White Arrow Hot Spring

Gooding County, Idaho · Near Gooding
43.0490°N, 114.9520°W · 3,300 ft
145°F 41°F air · Good soaking weather 3,300 ft Short Walk
Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution

At 145°F, the source water at White Arrow Hot Spring is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

Aerial view of the ground around White Arrow Hot Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around White Arrow 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.

White Arrow Hot Spring, in Gooding County fourteen miles from Gooding, runs scalding. The water on record, sampled in September 1999, is too hot to touch. It ran mildly alkaline, with chloride and sodium both noted in it. Nothing is listed for land owner or access, and no campground is on file nearby, so the practical picture is thin.

Location
20 miles from Glenns Ferry, ID

A short walk reaches the spring, a few hundred feet beyond a road left nameless on file. It sits low, around thirty-three hundred feet, on dry ground: around a foot of precipitation a year and light snow, about twenty inches. No land unit is named either.

The best-months entry says winter. The light snow here means the season does not shut the approach the way it can elsewhere. No camping is listed. Scalding at the source, so no wading in without checking first. Ownership and permission are both unrecorded, so check before you go.

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 White Arrow Hot Spring.

Setting
Canyon floor
Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
Highest ground nearby
315 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
Cross-section through the spring

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.

Heat Below
85 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 22% 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
28°
Jan
34°
Feb
43°
Mar
51°
Apr
61°
May
71°
Jun
81°
Jul
79°
Aug
68°
Sep
52°
Oct
39°
Nov
29°
Dec
Annual Precip: 11.5 in Annual Snow: 21.2 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 28°F · Water 145°F · +117° contrast
December Air 29°F · Water 145°F · +117° contrast
February Air 34°F · Water 145°F · +111° contrast
January offers 53°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
41°F
Mostly Clear 70% Good soaking weather
Today 77° Low 48° Sunny
Spring is +68° warmer
Wednesday 82° Low 56° Sunny
Spring is +63° warmer
Thursday 75° Low 50° Chance Rain Showers 32% precip
Spring is +70° warmer
Friday 74° Low 47° Sunny 3% precip
Spring is +71° warmer
Saturday 77° Low 50° Sunny 5% precip
Spring is +68° warmer
Water Chemistry Sampled 1999-09-07

The water at White Arrow Hot Spring is slightly alkaline (pH 8.3).

pH 8.3 Slightly Alkaline
pH influences mineral absorption through skin
Calcium 2 mg/L
May support bone density and joint health
Magnesium 0 mg/L
Known for muscle relaxation and stress relief
Sodium 94 mg/L
Supports circulation and skin hydration
Sulfate 15 mg/L
Traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation
Chloride 6 mg/L
Natural antiseptic with skin health benefits
Temperature
145°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 145°F (63°C)
Avg Air Temp 53°F
Above Ambient +92°F
Great soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.1 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at White Arrow Hot Spring?
White Arrow Hot Spring has a water temperature of 145°F (63°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is White Arrow Hot Spring located?
White Arrow Hot Spring is located in Gooding County, Idaho at 3,300 feet elevation, near Gooding. Coordinates: 43.0490°N, 114.9520°W.
How do I get to White Arrow Hot Spring?
White Arrow Hot Spring has Short Walk road access (0.1 mi from the road).
What minerals are in the water at White Arrow Hot Spring?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 8.3 (slightly alkaline).
Is it safe to soak at White Arrow Hot Spring?
No, not at the source. The water at White Arrow Hot Spring reaches 145°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.
Sources: USGS NWIS