# Sharkey Hot Spring, Idaho

Sharkey Hot Spring in Idaho. 126°F (52°C). Roadside · Public Land. Lemhi County.

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

## Can you soak at Sharkey Hot Spring?

Yes. Sharkey Hot Spring has natural, undeveloped pools that run at 103°F. It sells day passes. You can drive right up to it.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 126°F (52°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 8.0 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 5,440 ft |
| Access | Roadside · Public Land, 286 ft from the nearest road (National Forest Development Road 185) |
| Land | Salmon Field Office, Bureau of Land Management |
| County | Lemhi County |
| Nearest town | Salmon |
| Coordinates | 45.01300, -113.60500 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Agency Creek Campground, 4.9 mi |

## Plan your visit

| | |
|---|---|
| Type | Primitive pools |
| Cost | Day pass. BLM use fee for ages 16+, amount not shown on recreation.gov or BLM page; interagency passes do not waive it |
| Reservations | Not needed |
| Pool temperature | 103°F |
| Clothing | Swimsuit required |
| Getting there | roadside day-use site, last 2 mi gravel off Tendoy, pools hold about a dozen |
| In winter | gravel road can be icy, 4WD advised when wet |
| Operator | Bureau of Land Management Salmon Field Office, https://www.recreation.gov/camping/poi/10012013 |

Checked October 2026. Sources: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/poi/10012013, https://www.recreation.gov/activitypass/10012013, https://blm.gov/visit/sharkey-hot-springs, https://www.hotspringsguides.com/hot-springs/sharkey-hot-springs-idaho

## About Sharkey Hot Spring

Off National Forest Development Road 185 outside Salmon, Sharkey Hot Spring surfaces hot, in the 120s, on Bureau of Land Management ground under the Salmon Field Office in Lemhi County. The listing shows open access, and the water is a few hundred feet off the road. The source is above comfortable soaking as it leaves the ground, so plan on testing it before committing.

Open BLM land at around 5,400 feet, eighteen miles or so from Salmon. A forest development road runs within a few hundred feet, which makes this a drive-up. Snow is moderate by Idaho standards, under eighty inches most winters, and the area is dry, with yearly precipitation under twenty inches. Average temperature over the year lands in the low forties. No fee shows in the record.

The USGS carries Sharkey as a monitoring site. Its one published sample dates to 1980.

December through February are the months on file as best, which fits a roadside spring with modest snow. Agency Creek Campground is about five miles away. Temperature and chemistry both come from a USGS sample taken in August 1980, so the figures are decades old and the spring may behave differently now. Water in the 120s burns skin with time; ease in.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1980-08-05 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 8 |
| Calcium | 5.8 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.6 mg/L |
| Sodium | 270 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 150 mg/L |
| Chloride | 54 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Arco](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/arco), 52 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [Salmon Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/salmon-hot-spring): 113°F source, pH 7.1, Roadside, near Salmon, Lemhi County, private, no public access
- [Goldbug Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/goldbug-hot-spring): 113°F source, pH 7.8, Hike, near Salmon, Lemhi County, primitive pools, pools 90–105°F, free, year-round
- [Big Eightmile Creek Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/big-eightmile-creek-warm-spring): 91°F source, Short Walk, near Salmon, Lemhi County
- [Jardine Hot Spring, MT](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/montana/jardine-hot-spring): 140°F source, pH 7.0, Short Walk, near Salmon, Lemhi County
- [Cronks Canyon Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/cronks-canyon-hot-spring): 115°F source, pH 7.9, Short Walk, near Challis, Custer County, primitive pools
- [Whittaker Warm Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/whittaker-warm-springs): 75°F source, pH 8.0, Roadside, near Salmon, Lemhi County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Sharkey Hot Spring?**
Sharkey Hot Spring has a water temperature of 126°F (52°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Sharkey Hot Spring located?**
Sharkey Hot Spring is located in Lemhi County, Idaho at 5,440 feet elevation, near Salmon. Coordinates: 45.0130°N, 113.6050°W.

**How do I get to Sharkey Hot Spring?**
Sharkey Hot Spring has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being National Forest Development Road 185 (286 ft from the road).

**Is Sharkey Hot Spring free to visit?**
Sharkey Hot Spring has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.

**Can I camp near Sharkey Hot Spring?**
Yes, Agency Creek Campground is located nearby (4.9 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Sharkey Hot Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 8.0 (slightly alkaline).

**Is it safe to soak at Sharkey Hot Spring?**
With care. At 126°F Sharkey 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