Willow Creek Hot Springs is a chain of algae- and silt-laden pools along Willow Creek and the Idaho Centennial Trail in the Sawtooth National Forest, just under a mile’s hike from a horse transfer camp northeast of Pine and Featherville, Idaho. It is also a comeback story: the area burned hard in a 2008 wildfire and the pools vanished for years — by June 2013 they were back, soaking a recovering, still-scorched landscape.
Pool Condition
Pools are dug out of a thermal stream fed by the source and dammed with mostly rocks and some logs; bottoms run muddy and silty, partly because use is light. Expect to clean and improve a pool on arrival. The surrounding burn area was recovering nicely at the last documented visit.
Seasonal Notes
Summer and fall. The forest road closes seasonally from October through mid-May.
Camping
No truly great camp spots sit right near the springs (flat ground, but heavy deer and elk sign). Good camping is available at the trailhead horse camp, and Willow Creek Campground is roughly a mile down the road from the trailhead. The surrounding Sawtooth and Boise National Forests offer plenty of campgrounds and primitive sites.
Willow Creek Hot Springs Soak Stats
- Season: Summer, fall
- Access Type: Hike (just under 1 mile)
- Public Land: Sawtooth National Forest
- Elevation: 5,100 ft
- GPS: 43.637, -115.130
- Water Temperature: Varies
- Water Clarity: Varies
- Visibility: Low
- Odor(s): Slight
- pH: 6.5–7
- Nearest Towns: Pine / Featherville
- Wildlife: Deer, elk, moose, bats, toads (occasional red spider mites)
- Usage Level: Light
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