Elkhorn Hot Springs (Boat Box)

Elkhorn Hot Springs — better known to regulars as Boat Box — is an easy-access wooden soaking box right next to Highway 75 near Stanley, Idaho, in the Sawtooth National Forest. Fill the tub, temper it with buckets of cold Salmon River water, and settle into one of the most beloved roadside dips in the Stanley area — it’s usable all year.

Pool Condition

The wooden soaking tub works year-round: put the stopper in, let it fill, then adjust the hot water with the plastic bucket usually left beside the tub, carting cold water in from the river. The tub has sunken seating. Beside it, rock-walled seasonal pools next to the river submerge during spring runoff. Be careful climbing in when the river runs high.

Seasonal Notes

Accessible all year. The lower pools submerge during runoff; the tub is usable in every season.

Camping

Plenty of campgrounds and primitive sites in the surrounding Sawtooth National Forest and Sawtooth National Recreation Area — none right next to the hot spring.

Elkhorn Hot Springs Soak Stats

• Season: All (listed summer/fall; tub usable year-round)
• Access Type: Roadside
• Public Land: Sawtooth National Forest
• Elevation: 6,100 ft
• GPS: 44.245, -114.885
• Water Temperature: Adjustable (tempered with river water by bucket)
• Water Clarity: Low (silt and algae, per the live listing)
• Visibility: Low
• Odor(s): Slight
• Nearest Town: Stanley
• Wildlife: Deer, elk
• Usage Level: High