All of Idaho's natural hot springs are too catchy and comfortable!
For those who think so, I recommend this discreet and sometimes unpleasant one.
Downstream source is not suitable for soaking
The straight line stretching east to west from Stanley, Idaho, through Lowman to Banks is a hot springs road that seems to encapsulate the charm of America's wild hot springs.
A wide variety of inspiring and pleasant wild hot springs are on offer.
In this context, the sobriety and wildness of Ten Mile Hot Springs is, in a sense, a realistic wild experience.
Between the famous Bonneville Hot Springs and Kirkham Hot Springs.
ReferenceBonneville Hot Springs - Hot Springs in Idaho
This wild hot spring is one of the quintessential Idaho hot springs with its dangerous charm. The too-small soak shack was also wonderful. Soak shack on the cliff Bonneville Hot Springs is located along Idaho State Route 21, near the ...
ReferenceKirkham Hot Springs - Hot Springs in Idaho
Kirkham Hot Springs is a landmark of sorts among Idaho's many wild hot springs. Here, environmental destruction due to excessive popular concentration is a problem. Mountainside pools Of the large number of undeveloped hot springs scattered throughout the mountains north ...
From State Route 21, take Ten Mile Creek Road and travel south along a tributary of the South Fork Payette River.
I pulled over where the dirt road breaks off, and from here it was a 0.6-mile hike.
A sudden crossing of the river.
Ten Mile Creek was a narrow creek, and I could cross it on foot without difficulty unless the water was rising.
Have you heard of the Proust effect?
A phenomenon in which a particular odor evokes memories and emotions associated with it.
In my case, the scent of pine evokes the excitement of my days when I would devote my whole being to touring the hot springs of North America.
There were countless pine cones lying along the way.
As far as I could ascertain, there were two main sources.
The downstream source was located in a wetland a short distance from the stream and discharged parallel to the river.
There used to be a kind of rock pool, but it was buried in mud and too shallow for soaking.
I went back a little the way I came and checked the point where the hot water pours into the river.
The water temp was 102 degrees F; lukewarm.
Wildness of upstream source
Slightly upstream from there, I found a fire pit.
The other source was located under a natural levee with the fire pit.
It was 122 degrees F hot water.
The water was clear, colorless, tasteless, and odorless, and the reddish-brown algae really showed where the hot water was located.
The water was too hot for soaking as it was, but someone had skillfully set up a rock pool to mix with the river water.
Frightened by the attack of the horsefly, I hastily devised the water flow and submerged myself in the not-so-comfortable hot water.
That was the best part of the wild hot springs.
Summary
10 Mile Hot Springs, Boise National Forest, Idaho, U.S.
My rating
Type: Undeveloped
Rule: Clothing optional
Chemical use: No
Water temp: Up to 122 degrees F