Photo: Decumanus at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Lava Hot Springs
If you're passing
Is it plungeworthy?
A natural thermal spring.
The details
- Soak
- Temperature unrecorded
- Area
- Pocatello
- Coordinates
- 42.621, -112.008
About Lava Hot Springs
Lava 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 Lava 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
Idaho's grand old soak town: five terraced outdoor mineral pools at 102–112°F run by a state foundation since 1919, odor-free water pushing 34 gallons a second, heated sidewalks, and a separate Olympic swimming complex with slides for the kids. The anti-primitive — and reliably excellent.
Getting there
- Parking
- On-site lots on Main Street, downtown Lava Hot Springs
- Road
- Paved US-30
- Hike
- 0 mi round trip (easy)
- Heads up
- Fully ADA-accessible.
When to go
Open 363 days a year; winter is the sleeper season — snow falling on 110°F water with the crowds gone. Summer weekends run busiest and priciest. One of the five pools was under reconstruction into mid-2026; the rest operate.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- Hot Pools: $8–12 adult depending on day; kids and seniors less; Wednesday family deal $26 for four
- Dogs
- Not permitted in the pools
- Hours
- 8am–11pm summer; 8am–10pm most winter days; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Camping
- Private RV parks and campgrounds throughout the small town
- Warnings
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy; no glass or outside food.
Researched from Lava Hot Springs — official · Wikipedia — Lava Hot Springs. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Lava Hot Springs recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
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.
Common questions
Where is Lava Hot Springs?
Lava Hot Springs is a hot spring in Idaho, at 42.621, -112.008.
Is Lava Hot Springs worth visiting?
If you're passing — Plungeworthy rates it 5.4/10.
Gear for the trip
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