Campground Hot Springs
Open
The pools submerge when the river runs high in winter and spring; otherwise accessible year-round (check road reports; mud and rock slides possible on the highway).Open seasons
- Access
- Roadside: a staircase leads down from the Banks-Lowman Highway to pools at the river's edge, directly across from Hot Springs Campground.
- Accommodations
- Hot Springs Campground sits directly across the highway (3 group sites and 8 single sites, per the Forest Service) and is SEASONAL: the Forest Service lists it as closed for the winter season, with no water or trash service. That closure belongs to the campground, NOT to the spring.
Plan Your Visit
Campground Hot Springs — listed by the USGS as Hot Spring Campground — is a roadside soak on the South Fork of the Payette River, directly across the Banks-Lowman Highway from Hot Springs Campground, east of Garden Valley in the Boise National Forest. A staircase leads down from the road to the pools at the river’s edge, making this one of the easiest natural soaks in the Garden Valley corridor to reach.
Red spider mites have been reported at this hot spring, so keep clothing and towels off the rocks and ground around the pools.
Campground Hot Springs Pictures
Hot water rises from a source of roughly 115°F into shallow, rock-lined pools with sand and gravel bottoms. The best pool sits at the end of the path near the remains of the old bathhouse — historically its structure could be seen from the pool, closer to the river — and measured around 110°F on a July visit. A second pool is typically lukewarm and is suited to standing in, essentially a warm stand-up shower on a summer day. The pools sit low at the river’s edge and submerge when the river runs high in winter and spring. Be wary of the mud and rock slides that are a common occurrence along the Banks-Lowman Highway — otherwise, the spring is accessible year-round, so check road reports before heading out. Another South Fork soak further down the corridor is Skinnydipper Hot Springs.
Campground Hot Springs Soak Stats
- Season: All (pools submerge at high water in winter/spring; watch for mud and rock slides on the highway)
- Access Type: Roadside — staircase down from the Banks-Lowman Highway
- Public Land: Boise National Forest
- Elevation: 3,100 ft
- GPS: 44.054, -115.907
- Water Temperature: Source roughly 115°F; main pool about 110°F; second pool lukewarm
- Nearest Town: Garden Valley
- Camping: Hot Springs Campground, directly across the street — three large group sites plus single sites, vault toilets, drinking water, and trash service
More hot springs in South-Central Idaho →
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Campground Hot Springs?
On the South Fork of the Payette River in the Boise National Forest, directly across the Banks-Lowman Highway from Hot Springs Campground, east of Garden Valley. A staircase leads down from the road to the pools.
How hot are the pools?
The source is roughly 115 °F; the best pool measured about 110 °F on a July visit, and a second pool is typically lukewarm.
When can you soak?
The pools sit low and submerge when the river runs high in winter and spring. Otherwise the spring is accessible year-round; check road reports, and watch for mud and rock slides on the Banks-Lowman Highway.
Where do you camp?
Hot Springs Campground sits directly across the highway, with 3 group sites and 8 single sites. The campground is seasonal: the Forest Service lists it as closed for the winter season, with no water or trash service. That closure is the campground's, not the spring's.
Anything to watch for?
Red spider mites have been reported.
Does the spring cost anything?
No fee is published for the spring.
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