Murphy Hot Springs
Murphy Hot Springs pushes 126°F water to the surface at 5,380 feet elevation on BLM land near Jackpot, Idaho, running nearly 80 degrees hotter than the surrounding air. Big Cottonwood Campground sits just a quarter mile away, making this one of Idaho's most accessible high-temperature backcountry springs with camping right at the doorstep.
The spring emerges along the East Fork of the Jarbidge River in a remote canyon where the Jarbidge Mountains rise sharply to the south. The landscape is high desert transitioning to mountain terrain, with sagebrush giving way to cottonwood galleries along the watercourse. Annual snowfall of nearly 56 inches blankets the area in winter, while summer days are warm and dry with just 17 inches of precipitation. Three Creek Road provides the sole access through miles of open rangeland before dropping into the river drainage.
A 1,000-foot walk from Three Creek Road reaches the spring. Big Cottonwood Campground is practically adjacent at 0.4 km, with first-come-first-served sites and a 14-day stay limit. Two-wheel-drive vehicles can reach the campground. The water at 126°F is dangerously hot for direct contact and must cool before soaking. The area is most accessible from late May through October.
Murphy Hot Springs rises along fault zones in the Jarbidge volcanic field, where Miocene-era rhyolitic eruptions created a network of fractured rock that channels geothermally heated water to the surface. USGS analysis shows mildly alkaline water (pH 8.5) with 162 mg/L total dissolved solids, virtually no magnesium, and low chloride, indicating a clean volcanic aquifer. The 52°C source temperature points to circulation depths of several thousand feet.
The water at Murphy Hot Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 8.5) with 162 mg/L total dissolved solids.
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Two-wheel drive vehicles are sufficient to reach the campground, located on the East Fork of the Jarbidge River about half a mile north of Murphy Hot Springs.
Murphy Hot Springs sits at 5,380 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 22% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Murphy Hot Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water runs hot, so extra hydration is key.
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