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Hot Springs in Idaho

74 hot springs in Idaho with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Valley County has the most (11). The darkest skies are at Horse Creek Hot Springs (Bortle 1).

Top hot springs

Stanley Hot SpringsHot Spring
Stanley Hot SpringsIdaho County
Lava Hot SpringsHot Spring
Lava Hot SpringsBannock County
Soda Springs GeyserHot Spring
Soda Springs GeyserCaribou County
Goldbug Hot SpringsHot Spring
Goldbug Hot SpringsLemhi County
Hot Spring
Sunflower Hot SpringsValley County
Hot Spring
Boat Box Hot SpringCuster County
Hot Spring
Alpine Hot SpringsBonneville County
Hot Spring
Atlanta Hot SpringsElmore County
Hot Spring
Barney Hot SpringsCuster County
Hot Spring
Barth Hot SpringsIdaho County
Hot Spring
Bat Hot Spring (historical)Owyhee County
Hot Spring
Bonneville Hot SpringsBoise County

Hot Springs by county

All hot springs (74)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Stanley Hot SpringsIdaho County1,092 mOrchard Homes1
Lava Hot SpringsBannock County—Soda Springs2
Soda Springs GeyserCaribou County—Soda Springs4
Goldbug Hot SpringsLemhi County—Salmon1
Sunflower Hot SpringsValley County1,328 mHailey1
Boat Box Hot SpringCuster County—Challis1
Alpine Hot SpringsBonneville County1,714 mHoback1
Atlanta Hot SpringsElmore County1,663 mHailey2
Barney Hot SpringsCuster County1,959 mHailey1
Barth Hot SpringsIdaho County810 mOrchard Homes1
Bat Hot Spring (historical)Owyhee County786 mMountain Home2
Bonneville Hot SpringsBoise County1,434 mBoise2
Buckhorn Hot SpringValley County1,646 mMcCall1
Bull Creek Hot SpringsValley County1,580 mMcCall2
Challis Hot SpringsCuster County1,496 mChallis1
Chattanooga Hot SpringElmore County1,636 mHailey2
Cox Hot SpringsValley County1,267 mChallis1
Elk Creek Hot SpringCamas County1,730 mHailey2
Falls Hot SpringsOwyhee County827 mMountain Home2
Gold Fork Hot SpringValley County1,516 mMcCall1
Guyer Hot SpringsBlaine County1,800 mKetchum4
Hailey Hot SpringsBlaine County1,659 mHailey5
Heise Hot SpringsJefferson County1,558 mRigby3
Horse Creek Hot SpringsLemhi County1,835 mSalmon1
Hospital Hot SpringValley County1,221 mChallis1
Hot SpringCamas County1,574 mHailey2
Hot SpringCassia County1,624 mBurley2
Hot SpringGooding County1,568 mGooding2
Hot Spring (historical)Lemhi County1,431 mChallis1
Hot SpringBoise County2,386 mMcCall1
Hot SpringsAdams County1,168 mMcCall1
Hot SpringsBoise County1,063 mEmmett2
Hot SpringsBoise County1,153 mBoise3
Hot SpringsCassia County1,534 mRupert2
Hot SpringsCuster County2,104 mSun Valley1
Hot SpringsElmore County1,086 mMountain Home3
Hot SpringsIdaho County1,862 mMcCall1
Hot SpringsLemhi County1,297 mSalmon1
Hot SpringsLemhi County1,799 mChallis1
Hot SpringsValley County1,035 mEmmett2
Hot SpringsAdams County1,370 mMcCall1
Indian Hot SpringsOwyhee County1,204 mMountain Home1
Jerry Johnson Hot SpringsIdaho County986 mHamilton1
Kirkham Hot SpringsBoise County1,219 mBoise2
Kwiskwis Hot SpringValley County1,725 mEmmett1
Latty Hot SpringElmore County1,172 mGlenns Ferry2
Lidy Hot SpringsClark County1,617 mRexburg1
Lightfoot Hot SpringsCamas County1,609 mKetchum2
Magic Hot SpringsOwyhee County1,665 mJackpot1
Maple Grove Hot SpringsFranklin County1,497 mPreston2
Marten Hot SpringsIdaho County1,384 mOrchard Homes1
Owl Creek Hot SpringsLemhi County1,130 mSalmon1
Pence Hot SpringOwyhee County789 mMountain Home2
Pincock Hot SpringsMadison County1,809 mSugar City2
Pine Flat Hot SpringsBoise County1,143 mHidden Spring2
Preis Hot SpringCamas County1,726 mKetchum2
Roystone Hot SpringsGem County786 mEmmett3
Sacajawea Hot SpringsBoise County1,526 mHailey1
Salmon Hot SpringLemhi County1,499 mSalmon2
Sharkey Hot SpringLemhi County1,652 mSalmon1
Sheepeater Hot SpringsValley County1,562 mEmmett1
Skillern Hot SpringsCamas County1,835 mKetchum1
Slate Creek Hot SpringCuster County2,148 mChallis1
Starkey Hot SpringsAdams County982 mMcCall1
Stuart Hot SpringsIdaho County872 mOrchard Homes1
Sullivan Hot SpringsCuster County1,704 mChallis1
Sunbeam Hot SpringsCuster County1,837 mChallis1
Vulcan Hot SpringsValley County1,691 mMcCall1
Warfield Hot SpringBlaine County1,906 mKetchum2
Wayland Hot SpringsFranklin County1,371 mPreston3
Weir Creek Hot SpringsIdaho County883 mOrchard Homes1
White Arrow Hot SpringGooding County1,010 mGooding2
Worswick Hot SpringsCamas County1,846 mKetchum2
Arling Hot SpringValley County1,482 mMcCall1

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph hot springs

Steam is most visible on cold mornings; backlight from a low sun makes rising steam glow.

  • Keep to boardwalks and marked paths — crusts around thermal features can be thin and the water dangerously hot.
  • A polarizer brings out the colors of mineral terraces and microbial mats.
  • Respect bathers' privacy: ask before including people at soaking pools.
  • Wind direction determines where steam drifts; shoot from the upwind side to see the pool.
  • Condensation forms quickly on lenses; let gear acclimate and carry a cloth.

Season: Winter gives the most dramatic steam; some primitive springs are only accessible in summer.