Willow Creek 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.
A hot spring in Camas County, Idaho, on Sawtooth National Forest ground and a long drive from anywhere; Fairfield is the nearest town at around 26 miles. The water runs hot, well above what most people would sit in without letting it cool, and it is strongly alkaline. Access is open. Forest Service land, no fee on record.
Willow Creek Road gets you within about three quarters of a mile. From there it is a walk. This is mountain country, a little over a mile high, and the snow total runs to twelve feet in an average winter, which will shut the road for months. The place gets a fair amount of rain on top of that.
Winter, December into February, is what comes up as the best season here, odd for a spot under that much snow, so find out whether Willow Creek Road is plowed before counting on a winter soak. Baumgartner Campground is three miles off. The water is hot enough to burn if you drop straight in; test it and let a pool cool. The chemistry comes from a 1981 sample.
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 Willow Creek Hot Spring.
- Setting
- Canyon floor
- Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
- Highest ground nearby
- 570 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the west
A slice through the ground from west to east, 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 86% 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 Willow Creek Hot Spring is alkaline (pH 9.5).
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Overview Baumgartner Campground is situated alongside the South Fork Boise River, 11 miles from Featherville, Idaho. The area offers excellent fishing, hiking and off-road vehicle riding opportunities. Baumgartner Hot Springs is located within the campground, where visitors can enjoy soaking in the pool while admiring the scenic, natural setting. Recreation The campground's main draw is Baumgartner Hot Springs. The 101-degree water is piped into a large concrete soaking pool. The pool...
Willow Creek 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 Willow Creek Hot Spring
More Springs Around 131°F
Alkaline Springs (pH ~9.5)
Hike 6 waterfalls near Willow Creek Hot Spring
Looking for more outdoor adventures? Explore waterfall hikes near Willow Creek Hot Spring, Idaho.