Rocky Canyon Hot Springs

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—temperature

A natural thermal spring.

Scale30/60

Documentation11/20

Character10/20

The details

Soak: Temperature unrecorded
Area: Challis
Coordinates: 44.253, -115.891

Get directions →

About Rocky Canyon Hot Springs

Rocky Canyon 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 Rocky Canyon Hot Springs 5.1/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Cascading gravel-bottom pools on the far bank of the Middle Fork Payette — the soak you have to ford a river to earn. A fixed rope assists the crossing; the 120°F source tempers as it steps down toward the water.

Getting there

Trailhead: Unmarked pullouts on Middle Fork Road (NF 698), ~13 miles north of Crouch
Parking: Roadside pullouts
Road: Gravel; snowed in and gated for grooming from late January
Hike: 0.1 mi round trip, 20 ft of climb (moderate)
Heads up: The ford is the whole question: cold, swift, waist-deep in the wrong season. Late summer only, honestly.

When to go

Late summer into early fall, when the river drops low enough to cross safely. Spring is out — the ford is dangerous or impossible at runoff. Lighter crowds than anything roadside.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None — free
Dogs: Undocumented; the ford is no place for most dogs
Hours: None posted
Camping: Rattlesnake Campground about a mile away; dispersed sites along the road
Warnings: Do not attempt the crossing at high water. Source water scalds before it mixes.

Researched from Soaking Springs — Rocky Canyon · The Mandagies — Rocky Canyon guide. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Rocky Canyon Hot Springs recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Planning a visit? We want your photo.

Rocky Canyon 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.