# Teapot Hot Spring, Idaho

Teapot Hot Spring in Idaho. 142°F (61°C). Roadside · Public Land. Valley County.

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

## Can you soak at Teapot Hot Spring?

Yes. Teapot Hot Spring has natural, undeveloped pools that run at 107°F. You can drive right up to it.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 142°F (61°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 9.3 (Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 3,900 ft |
| Access | Roadside · Public Land, 132 ft from the nearest road (South Fork Salmon River Road) |
| Land | Payette National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Valley County |
| Nearest town | McCall |
| Coordinates | 44.91400, -115.72200 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | JOHNSON CREEK GUARD STATION, 12.0 mi |

## Plan your visit

| | |
|---|---|
| Type | Primitive pools |
| Season | Year-round |
| Reservations | Not needed |
| Pool temperature | 107°F |
| Getting there | Roadside between South Fork Salmon River and Forest Service road |
| In winter | Warm Lake Hwy and FSR 474 need 4x4 in winter |
| Operator | US Forest Service, Payette National Forest |

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

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 142°F, the source water at Teapot Hot Spring is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

## About Teapot Hot Spring

Teapot Hot Spring earns the name. Water comes up too hot to touch, over the line into scalding, on Payette National Forest land in Valley County, McCall being the nearest town at nineteen miles. The Forest Service has it down as open. The sample on file is strongly alkaline, with sodium, chloride, sulfate, calcium and magnesium detected. Anyone hoping to soak will need to find where the outflow has cooled, and nothing on record describes a pool.

South Fork Salmon River Road comes within about forty yards, so you park and you are there. Elevation stays under four thousand feet, and the winter is heavy all the same: a normal season drops twelve and a half feet of snow, with a wet climate through the rest of the year. National forest land.

December through February are listed as the best months, which on this road means snow. Johnson Creek Guard Station, twelve miles away, is the nearest overnight option on record. The water at the source will scald; test any pool with a hand before a foot, and do not sit in anything you have not tested. Temperature and chemistry date from a July 1982 survey.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1982-07-28 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 9.3 |
| Calcium | 1.5 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.1 mg/L |
| Sodium | 71 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 20 mg/L |
| Chloride | 11 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Grangeville](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/grangeville), 38 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [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
- [Billy Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/billy-hot-spring): Hot, pH 9.7, Short Walk, near Cascade, Valley County
- [Hot Creek Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/hot-creek-warm-spring): 97°F source, pH 8.7, TDS 252 mg/L, Short Walk, near McCall, Valley County
- [Sheep Creek Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/sheep-creek-hot-spring): 136°F source, Hike, near McCall, Valley County
- [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
- [Dollar Creek Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/dollar-creek-warm-spring): 68°F source, pH 7.7, Roadside, near Cascade, Valley County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Teapot Hot Spring?**
Teapot Hot Spring has a water temperature of 142°F (61°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Teapot Hot Spring located?**
Teapot Hot Spring is located in Valley County, Idaho at 3,900 feet elevation, near McCall. Coordinates: 44.9140°N, 115.7220°W.

**How do I get to Teapot Hot Spring?**
Teapot Hot Spring has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being South Fork Salmon River Road (132 ft from the road).

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

**Can I camp near Teapot Hot Spring?**
Yes, Johnson Creek Guard Station is located nearby (12.0 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Teapot Hot Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 9.3 (alkaline).

**Is it safe to soak at Teapot Hot Spring?**
No, not at the source. The water at Teapot Hot Spring reaches 142°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.

## Sources

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