Bonneville Hot Springs

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—temperature

A natural thermal spring.

Scale30/60

Documentation14/20

Character10/20

The details

Soak: Temperature unrecorded
Area: Challis
Coordinates: 44.157, -115.314

Get directions →

About Bonneville Hot Springs

Bonneville Hot Springs is a natural hot spring in Idaho.

At that temperature it's temperature unrecorded — check current conditions and always test the water before getting in.

Plungeworthy rates Bonneville Hot Springs 5.4/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

A quarter-mile stroll from Bonneville Campground ends at user-built pools along Warm Springs Creek — around 110°F up top, cooler below — plus the famous 'soak shack' sheltering a cast-iron tub that holds about 104°F. One of the Boise National Forest's best-loved soaks.

Getting there

Trailhead: Bonneville Campground, off Highway 21 about 19 miles east of Lowman
Parking: Campground day-use area
Road: Paved highway, short campground road
Hike: 0.5 mi round trip, 150 ft of climb (easy)
Heads up: Maintained trail from the campground.

When to go

May through September while the campground operates — and expect company; this one gets packed midsummer. Off-season access on skis or snowshoes is a local tradition once the road gates.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: $5/vehicle day use at the campground
Dogs: No definitive official rule — follow trailhead signage
Hours: Campground season late May – late September
Camping: Bonneville Campground itself, 22 sites on recreation.gov
Warnings: Source water reaches 180°F in places — test every pool. Signage on clothing norms conflicts with older guides; read the board and err suited.

Researched from USFS Boise NF — Bonneville Campground · IdahoHotSprings.com — Bonneville. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Bonneville Hot Springs recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Planning a visit? We want your photo.

Bonneville Hot Springs doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.