Trail Creek Hot Spring
Trail Creek Hot Spring reaches 122°F at 5,760 feet in the Boise National Forest, with a strongly alkaline pH of 9.7 — among the highest recorded pH values for Idaho springs. The sodium-dominant, low-calcium water indicates deep geothermal circulation through volcanic bedrock. A 146-meter walk from Warm Lake Road provides access.
The spring emerges in a high mountain basin in Valley County near Warm Lake, surrounded by dense lodgepole pine and Douglas fir forest. At 5,760 feet, the area experiences some of Idaho's heaviest snowfall — nearly 199 inches annually — and an average air temperature of just 41.1°F, the coldest among these ten springs. Annual precipitation totals 38.5 inches. The Warm Lake basin sits in a broad glacially shaped valley with multiple creek drainages feeding into the South Fork Salmon River system.
Access is limited to summer and early fall; the road to Warm Lake typically opens in June and closes with heavy snow by November. The 199-inch annual snowfall makes winter travel impossible without snowmobile. Water at 122°F requires careful testing before any contact. Picnic Point Campground on Warm Lake, about 7 km away, provides reservable sites with boating, fishing, and swimming access on the lake.
The spring takes its name from Trail Creek, part of the network of drainages in the Warm Lake region. The area has been part of the Boise National Forest since its establishment and lies along corridors historically used by Shoshone-Paiute peoples traveling between the Snake River Plain and Salmon River country. Warm Lake Road has provided vehicle access to the basin since the mid-20th century, opening the area to recreation.
The water at Trail Creek Hot Spring is alkaline (pH 9.7).
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Overview Picnic Point Campground is located on a bluff overlooking beautiful Warm Lake, at an elevation of 5,300 feet. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, hiking and viewing local wildlife. Recreation Warm Lake offers great fishing opportunities for cutthroat, rainbow, lake and bull trout. Boating, canoeing and swimming are popular activities. A boat ramp is located at neighboring Shoreline Campground. Billy Rice Swim Beach is within walking distance, offering a day-use site for picni...
Trail Creek Hot Spring sits at 5,760 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 23% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Trail Creek Hot Spring 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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