Pine Flats Hot Springs - Hot Springs in Idaho

One of the famous wild hot springs in Boise National Forest.

It was a miracle, with hot water cascading down from the top of the rocky hill creating various soaking spots.

Pools in the foreground

Densely populated with wild hot springs along the South Fork Payette River, around Lowman, Idaho.

Like Kirkham Hot Springs, Pine Flats Hot Springs is a particularly popular hot spring.

To get to Pine Flats Hot Springs, first enter the Pine Flats Campground, operated by the Forest Service.

This is a fee-based campground with a total of 24 sites, open from May to September.

This popular campground has a looped paved road leading to each sites and is equipped with pit toilets.

If you just want to go to the hot springs, park your car in the parking lot at the south end.

The day use fee is $5.00 per vehicle.

Please drop off cash in the envelope provided.

It is an easy 1/4 mile hike one way west to the hot springs.

I walked along the river looking at the remains of the wildfire.

When I hit the huge rock pile, I found the first pool.

I went down to the riverbank and continued further, and finally, the huge rock jutted out into the river.

Once over the rocky terrain, a considerable amount of hot water cascaded down.

There were some pools that can be used for soaking in the middle of the slope.

The water that flowed down to the bottom was mixed with river water in rock pools that volunteers had constructed on the riverbank.

The clear, colorless, tasteless, odorless hot water was 117 degrees F hot.

There was heat that could warm up even in the middle of winter when it snows.

Pools in the back

The South Fork Payette River meanders through the area avoiding the rocky hill.

During periods of low water, it is possible to reach the back of the rocky hill via the riverbank, but at the time of my visit, the water was quite high due to melting snow.

Therefore, I decided to climb out of the hill and descend to the west side.

Hot water seeps out from everywhere, and the precipitation makes it slippery and dangerous at the top.

The majority of the water was found to be overflowing from the concrete box.

So the hot water that flowed out from here naturally spread and formed various pools!

Now, the descent was trickier than expected.

Because of the fragile sandy slope, I descended while gently sliding down the stones as well.

Alpaca

How did you get home?

I scrambled up the rock face.

Capybara

As you saw, if the route along the river is not available, do not overdo it because of the difficulty.

The pool at the back, which I reached with great difficulty.

It was the largest rock pool that could accommodate four soakers.

The water temp was lowered while the hot water fell from the vertical rock wall, creating a tepid, comfortable temperature.

The serenity here was otherworldly, even though it was right next to a place bustling with campground guests.

Summary

Official website