Idaho Hot Springs and Where to Car Camp Nearby

The trailhead for the 4.5-mile trail to Council Hot Springs is located on the side of NF-186 near Council Mountain. The coordinates for the trailhead are 44.6485700, -116.3049200. Directions for the trailhead can also be found in the AllTrails app included in this Place. The trail itself is rated as moderate, and is lightly trafficked, as these hot springs are a bit lesser known and harder to get to than other Idaho hot springs. The trail has an elevation gain of 1246ft and is pretty well marked. The hot springs are located at the edge of a river, and vary in temperatures. Sometimes they are unusable due to temperatures being too hot or too cold, but either way, the trail is beautiful. Camping nearby: Cabin Creek Campground.

Located in Payette National Forest, near Council, Idaho, Cabin Creek Campground offers 12 drive-in campsites available on a first-come-first-serve basis. The campground is forested with views of some of the surrounding mountains. It has potable water and vault toilets. Sites are $10/night. The campground is 1.9 miles from the trailhead to Council Mountain Hot Springs, making it ideal for your visit to the springs.

Located in Atlanta, Idaho, along the Middle Fork Boise River this beautiful hot spring is walled in by a man made rock wall and fed by geothermal waterfalls coming down the side of the mountain. The hot springs are not easily accessible, which also makes them less crowded. It’s recommended to visit with 4x4 or AWD as the dirt roads can be pretty difficult, especially in wetter seasons. The trail to the hot springs is steep as well. It’s not recommended to go out of your way for a visit in the spring either, as runoff can make the hot springs submerged in the river. The main hot springs pools are about 110 degrees, and there sometimes are a couple of other hot springs along the side of the river that you can explore that vary around 110 degrees. Clothing is optional at these hot springs. Camping nearby: Powerplant Campground

Located in Boise National Forest near Atlanta, Idaho, Powerplant Campground offers 24 first-come-first-serve drive up sites that are great for camping with your Luno gear. The fee to stay at this campground is $15 per night per site. The campground has vault toilets and drinking water available. Each site has a fire ring, picnic tables, and grills. The campground is about .7 miles from Chattanooga Hot Springs.

This popular hot spring is one of Idaho’s most photographed hot springs, and for good reason. It’s super picturesque. Soaking is done in a small metal tub located alongside the Salmon River, about 3 miles from Stanley, Idaho. The tub is full of water, usually about 110 degrees F, and only fits about 2 people, so this probably isn’t a great hot spring to visit if you’re traveling with a group. One of the nicest things about this hot spring, is that its located right off the road, so it’s pretty easy to get to. This hot spring was built for the community by the community, which gives it a little bit of some fun history. The hot springs are located in a beautiful natural area that is constantly under threat from the crowds who visit it, so be sure to practice Leave No Trace when visiting. Parking for the hot springs is on a pullout off the road. The road can get dangerous if people try to park along the side of it, so come another time if the pullout is full. The coordinates to the pullout are 44.2448647, -114.886138. The best way to avoid crowds is to come early in the morning, around sunrise on a weekday. Enjoy the pool for a short time and then move on to give others time to enjoy it after you! Camping nearby: Sunny Gulch Campground

Located in Sawtooth National Forest near Stanley, Idaho, this 45 site campground offers easy access to some of the area’s best mountains, hiking, and hot springs. There are 8 double sites included in the 45 as well. 10 of the sites and 1 of the double sites are available by reservation on recreation.gov, and the rest are first-come-first-serve. Sites are drive-up, making them optimal for car camping with your Luno gear. Amenities such as toilets, picnic tables, and water are provided. Sites are $20/night, plus $10 extra per night for additional vehicles over 1. The campground is open May through September. Pets are allowed, but must be kept on leash.

These hot springs will greet you at the end of a short, and flat .25 mile trail through the forest. The pools are built into the side of Warm Springs Creek. They have sandy bottoms. There is also a private soaking shack with an iron bathtub and hot water pumping into it. These hot springs are less well known than others, so you may get lucky and have them to yourself. Parking for these hot springs is located at Bonneville Campground for a $5 day use fee, or free with a national parks pass. There are pit toilets by the parking lot if you need. Camping nearby: Bonneville Campground.

Located near Lowman, Idaho, this campground sits alongside Warm Springs Creek, and is just a short distance from Bonneville Hot Springs. The campground is surrounded by a forest of ponderosa pines and Douglas fir, offering shade in the warmer months. The campground offers several sites, and one double site, each with a picnic table, fire pit, and grill. Vault toilets, drinking water, and trash collection are available. The campground is open May through September. Reservations can be made 6 months prior to your stay date on Recreation.gov for $15/night. Sites are drive-up, making them optimal for car camping with your Luno gear.

Burgdorf Hot Springs is a developed hot springs resort located near Mcall, Idaho. You can actually stay at the resort, but if you’re looking to camp nearby, and save some money, you can purchase a day use pass, and still enjoy a soak. Check their website for day-use times and rates. The resort offers two smaller soaking pools, and one large pool. Camping nearby: Burgdorf Campground.

Burgdorf Campground is located in Payette National Forest, near Mcall, Idaho and offers three first come first serve campsites. All sites are drive-in, making them perfect for car camping with your Luno gear. There are nearby hiking trails such as Nether Creek Trail, Jeanette Creek Trail, and Burgdorf Trail. Burgdorf Hot Springs are also nearby for day use soaking (fee required, as they’re private). Sites are $10/night or free with an Interagency or Golden Age Pass. The campground has potable water and a vault toilet.

Also known as Basin Creek Hot Springs, these hot springs are located in Sawtooth National Forest along the Salmon River, near Stanley, Idaho. These hot springs are pretty easy to get to, since you can drive up to them, and then walk down from the road. They can get busy, so if you want to avoid the crowds, plan on visiting early in the morning. The source for the geothermal water is over 140 degrees, so soak with care. During Spring, the pools can often overflow with the river, so it’s better to visit later in the season. Nearby camping: Basin Creek Campground.

Located almost adjacent to Cove Creek Hot Springs, this campground is the perfect place to stay if you’re looking for an early soak. The campground is located in Salmon-Challis National Forest and is also the trailhead for Basin Creek Transfer Camp. The campground is primitive, with no toilets or drinking water, so make sure you bring everything that you need. Sites are all accessible by car though, making it a great spot for car camping with your Luno gear. Reservations are not required, and this campground is free to use.

Gold Fork Hot Springs is a privately owned, developed hot springs resort located in Donnelly, Idaho. The resort has six outdoor, naturally fed hot springs pools alongside the Goldfork River. The resort is open year round. Alcohol is allowed, but not glass containers. Pets are not allowed and clothing is not optional. There are changing rooms and bathrooms, as well as a cash only, limited snack bar. There are free lockers available to visitors as well. Soaking is $10 for adults and $5 for kids. They’re open Wednesday-Monday from noon to 9.pm. Nearby camping: Amanita Campground in Boise Naitonal Forest is a 30 minute drive from Gold Fork Hot Springs.

Located next to lake Cascade, in Boise National Forest, Amanita Campground offers easy access to boating, fishing, swimming, and hiking. Gold Fork Hot Springs are about 30 minutes away. The campground is pretty small, offering single family campsites with picnic tables, fire rings, and grills. Some sites have lake views. Vault toilets, drinking water, and trash collection are available. All sites are drive up, making it optimal for car camping with your Luno gear. Sites are reservable on Recreation.gov and can be reserved up to 6 months before your stay date. Sites are $15/night.

You have to hike a moderately strenuous hike to get to these hot springs, but that makes them even more excellent to soak in, especially since it keeps the crowds down. The trail is 3.5-miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1350ft. Once you reach the hot springs, you’ll find yourself surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, soaking in pools that sit in a river, cliff side. To get to the trailhead, turn off highway 93 at mile marker 282. You’ll find a short dirt road with a trailhead at the end. There will be a restroom and wooden fences to let you know you’re in the right place. This trail can get pretty busy, so it’s a good idea to come early if you want to try to get the hot springs to yourself. The trailhead is located on private property, but the owners don’t mind visitors as long as they leave no trace. Camping nearby: Elk Bend RV Park.

Located just south of Salmon, Idaho, Elk Bend RV Park offers easy access to the Goldbug Hot Springs trailhead, other hiking, river activities, and fishing. The park is fully developed with easy drive-in sites, making it perfect for car camping with your Luno gear. There are RV and tent sites, a large community fire pit, wifi, a camp store, toilets, drinking water, and more. It’s a good idea to make reservations ahead of time.

These hot springs are located so close to the Montana/Idaho border, that some places list them as being in Montana, but they’re technically still in Idaho. You’ll find the soaking pool at the end of a 2.6-mile round trip trail that is rated as easy. This hot spring is Idaho’s most popular hot springs, and is often very crowded. Arrive early in the morning to try to avoid the crowds. There are 3 pools with rockwalls and their own natural hot water sources. 1 of the three pools, known as the waterfall pool is often submerged until later in the season (August). The other two are available for soaking year round. Nearby camping: Jerry Johnson Campground.

Located in the Nez Perce-Clearwater Naitonal Forest, this campground is open seasonally, usually from May to October. Check online to determine exact dates, as they change annually. Campsites are available on a first-come-first-serve basis, and are $14/night. Water and vault toilets area available to visitors.

Located along the edge of the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, Kirkham Hot Springs offers a 10 different geothermal pools alongside the Payette River. Lots of geothermal pools are located along the highway, so keep your eyes open. The most well known ones are Kirkham Hot Springs though, for good reason. If you want to avoid the crowds, try to visit early in the morning. There is a $5 fee to park. There are pit toilets and picnic tables available. Camping nearby: Kirkham Campground.

**This campground is currently closed due to Covid, but check their site for reopening** This first-come-first-serve campground is located near Kirkham Hot Springs in Boise National Forest. The fees for camping here are $15/night. Make sure to bring cash or checks to pay the fee. There is drinking water and vault toilets available. Each site has picnic tables and fire rings.