Sheepeater Hot Springs
Sheepeater Hot Springs requires a 4.2-mile hike through the Boise National Forest near Cascade, reaching thermal water at 5,115 feet elevation on the edge of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. USGS measurements record 120 degrees Fahrenheit with a pH of 9.5, making this one of central Idaho's more alkaline backcountry springs.
The trail passes through dense mountain forest before arriving at the spring, where hot water seeps from fractured rock in a remote drainage. Annual snowfall here averages over 153 inches, and the surrounding terrain stays wild and untracked. The nearest trailhead connects to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River corridor, one of the deepest canyons in North America. Silence and the sound of moving water dominate the setting.
This is a committed backcountry trip. Start early and carry sufficient water, food, and navigation tools. The access window runs roughly July through September depending on snowpack. Boundary Creek Campground, 13 km away, serves primarily as a launch point for Middle Fork Salmon River float trips and has reservable sites from mid-June through mid-August.
Named for the Tukudika, or Sheepeater band of Shoshone people who historically inhabited this region, the spring sits along geologic faults that channel water deep into the Idaho Batholith before returning it to the surface. The water chemistry — 55 mg/L sodium, 36 mg/L sulfate, negligible calcium and magnesium — reflects prolonged contact with granitic rock at high temperatures underground.
The water at Sheepeater Hot Springs is alkaline (pH 9.5).
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Overview Boundary Creek Campground is located at the edge of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, adjacent to the boat launch for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho. The site generally provides overnight camping for boaters waiting to launch the next day on their permit to float the Middle Fork. Of the 15 campsites, 5 can be reserved during the high-use season (June 15-Aug. 15); the remaining 10 are first-come, first-served. Outside of those dates, all 15 sites are first-...
Sheepeater Hot Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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Springs Near Sheepeater Hot Springs
Alkaline Springs (pH ~9.5)
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