Shower Bath Springs
Shower Bath Springs earns its name at 6,080 feet in the Challis National Forest, where 122-degree water cascades down rock in Custer County. USGS data shows the water reaches 127 degrees with a pH of 9.3, and it surfaces 81 degrees above the local ambient air temperature — a substantial thermal anomaly in a landscape averaging just 37 degrees annually.
A 2.4-mile hike leads to the spring, which flows over a rock face in a manner that resembles a natural shower. The terrain is high, dry mountain country near Challis, with open sagebrush slopes giving way to scattered conifers. Annual snowfall exceeds 111 inches, and the stark temperature contrast between hot water and cold air produces persistent steam plumes visible from a distance during cooler months.
Reaching the spring requires a 2.4-mile hike from National Forest Development Road 68. Water at the source is too hot for direct contact, so test any pooled areas carefully. Custer #1 Campground sits 26 km away near the Custer townsite and museum. The best access window is July through September. Bring layers — high-elevation temperatures drop fast after sunset.
The spring lies within the Challis Volcanic Group, a region of ancient volcanic activity that created the deep heat sources still warming groundwater today. The water chemistry — 70 mg/L sodium, 36 mg/L sulfate, minimal calcium — indicates deep circulation through fractured volcanic rock. The nearby ghost town of Custer, a mining boomtown from the late 1800s, speaks to the area's long history of mineral exploration.
The water at Shower Bath Springs is alkaline (pH 9.3).
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This campground is along the Custer Motorway just above the townsite of Custer, a boom town during the late 1800's. Visit the museum, open 9 - 5 Memorial Day through Labor Day. Facilities include 6 sites with picnic tables and fire rings with cooking grills. Campground has a vault toilet and can accommodate trailers and motorhomes up to 32 feet long.
Shower Bath Springs sits at 6,080 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 24% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Shower Bath Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water runs hot, so extra hydration is key. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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