Goldbug Hot Spring
A walk-in spring on Salmon National Forest land in Lemhi County, Goldbug Hot Spring sits 19 miles or so out of Salmon. The water is hot, 113 degrees on file. Public access shows as open. OpenStreetMap calls it Goldbug Hot Springs. The nearest camp on record, about eight miles off, is Williams Lake Campground.
From the Salmon River Scenic Byway it is about a mile and a half on foot. The spring sits around 5,300 feet in country that takes close to seven feet of snow a winter with moderate precipitation. Wikipedia puts the pools on Warm Spring Creek. A photograph is on record.
On file the favored season is winter. A mile and a half through seven feet of snow counts as a real walk, so plan for it. The water at 113 is at the low edge of hot, and Wikipedia notes that pool temperatures vary with the season. Chemistry on record dates to 1980. Williams Lake Campground is the nearest listed camping.
Wikipedia describes Goldbug as a hot spring in the Salmon-Challis National Forest about 20 miles south of Salmon, along Warm Spring Creek, with about six waterfall-fed pools. It lists the temperature at 113 degrees and notes that the pools vary with the time of year.
Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Goldbug Hot Spring.
Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
- Setting
- Canyon floor
- Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
- Highest ground nearby
- 953 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the north
A slice through the ground from north to south, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 67% of the springs on this site.
Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.
See every spring on the geothermal heat map →
Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.
The water at Goldbug Hot Spring is slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
4500-foot elevation. Picnic area on Williams Lake, with the trailhead to 2 walk-in or boat-in campsites. The picic area and fishing area are both fully accessible. Five tables with connecting walkways overlook scenic vistas of the lake and surrounding mountains. Fishing for rainbow trout in the lake, and fantastic fly fishing in the inlet. Trailhead for Thunder Mountain National Historic Trail at the end of FR 028. Ice fishing in the winter. Full-service resort on south shore of the lake incl...
Goldbug Hot Spring sits at 5,320 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 21% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Goldbug Hot Spring is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water runs hot, so extra hydration is key. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Springs Near Goldbug Hot Spring
More Springs Around 113°F
Slightly Alkaline Springs (pH ~7.8)
Hike 3 waterfalls near Goldbug Hot Spring
Looking for more outdoor adventures? Explore waterfall hikes near Goldbug Hot Spring, Idaho.