# Wardrop Hot Spring, Idaho

Wardrop Hot Spring in Idaho. 147°F (64°C). Short Walk. Camas County.

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

## Can you soak at Wardrop Hot Spring?

Not at the source. The water leaves the ground at 147°F, hot enough to burn skin. It's a short walk from the road.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 147°F (64°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 9.3 (Alkaline) |
| Total dissolved solids | 211 mg/L |
| Elevation | 5,155 ft |
| Access | Short Walk, 482 ft from the nearest road (Corral Creek Road) |
| County | Camas County |
| Nearest town | Fairfield |
| Coordinates | 43.38300, -114.93100 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Bowns Campground, 15.7 mi |

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 147°F, the source water at Wardrop 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 Wardrop Hot Spring

Seven miles from Fairfield in Camas County, Wardrop Hot Spring is a scalding source off Corral Creek Road. The water on record is far too hot for skin. Nobody is recorded as owner, and the access status is blank too, which matters here because the spring is close to town and easy to reach. Dissolved solids are low and the water is quite alkaline in the 1989 sample.

Corral Creek Road comes within a hundred and fifty yards or so, and you walk the rest. The spring sits above five thousand feet. A typical winter drops about ninety inches of snow, and the year as a whole is dry. The record gives no land unit and no owner, so you could be stepping onto private ground without knowing it.

On record, the season to come is winter, December to February. Bowns Campground is the nearest camping listed, and it is nearly sixteen miles off. It is scalding where it surfaces; stay back from that point and never enter water you have not checked. Before going at all, find out who owns the land and whether visitors are allowed, because the record does not say. The reading is from May 1989.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1989-05-03 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 9.3 |
| Total dissolved solids | 211 mg/L |
| Calcium | 1.1 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.01 mg/L |
| Sodium | 57 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 11 mg/L |
| Chloride | 5.1 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Glenns Ferry](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/idaho/glenns-ferry), 27 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Idaho](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho)
- [Barrons Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/barrons-hot-spring): 167°F source, pH 8.0, TDS 337 mg/L, Short Walk, near Fairfield, Camas County
- [Wolf Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/wolf-hot-spring): 113°F source, Short Walk, near Fairfield, Camas County
- [Mormon Reservoir Warm Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/mormon-reservoir-warm-spring): Warm, Short Walk, near Fairfield, Camas County
- [Worswick Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/worswick-hot-springs): 180°F source, pH 9.0, Short Walk, near Fairfield, Camas County, primitive pools, free, jul–oct
- [Preis Hot Spring, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/preis-hot-spring): 106°F source, pH 9.6, Roadside, near Fairfield, Camas County, primitive pools, pools 102°F, free, may-oct
- [Lightfoot Hot Springs, ID](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/idaho/lightfoot-hot-springs): 133°F source, pH 8.8, Short Walk, near Fairfield, Camas County, primitive pools, may–oct

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Wardrop Hot Spring?**
Wardrop Hot Spring has a water temperature of 147°F (64°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Wardrop Hot Spring located?**
Wardrop Hot Spring is located in Camas County, Idaho at 5,155 feet elevation, near Fairfield. Coordinates: 43.3830°N, 114.9310°W.

**How do I get to Wardrop Hot Spring?**
Wardrop Hot Spring has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Corral Creek Road (482 ft from the road).

**Can I camp near Wardrop Hot Spring?**
Yes, Bowns Campground is located nearby (15.7 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Wardrop Hot Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 9.3 (alkaline). Total dissolved solids measure 211 mg/L.

**Is it safe to soak at Wardrop Hot Spring?**
No, not at the source. The water at Wardrop Hot Spring reaches 147°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