Trail Creek Hot Springs - Free soaking · donation encouraged in Cascade, ID (2026)
Two cedar-planked tubs let you mix scalding vents with icy Trail Creek water a few miles off Highway 55—perfect after a Payette River paddle.
Trail Creek Hot Springs is a small free roadside soak in central Idaho's Cascade-McCall corridor — two cedar-planked tubs along Trail Creek a few miles off Highway 55, where bathers temper 130°F vent water by routing it into and out of the tubs through PVC valves. Free to access but a $7 Idaho state-parks day-use fee or annual pass is required at the small pullout. No facilities, dispersed in the Boise National Forest, summer-and-fall only — Forest Road 22 closes with snow and ice from November through April most years.
What to expect
Drive Highway 55 between Cascade and McCall, turn onto Forest Road 22 (roughly 4 miles east, signed). Drive a short rough stretch to the small pullout. Walk a few minutes to the tubs. Two cedar tubs, each fed by a hot vent through a PVC valve — plug or unplug the valves to mix temperature. Test the water before getting in (vent water is genuinely 130°F+). Clothing-optional in practice; pack out everything. No facilities.
Temperature
95°-110°F
Pools
2 soaking pools
Best season
May-October
Reservations
Walk-up friendly
Dog policy
Leashed dogs welcome
Family policy
Adults only
Safety notes
- Forest Road 22 becomes impassable with ice and rockfall once snow hits; do not attempt in winter.
- Soakers must plug the PVC valves to temper the water—test before entering to avoid burns.
Amenities & etiquette
FAQ
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Nearby hot springs
Burgdorf Hot Springs
McCall, ID
This 1870s mining-era resort keeps its hand-hewn bathhouse, two massive log-lined pools, and a handful of dry cabins tucked in the Payette National Forest. In winter the only way in is by snowmobile or fat bike, turning the soak into a full adventure.
Goldbug Hot Springs
Salmon, ID
A two-mile climb up BLM Trail #642 leads to cliffside tubs with sweeping views of the Salmon River Mountains. Backpackers spread out across primitive campsites tucked between the cascades and the main overlook pool.
Jerry Johnson Hot Springs
Lowell, ID
A swinging bridge over Warm Springs Creek leads to terraced pools perched above the Lochsa River, framed by cedar forest and mist.
Kirkham Hot Springs
Lowman, ID
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.
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.
- Kirkham Hot Springs — the drive-up Highway 21 favorite along the South Fork Payette — multiple terraced pools.
- Goldbug Hot Springs — the Salmon River corridor classic — 2-mile uphill hike to terraced creekside pools above US-93.