry.
The spring sits in dense conifer forest typical of the Boise National Forest, where annual snowfall tops 155 inches and the air averages a brisk 46°F year-round. The Ponderosa Pine Scenic Route threads through the canyon below, and the South Fork Payette River carves through the drainage nearby. Steam rises visibly from the source in cooler months, drifting through stands of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine.
The spring taps into the same deep geothermal system that feeds the better-known Kirkham Hot Springs barely a mile away. Water chemistry shows very low calcium at 1.4 mg/L and elevated sodium at 79 mg/L, characteristic of deep-circulation alkaline thermal water moving through Idaho's granitic batholith. The Boise National Forest manages this area, which saw heavy prospecting during the 1860s Idaho City gold rush.
Kirkham Campground sits roughly one mile away and accepts reservations. The spring is about 700 feet from the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Route, making it a short walk in. Highway 21 between Boise and Stanley provides year-round access, though winter conditions require chains or four-wheel drive. Water at 147°F is far too hot for direct contact without mixing.
Is Haven Lodge Hot Spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Observing powerful hot springs
- Overnight camping trips
Not ideal for
- Casual soaking
The water at Haven Lodge Hot Spring is alkaline (pH 9.2).
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Overview Kirkham Campground is located next to the South Fork Payette River just east of Lowman, Idaho, along Highway 21 at an elevation of 4,000 feet. Visitors enjoy soaking in popular Kirkham Hot Springs on the banks of the river and exploring the scenic Kirkham Ridge Trail. Recreation Popular Kirkham Hot Springs is located at the river's edge within the campground. A trail with staircases leads down to the soaking pools and small steaming waterfalls. The South Fork Payette River offers...