Stinky Warm 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.
Out in Valley County, about nineteen miles from McCall, Stinky Warm Spring comes out tepid. The warm half of the name checks out, barely. The one reading on file puts the water below body temperature, and it was taken in June 1980. Mineral testing that day found calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfate and chloride, and the water runs mildly alkaline.
The spring lies within a few hundred feet of a road, though the road itself is not named in the record, and the owner of the ground is not identified either. Elevation is modest for Idaho, a bit over three thousand feet, yet this corner of the state gets heavy snow, twelve or thirteen feet of it most winters, and a wet year overall. No public access status has been filed.
December through February show up as the recommended months, so plan on a snowy drive in. Grouse Campground is the closest place to camp on file, a little under nine miles off. Water this cool poses no burn risk. What you cannot confirm from here is whether you are allowed on the property, so ask locally before you go. The chemistry and temperature are from 1980.
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 Stinky Warm Spring.
- Setting
- Hillside
- The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the northeast.
- Highest ground nearby
- 646 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the northeast
A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 30% 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 Stinky Warm Spring is alkaline (pH 8.8).
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Overview Grouse Campground is located just 16 miles from McCall, Idaho, on the shores of Goose Lake. Visitors enjoy canoeing, fishing and horseback riding. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. If this option is available, you will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote areas have limited or...
Stinky Warm Spring is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Springs Near Stinky Warm Spring
More Springs Around 88°F
Alkaline Springs (pH ~8.8)
Hike 6 waterfalls near Stinky Warm Spring
Looking for more outdoor adventures? Explore waterfall hikes near Stinky Warm Spring, Idaho.