Worswick Hot Springs
Worswick Hot Springs registers 180°F, making it one of Idaho's hottest publicly accessible thermal features. Located on Sawtooth National Forest land at 6,100 feet elevation in Camas County, the spring sits a short 191-foot walk from Carrie Creek Road near Fairfield. Water chemistry shows high alkalinity at pH 9.0 with sodium-dominant mineral content.
The spring occupies a high mountain valley in the Sawtooth National Forest, surrounded by sagebrush steppe and conifer-covered slopes at 6,100 feet. Annual snowfall exceeds 107 inches, and average air temperatures hover around 41°F, producing a stark 139-degree contrast between water and ambient conditions. Big Smoky Creek drains the area to the south, cutting through a broad valley floor flanked by the Soldier Mountains and the Smoky Mountains.
Summer and early fall provide the best access, as heavy snowfall closes many area roads from November through May. The 180°F water is dangerously hot and must not be entered directly. Bowns Campground, 8 km south along Big Smoky Creek, has 10 first-come, first-served sites with fire rings and seasonal water. Bring layers for cold mountain nights even in July.
The spring takes its name from an early settler family in the Camas Prairie region. Federal land records show continuous Forest Service management. No commercial development exists on site. The extreme water temperature has precluded the kind of casual soaking infrastructure seen at lower-temperature Idaho springs, leaving the feature in a largely natural state.
The water at Worswick Hot Springs is alkaline (pH 9.0).
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Bowns Campground, located 25 miles east of Featherville and 18 miles north of Fairfield, is a developed campground composed of 10 units along Big Smoky Creek. Two of the camp sites are double family units. Camping, fishing, hiking, and picnicking are popular activities. Campground amenities include picnic tables, fire rings, drinking water (seasonally) and restrooms. Miller Creek Trail (#087) starts just south of the campground and is open to motorcycles.
Worswick Hot Springs sits at 6,100 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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Worswick Hot Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water is dangerously hot — bring water shoes and test pools carefully. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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