Lidy Hot Springs

Lidy Hot Springs is CLOSED and not open to the public. The springs are on private property — please do not enter without permission from the owner.

In its heyday, Lidy Hot Springs was one of east-central Idaho’s landmark resorts, a desert stop near Dubois in Clark County that a 1930s Idaho guidebook nicknamed “the Oasis.” Travelers on what was then State 29 found indoor and outdoor swimming pools supplied with hot mineral water, a dance hall, and camping sites. Prior to 1962 the resort ran at full steam: resort buildings, a dance hall, a bar, food service, live music, private soaking pools, and a large covered hot springs swimming pool made it a social hub for a wide, empty stretch of high desert.

The springs drew scientific attention long after the resort era ended. In 2002, NASA visited Lidy to study Archaea — single-celled microbes that thrive in the depths of some hot springs and are among the most prevalent in Idaho’s hot springs. Archaea are remarkable because they can survive without carbon and sunlight, drawing energy from hydrogen gas instead, which makes them a model for life in extreme environments. A complete history of Lidy Hot Springs, with photos, is preserved at doc45.com.

Today the property is private and closed. There is no public soaking, no public access, and no exception for hot springs enthusiasts — enjoy Lidy as a piece of Idaho history, from a distance.

Lidy Hot Springs Need to Know

• Status: CLOSED — private property, no public access
• Era of Operation: Resort facilities operated prior to 1962
• Historic Facilities: Dance hall, bar, food service, live music, private soaking pools, large covered swimming pool
• GPS (USGS reference only — not an invitation to visit): 44.145, -112.554

Lidy Hot Springs Driving Directions

No directions are provided. Lidy Hot Springs is not open to the public; please do not enter private property without permission from the owner.

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