# Holdover Hot Spring, Idaho

Holdover Hot Spring in Idaho. 117°F (47°C). Roadside · Public Land. Valley County.

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

## Can you soak at Holdover Hot Spring?

Only once it cools. The water leaves the ground at 117°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 | 117°F (47°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 9.6 (Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 4,160 ft |
| Access | Roadside · Public Land, 323 ft from the nearest road (South Fork Salmon River Road) |
| Land | Payette National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Valley County |
| Nearest town | McCall |
| Coordinates | 44.84700, -115.69600 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | JOHNSON CREEK GUARD STATION, 12.1 mi |

## About Holdover Hot Spring

Holdover Hot Spring, which OpenStreetMap labels Mile 15 Hot Spring, comes out hot enough that you would want to let it cool before getting in. It is Payette National Forest ground in Valley County, a little over twenty miles from McCall, and public access is listed as open. The flow is a trickle by USGS measurement, a few hundredths of a cubic foot per second.

South Fork Salmon River Road passes within about a hundred yards, so this counts as roadside. The ground is Forest Service, with no special designation beyond that. This drainage is snowy, averaging well over a dozen feet a year, and wet in general. Johnson Creek Guard Station, a dozen miles out, is the nearest place to camp on record.

The USGS logged this as a thermal site and sampled it in June 1980, when the water tested strongly alkaline. Mile 15 Hot Spring is the name OpenStreetMap uses.

Our data puts the best months in midwinter, though with this much snowfall the road is the question, and we have no record of when it closes. The water is hot, above body temperature by a wide margin, so test it before you sit down. The chemistry on file is from a 1980 survey. Access is open per the record; no fee is listed.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1980-06-04 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 9.6 |
| Calcium | 1.4 mg/L |
| Sodium | 53 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 17 mg/L |
| Chloride | 7.8 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Grangeville](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/grangeville), 43 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [Teapot Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/teapot-hot-spring): 142°F source, pH 9.3, Roadside, near McCall, Valley County, primitive pools, pools 107°F, year-round
- [Billy Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/billy-hot-spring): Hot, pH 9.7, Short Walk, near Cascade, Valley County
- [Dollar Creek Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/dollar-creek-warm-spring): 68°F source, pH 7.7, Roadside, near Cascade, Valley County
- [Hot Creek Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/hot-creek-warm-spring): 97°F source, pH 8.7, TDS 252 mg/L, Short Walk, near McCall, Valley County
- [Mollys Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/mollys-hot-spring): 138°F source, pH 9.3, Roadside, near Cascade, Valley County, primitive pools, free, may–oct
- [Warm Lake Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/warm-lake-springs): Warm, TDS 258 mg/L, Short Walk, near Cascade, Valley County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Holdover Hot Spring?**
Holdover Hot Spring has a water temperature of 117°F (47°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Holdover Hot Spring located?**
Holdover Hot Spring is located in Valley County, Idaho at 4,160 feet elevation, near McCall. Coordinates: 44.8470°N, 115.6960°W.

**How do I get to Holdover Hot Spring?**
Holdover Hot Spring has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being South Fork Salmon River Road (323 ft from the road).

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

**Can I camp near Holdover Hot Spring?**
Yes, Johnson Creek Guard Station is located nearby (12.1 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Holdover Hot Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 9.6 (alkaline).

**Is it safe to soak at Holdover Hot Spring?**
With care. At 117°F Holdover 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