# Trail Creek Hot Spring, Idaho

Trail Creek Hot Spring in Idaho. 122°F (50°C). Short Walk · Public Land. Valley County.

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

## Can you soak at Trail Creek Hot Spring?

Yes. Trail Creek Hot Spring has natural, undeveloped pools that run from 100 to 110°F. Soaking is free. It's a short walk from the road.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 122°F (50°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 9.7 (Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 5,760 ft |
| Access | Short Walk · Public Land, 477 ft from the nearest road (Warm Lake Road) |
| Land | Boise National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Valley County |
| Nearest town | Cascade |
| Coordinates | 44.62600, -115.74900 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | PICNIC POINT (ID), 4.2 mi |

## Plan your visit

| | |
|---|---|
| Type | Primitive pools |
| Cost | Free |
| Season | Year-round |
| Reservations | Not needed |
| Pool temperature | 100–110°F |
| Clothing | Clothing optional |
| Getting there | 0.1 mi steep path from pullout at milepost 60.6 on Warm Lake Road |
| In winter | Warm Lake Road usually passable, path icy, spikes advised |
| Operator | US Forest Service, Boise National Forest |

Checked October 2026. Sources: https://www.hotspringsguides.com/hot-springs/trail-creek-hot-springs-idaho

## About Trail Creek Hot Spring

Trail Creek Hot Spring, off Warm Lake Road inside the Boise National Forest, is one of the hot springs in the mountains outside Cascade. The survey on file calls the water hot, more than most people would sit in without letting it cool, and public access is recorded as open. OpenStreetMap carries it with an s on the end, Trail Creek Hot Springs. Cascade is the nearest town, about seventeen miles.

From Warm Lake Road it is a short walk, under two hundred yards, to the spring. The country is high, close to six thousand feet, on national forest land. Snowfall here is enormous by the numbers on file, near two hundred inches a year, and precipitation runs high across the seasons, so the approach will be under snow for a good part of the year.

Winter is the recorded best season, which here means coming in over deep snow. Picnic Point campground sits about four miles away. Linger in the source water and it will burn you, so check temperature before settling in. The reading is from June 1980. The site is open.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1980-06-06 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 9.7 |
| Calcium | 1.2 mg/L |
| Sodium | 57 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 4.6 mg/L |
| Chloride | 2.2 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Challis](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/challis), 52 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [South Fork Plunge, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/south-fork-plunge): 129°F source, Short Walk, near Cascade, Valley County
- [Mollys Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/mollys-hot-spring): 138°F source, pH 9.3, Roadside, near Cascade, Valley County, primitive pools, free, may–oct
- [Warm Lake Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/warm-lake-springs): Warm, TDS 258 mg/L, Short Walk, near Cascade, Valley County
- [Vulcan Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/vulcan-hot-springs): 190°F source, pH 9.1, Short Walk, near Cascade, Valley County, primitive pools, free, apr–oct
- [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
- [Gold Fork Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/gold-fork-hot-spring): 127°F source, pH 9.5, Roadside, near Cascade, Valley County, developed pools, $10 day pass, year-round

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Trail Creek Hot Spring?**
Trail Creek Hot Spring has a water temperature of 122°F (50°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Trail Creek Hot Spring located?**
Trail Creek Hot Spring is located in Valley County, Idaho at 5,760 feet elevation, near Cascade. Coordinates: 44.6260°N, 115.7490°W.

**How do I get to Trail Creek Hot Spring?**
Trail Creek Hot Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Warm Lake Road (477 ft from the road).

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

**Can I camp near Trail Creek Hot Spring?**
Yes, Picnic Point (Id) is located nearby (4.2 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Trail Creek Hot Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 9.7 (alkaline).

**Is it safe to soak at Trail Creek Hot Spring?**
With care. At 122°F Trail Creek 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