# Secesh Hot Spring, Idaho

Secesh Hot Spring in Idaho. Hot. Hike · Public Land. Valley County.

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

## Can you soak at Secesh Hot Spring?

Yes. Secesh Hot Spring has natural, undeveloped pools that run from 98 to 103°F. Soaking is free. It's open Jul-Oct. Reaching it takes a hike.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | Hot (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| Elevation | 5,844 ft |
| Access | Hike · Public Land, 1.6 mi from the nearest road |
| Land | Payette National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Valley County |
| Nearest town | McCall |
| Coordinates | 45.17000, -115.80700 |
| Nearest campground | UPPER PAYETTE LAKE CAMPGROUND, 11.3 mi |

## Plan your visit

| | |
|---|---|
| Type | Primitive pools |
| Cost | Free |
| Season | Jul-Oct |
| Reservations | Not needed |
| Pool temperature | 98–103°F |
| Getting there | about 4 mi hike, cold Secesh River ford, then near-vertical quarter mile climb to upper pools |
| In winter | snowmobile or snowshoe; river ford very hard |
| Operator | US Forest Service (Payette National Forest) |

Checked October 2026. Sources: https://idahohotsprings.com/destinations/secesh/index.htm

## About Secesh Hot Spring

Secesh Hot Spring is a Payette National Forest spring in Valley County, about 23 miles out of McCall. The survey that logged it wrote down the word hot and no number, so there is no temperature to quote and nothing here should be taken as a promise of a soak. Access is listed as open. Reaching it means walking a bit over a mile and a half from the closest road.

High country, close to 6,000 feet, on land the Forest Service manages. The record gives a distance from the road and no road name. Winter is the main fact of life here. The nearest climate station averages well over 160 inches of snow, and the year-round mean hovers near forty, so the ground stays buried for months and the walk in is a warm-season undertaking.

No best months are on file. The access class is hike, with the car left roughly 1.6 miles short of the water. Upper Payette Lake Campground is the closest camping listed, eleven miles or so away. Carry your own expectations about what you will find, since the only description anyone recorded is a single adjective. Put a hand in before anyone climbs in.

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Grangeville](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/grangeville), 21 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [Lick Creek Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/lick-creek-warm-spring): 91°F source, pH 9.0, Short Walk, near McCall, Valley County
- [Burgdorf Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/burgdorf-hot-springs): 113°F source, Roadside, near McCall, Valley County, developed pools, pools 99–113°F, $20 day pass, year_round (short closures)
- [Sheep Creek Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/sheep-creek-hot-spring): 136°F source, Hike, near McCall, Valley County
- [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
- [Cow Flats Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/cow-flats-hot-spring): 138°F source, Roadside, near Grangeville, Idaho County
- [Holdover Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/holdover-hot-spring): 117°F source, pH 9.6, Roadside, near McCall, Valley County

## Questions

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

**Where is Secesh Hot Spring located?**
Secesh Hot Spring is located in Valley County, Idaho at 5,844 feet elevation, near McCall. Coordinates: 45.1700°N, 115.8070°W.

**How do I get to Secesh Hot Spring?**
Secesh Hot Spring has Hike road access (1.6 mi from the road).

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

**Can I camp near Secesh Hot Spring?**
Yes, Upper Payette Lake Campground is located nearby (11.3 miles away).

## Sources

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