Valley Creek (Snake Pit) Hot Springs - Hot Springs in Idaho

A wild hot spring located in a mountain basin.

The atmosphere was open and tranquil.

Stanley Museum

Where State Route 75 crosses Valley Creek, which flows into the Salmon River, there was a modest museum.

The Stanley Museum is housed in a 1933 Ranger Station building.

The exhibit is dedicated to the human history, settlement, commerce, and lifestyle of the region.

Open June 9 through Labor Day.

I did not enter due to time constraints, but I still enjoyed the outdoor display of mining equipment and others.

Alpaca

You should be interested in more than just hot springs.

Oh, I knew it.

Capybara

Don't worry, no snakes

To reach Valley Creek Hot Springs, take the dirt road that leads to the Stanley Museum parking lot.

While Stanley is served by a busy highway, Valley Creek Hot Springs, located in the same basin, is quieter due to its discreet location.

There was no sign, but I found a square that looked like a parking lot on the left.

Behind the bushes I saw a wooden bridge.

There was no parapet.

I crossed Valley Creek and ended up back on the shore on the Interstate 75 side.

It was a characteristic wetland.

Hot water seeped out from everywhere, and the bathhouse at the Mountain Village Resort was just around the corner.

Across the bridge, on the opposite side of the river from the hut, I found a circular rock pool.

This was Valley Creek Hot Springs.

Also known as Snake Pit Hot Springs; but no snakes were present at the time of my visit.

It was located on a higher level from the river, so there was no inflow of river water.

Located at the northern end of the source area, the hot water seeped out from everywhere, although the amount of each gush was small.

The most active source was under a rock a short distance away.

The water temp was 111 degrees F.

The water in the pool was lukewarm.

Clear, colorless water with a slight sulfur smell.

Clouds were floating in the pool, which was shallow due to the accumulation of fine mud.

Summary