Lake Walcott Hot Spring

Power County, Idaho · Near American Falls
42.6250°N, 113.1070°W · 4,196 ft
70°F 4,196 ft Short Walk Camping nearby (13.2 mi)

Lake Walcott Hot Spring has hot in the name and a recorded temperature of seventy degrees, which is tepid at best, a degree or two above a cool swimming pool. It sits in Power County, seventeen miles or so from American Falls. No owner and no access status are on file, and the reading comes with no date and no chemistry.

Location

A couple hundred yards from the closest road, whose name we lack. Elevation is a little above four thousand feet, with moderate snow, dry overall. Pipeline Campground is thirteen miles away and the nearest camping in our data. Our data names no land manager, and says nothing about whether the ground is public.

Precipitation bottoms out in winter. The temperature on file would not make for a warm soak, and we do not know when it was taken. Unknown access means you should assume nothing about the right to walk in. No fee is on record.

Terrain

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 Lake Walcott Hot Spring.

Aerial view of the ground around Lake Walcott Hot Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Lake Walcott Hot Spring
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

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
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the south.
Highest ground nearby
39 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the south
Cross-section through the spring

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.

Heat Below
86 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 25% 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.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
26°
Jan
31°
Feb
40°
Mar
48°
Apr
58°
May
69°
Jun
78°
Jul
76°
Aug
66°
Sep
51°
Oct
38°
Nov
27°
Dec
Annual Precip: 13.2 in Annual Snow: 27.5 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 26°F · Water 70°F · +44° contrast
December Air 27°F · Water 70°F · +43° contrast
February Air 31°F · Water 70°F · +39° contrast
January offers 52°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
Today 78° Low 46° Mostly Sunny
Wednesday 83° Low 54° Sunny 8% precip
Thursday 79° Low 47° Slight Chance Light Rain then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 43% precip
Friday 74° Low 43° Sunny 7% precip
Saturday 76° Low 44° Sunny 2% precip
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Pipeline Campground 13.2 mi away

Campground rules and regulations are posted at the site. There are no dumpsters on site, visitors must pack in and out their trash. Campsites: 6 semi-developed sites--- At this time, there is not a reservation system in place for the campsites. Campsites are on a first come first serve basis. This site is equipped with a parking lot, picnic tables, fire rings, vault toilet, horseshoe pits, and boat ramp/docks accessing the Snake River below American Falls Reservoir Dam at the site. There a...

Stay limit 14 Days
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
70°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 70°F (21°C)
Avg Air Temp 51°F
Above Ambient +19°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.1 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Lake Walcott Hot Spring?
Lake Walcott Hot Spring has a water temperature of 70°F (21°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Lake Walcott Hot Spring located?
Lake Walcott Hot Spring is located in Power County, Idaho at 4,196 feet elevation, near American Falls. Coordinates: 42.6250°N, 113.1070°W.
How do I get to Lake Walcott Hot Spring?
Lake Walcott Hot Spring has Short Walk road access (0.1 mi from the road).
Can I camp near Lake Walcott Hot Spring?
Yes, Pipeline Campground is located nearby (13.2 miles away).