Hot Springs at Goose Creek Retreat

Most Idaho hot springs ask you to share. This one asks you to book the whole place. On Goose Creek between McCall and New Meadows, the Tibbs Family Mountain Retreat is a 10 acre off-grid property where two natural hot springs feed two private pools in the trees above the creek. There is no public pool schedule and no walk-up soaking: the water belongs to whoever is renting the lodge, the apartment, or the tiny cottage that week. Long before the rental era, these were the Last Chance Hot Springs, also known as Krigbaum Hot Springs, the closest natural hot springs to McCall.

For the guests who book it, the package is a quiet one: a short hike to your own pool, a quarter mile of Goose Creek frontage, forest trails out the door, and Brundage Mountain two miles from the turnoff when the ski day or the summer ride is done.

Soak Stats

Location	On Goose Creek between McCall and New Meadows, Adams County; exact address shared with booked guests only
Soak type	Two private natural hot spring pools at an off-grid vacation rental
Water temperature	Lower pool 99 to 104°F; upper pool 89 to 95°F
Access	Private property. Overnight rental guests only; no public day use and no drop-in visits
Land & management	Private land, family owned and operated (the Tibbs family)
Facilities	Lodge, apartment and tiny cottage on 10 acres; 1/4 mile of Goose Creek frontage; fire pits, BBQs, decks, trails

The Soaking Experience

The soak is a short walk from your door: a roughly six minute hike on a property trail reaches the two natural pools, which sit in the trees above Goose Creek. The lower pool runs hot, 99 to 104°F, and the upper pool runs warmer than hot, 89 to 95°F, so a group can split between a real soak and a long lounge. Each rental grouping has its own marked pool, and the spring water flows year-round, which makes this a genuine winter soak after a day at Brundage as much as a summer one.

The setting does the rest. Goose Creek runs along the eastern border of the 10 acres, the surrounding country is national forest, and the property is off the grid: solar power with a propane generator backup, well water, and quiet. Deer, elk, and birds move through, and the only audience for an evening soak is the forest.

Location, Map & Directions

The property sits off the Highway 55 corridor between McCall and New Meadows, about 2 miles from the Brundage Mountain Resort turnoff and near Last Chance Campground (about 2 miles). Payette Lake and McCall are about 9 miles away, and Boise is about a 2 hour drive. Because the land is private and the address is not published, there are no public directions to give: booked guests receive the exact address and their smart lock check-in details from the hosts. Please do not go looking for the pools without a booking.

Place Information

Address	Not published; nearest town New Meadows, Adams County. Booked guests receive the address
Website	Tibbs Family Mountain Retreat
Booking	Direct on the property’s booking site; the units are also listed on Airbnb
Contact	Inquire form on the property’s booking site

Staying at the Retreat

The property rents four ways. The Mountain Hot Springs Estate takes the whole place: 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms sleeping up to 18 across the lodge, the apartment, and the cottage. The Lodge is the main cabin at 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, sleeping up to 10. The Nest Apartment, a 1 bedroom unit on the cabin’s second floor, sleeps up to 4, and the Tiny Cottage Retreat is a 220 square foot studio built in 2025 with a queen Murphy bed and a small loft, designed for couples, solo travelers, and families with kids 12 and under.

It is a working off-grid stay, and the hosts are plain about it: water comes from a storage and filtration system, so showers stay short; trash is pack-in, pack-out; and fires belong in the designated pits and only when no burn ban is in effect. The minimum renter age is 21, and the property does not allow pets or smoking. Rates vary by unit and season and are published on the property’s own booking site.

History

These springs were soaking people long before they had a booking page. As Last Chance Hot Springs, named for the nearby Forest Service campground, and under the older Krigbaum name, they were known as the closest natural hot springs to McCall: older guide coverage describes a small boulder tub near the Last Chance Campground turnoff, fed by a tube straight from the source and reached by a short trail from Last Chance Road. The land was always privately owned, but back when it sat undeveloped the owners let people soak in the natural pool, which is how a private spring built such a public reputation.

The land later spent time on the market as undeveloped hot springs acreage, and the Hot Springs for Sale listing for the property describes the same ground the rental now occupies: 10 acres, two natural hot springs, river frontage, and national forest on three sides. The Tibbs family bought the land in 2020, built the lodge and later the tiny cottage, and turned a locals’ tub into a private retreat. The walk-in era is over; the springs are the same.

Safety & Health

The trail to the pools calls for moderate hiking ability, with boulder steps at the water, and the property is not wheelchair accessible. Treat the pools like any hot water: test before you settle in, take breaks, stay hydrated, and supervise children closely, since the pools are unfenced. This is bear and wildlife country with an off-grid water supply, so follow the hosts’ guidance on food storage, water use, and fire restrictions.

Best Time to Visit

As a private rental, the season belongs to whoever books it. Winter pairs a Brundage ski day with a 104 degree pool in falling snow, and the springs flow all year. Summer trades the ski hill for Payette Lake, the Little Ski Hill, and long evenings on the creek. Shoulder seasons are the quietest on the corridor.

Nearby Hot Springs

Goose Creek is guests only, so for a soak anyone can book in the same country, Burgdorf Hot Springs north of McCall runs reservation-only soaking in historic log-sided pools, and Gold Fork Hot Springs near Donnelly offers tiered public pools. More West-Central Idaho hot springs →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hot Springs at Goose Creek Retreat open to the public?

No. The property is private, and soaking is reserved for overnight rental guests. There is no public day use, no pool schedule, and no drop-in access, and the address is shared only with booked guests.

How hot are the pools?

There are two natural pools. The property lists the lower pool at 99 to 104°F and the upper pool at 89 to 95°F.

Where is it, exactly?

On Goose Creek between McCall and New Meadows in Adams County, about 2 miles from the Brundage Mountain Resort turnoff. The exact address is not published; guests receive it with their booking.

What can you rent there?

The whole estate (5 bedrooms, sleeps up to 18), the 3 bedroom Lodge, the 1 bedroom Nest Apartment, or the Tiny Cottage studio built in 2025. Every stay includes private use of a marked hot spring pool.

Is this the old Last Chance Hot Springs?

Yes. The springs were long known as Last Chance Hot Springs, and before that as Krigbaum Hot Springs, a small locals’ tub near Last Chance Campground. The land was always private, but the former owners let people soak in the natural pool while it was undeveloped. That informal access ended when the retreat was built.