# Hot Spring Campground, Idaho

Hot Spring Campground in Idaho. 124°F (51°C). Roadside · Public Land. Boise County.

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

## Can you soak at Hot Spring Campground?

Yes. Hot Spring Campground has natural, undeveloped pools. You can drive right up to it.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 124°F (51°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 9.0 (Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 3,120 ft |
| Access | Roadside · Public Land, 140 ft from the nearest road |
| Land | Boise National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Boise County |
| Nearest town | Idaho City |
| Coordinates | 44.05400, -115.90700 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | HOT SPRINGS, 0.7 mi |

## Plan your visit

| | |
|---|---|
| Type | Primitive pools |
| Getting there | soaking pool on South Fork Payette across the road and down a staircase |
| Operator | US Forest Service, Boise National Forest, https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232060 |

Checked October 2026. Sources: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232060

## About Hot Spring Campground

Hot Spring Campground is the name on record for a thermal source on Boise National Forest ground, sixteen miles from Idaho City, Boise County. Open to visitors, the record says. The water is hot, too hot for comfortable soaking as it comes out, and the flow the USGS logged is tiny, a bare trickle. A Forest Service campground called Hot Springs sits under a mile away.

The source is a stone's throw from the road, well under two hundred feet, though the road itself is not named in the record. National Forest land at one of the lower elevations among Idaho's springs. Winters bring a good deal of snow, over six feet most winters, and the year as a whole is fairly wet.

Winter is the season on record here, December into February. Camping is about as convenient as it gets, with the Hot Springs campground less than a mile off. Hot enough to hurt, this one, so go in by degrees and check it with a hand before anything else. The recorded flow is very small, so do not expect much volume. Chemistry was last sampled in 1978.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1978-11-23 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 9 |
| Calcium | 2.9 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.1 mg/L |
| Sodium | 77 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 37 mg/L |
| Chloride | 7.3 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Emmett](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/emmett), 29 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [Donlay Ranch Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/donlay-ranch-hot-spring): 131°F source, pH 9.2, Roadside, near Idaho City, Boise County
- [Corder Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/corder-hot-spring): 131°F source, pH 9.2, Roadside, near Idaho City, Boise County
- [Dan Hodges Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/dan-hodges-hot-spring): 140°F source, pH 9.1, Roadside, near Idaho City, Boise County
- [Danskin Creek Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/danskin-creek-hot-spring): 106°F source, pH 8.8, Roadside, near Idaho City, Boise County, primitive pools
- [Deer Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/deer-hot-springs): 176°F source, pH 8.2, Short Walk, near Idaho City, Boise County
- [Warm Springs Creek Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/warm-springs-creek-hot-springs): 167°F source, pH 8.4, TDS 307 mg/L, Roadside, near Idaho City, Boise County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Hot Spring Campground?**
Hot Spring Campground has a water temperature of 124°F (51°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Hot Spring Campground located?**
Hot Spring Campground is located in Boise County, Idaho at 3,120 feet elevation, near Idaho City. Coordinates: 44.0540°N, 115.9070°W.

**How do I get to Hot Spring Campground?**
Hot Spring Campground has Roadside road access (140 ft from the road).

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

**Can I camp near Hot Spring Campground?**
Yes, Hot Springs is located nearby (0.7 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Hot Spring Campground?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 9.0 (alkaline).

**Is it safe to soak at Hot Spring Campground?**
With care. At 124°F Hot Spring Campground 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