Stuart Hot Springs

Stuart Hot Springs is a little-known wilderness soak at the edge of a grassy meadow in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, in the Lochsa Ranger District of North-Central Idaho. It is reachable only at the end of a long, arduous, multiday trip involving multiple river fords — one of the most committing hot springs approaches in the state.

Description

Almost nothing is published about the pools at Stuart: no documented water temperature, clarity, or pool construction. What is known is the setting — the fringe of a grassy meadow deep in the wilderness — and the effort required to get there. Use is effectively non-existent.

Seasonal Notes

Mid to late summer is the ideal window, once the multiple river fords on the approach become passable after runoff.

Camping

There are no known primitive campsites nearby. Expect to find and make your own camp carefully, following full Leave No Trace wilderness practice.