White Licks Hot Springs

White Licks Hot Springs is closed, and the soak is gone. The spring sits on a parcel between Council and Donnelly that Boise Cascade owned for years. Boise Cascade sold the land to a private buyer, who developed it as a home site, and the two soaking shacks and their cement pools are gone. The property is private, the site is listed as permanently closed, and there is no public access.

Status checked October 31, 2026.

History

White Licks Hot Springs is one of Idaho’s most unusual soaks: two small shacks in the Payette National Forest between Council and Donnelly, each sheltering a single cement pool with its own pair of hot and warm intake pipes — plug and unplug the pipes to dial in your own soaking temperature.

Pool Condition

Each shack holds one cement-walled, cement-bottomed pool. A pool fits one person stretched out, or three to four soakers scrunched in. Two intake pipes feed each shack: one pipes in water at about 90°F and the other at about 110°F. A wooden plug for the hot intake lets you control the temperature of your soak. The water is clear with no odor. Two outhouses stand on the premises.

Seasonal Notes

The seasonal road is open from May through October or November.

Camping

The springs sit beside a small, free camping area. There are a few primitive sites near the springs (not very private), plus many official campgrounds and additional primitive sites accessible from the main road.

White Licks Hot Springs Soak Stats

• Access Type: Roadside
• Public Land: Payette National Forest
• Elevation: 4,900 ft
• Water Temperature: Adjustable (90°F and 110°F intake pipes)
• Water Clarity: Clear
• Visibility: Low
• Odor(s): None
• Nearest Towns: Council / Donnelly
• Wildlife: Deer, elk, owls, foxes
• Usage Level: Moderate-high