Kirkham Hot Springs - Day-use fee or pay-per-soak in Lowman, ID (2026)
Dozens of thermal cascades pour over travertine ledges into the South Fork of the Payette River, creating adjustable rock tubs within a five-minute walk of the campground. Picnic tables and vault toilets make it one of Idaho's most accessible roadside springs.
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Kirkham is the most accessible roadside hot springs along Idaho's South Fork Payette River — a Forest Service campground on Highway 21 between Lowman and Stanley, where natural hot water cascades over travertine ledges into rebuildable rock pools right at the river's edge. Bathers shape the basins by stacking river rocks; the Forest Service tolerates the practice and the pools rebuild themselves seasonally with each spring runoff. $5 per vehicle day-use fee, vault toilets, picnic tables, and a small campground with first-come-first-served sites. It's a 5-minute walk from the parking lot to the pools, and one of the few wild Idaho soaks accessible to non-hikers.
What to expect
Pull off Highway 21 about 4 miles east of Lowman, pay $5 at the iron ranger, walk down the short path to the riverside. Multiple pools dug into the rocks at varying distances from the steaming source vent on the cliff face — closer to the source = hotter (110°F+), closer to the river = cooler. Family-friendly during the day, often quieter and clothing-permissive (officially required, casually unenforced) at night. Vault toilets but no other facilities; no drinking water — bring your own.
Temperature
95°-110°F
Pools
10 soaking pools
Best season
May-October
Reservations
Walk-up friendly
Dog policy
Leashed dogs welcome
Family policy
Family windows available
Safety notes
- Runoff swells the Payette and can submerge the lowest pools—keep a safe distance from the main current in spring.
- Mineral-coated stairs ice over in winter; use the handrails leaving the parking area.
Amenities & etiquette
FAQ
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Nearby hot springs
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Goldbug Hot Springs
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Jerry Johnson Hot Springs
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Lava Hot Springs Foundation Pools
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Editor’s picks nearby
- Jerry Johnson Hot Springs — the iconic three-pool wild soak on US-12, 1.5-mile hike across the Lochsa swinging bridge — closed Dec 1–May 1 for elk winter range.
- Goldbug Hot Springs — the Salmon River corridor classic — 2-mile uphill hike to terraced creekside pools above US-93.