Moondipper Hot Springs in Idaho

Moondipper Hot Springs, Pine Burl's lesser sibling, features a single rock walled pool with a sandy/silty bottom large enough for several soakers. Moondipper is an easy 2 mile hike along the Middle Fork of the Payette River from the Boiling Springs Guard Station, and is best suited for spring and early summer soaking - when there is enough cold creek water to mix with the hot spring outflow.



Seasonal Notes
The Forest Service Road that provides access is snow covered all winter until approximately late May.

Camping Notes
There is a flat, sizeable campsite just a bit further past Pine Burl as well as another further up the main trail before you depart up the creek to Moondipper. There are also many primitive and official camping opportunities near the forest road.

06.16.07 Trip Report

Weak spring runoff due to low winter snowpack in the mountains means that Moondipper's soaking window is a bit smaller this year. Meaning, it's already over. The cold creek water that is desperately needed to bring down the temps of the hot waters of Moondipper was already too low. Although, a couple siphon hoses might do the trick.
Rating: C

View the complete listing for Moondipper Hot Springs on IdahoHotSprings.com

Lil Dipper - Kinda Neat

North of Crouch Idaho, near the Middle Fork Payette River and just before Moondipper Hot Springs you'll find Lil Dipper. It's not worthy of a soak due to low flow and moderate temperatures.



Seasonal Notes

The Forest Service Road that provides access to the trailhead is snow covered all winter until approximately late April or mid-May.

Camping Notes

Primitive and official campgrounds are all over the place. There is a great primitive site directly above the hot springs source.



06.16.07 Trip Report

I've hiked past, paused at and noticed Lil Dipper on many visits to this area and finally decided to document it. See the general description above for details, this is not a soakable hot springs.

View the complete listing for Lil Dipper Hot Springs in Idaho

New Info. Added to the Idaho Hot Springs Index

Two new sets of information have been added to the Idaho Hot Springs index on IdahoHotSprings.com:

1. Seasonal Data - Spring, Summer, Fall, All, All*
2. Type - Roadside, Hike, Multi-day

Take a Look!

Boiling Springs Bamboozle

At the end of a forest road in the Boise National Forest, north of the town of Crouch, Idaho lies the historic Boiling Springs Guard Station - which is available for rent by reservation only. The real treat is the nearby hot springs; featuring rock walled pools with rock/sand bottoms that have minor amounts of silt/algae.



Boiling Springs Cabin Closed for Repairs Until September 2007?

According to the Boise National Forest website and Recreation.gov the Boiling Springs Guard Station is supposed to be shut down for repairs this season. What I saw was a small group of people recreating at the Guard Station, no official Forest Service anything or tools for that matter in sight. Why are people partying at Boiling Springs when it is supposed to be closed for repairs? Hmmm. Something seems amiss.


Posted! - No Nudity!

View the complete listing for Boiling Springs Hot Springs on IdahoHotSprings.com

Rocky Canyon Hot Springs in Idaho

North of Crouch, Idaho and on the far side of the Middle Fork Payette River next to Idaho's busiest Forest Service Road lies a beautiful sight... Rocky Canyon Hot Springs. If you can stand all of the people, non-stop dirt road traffic and river ford you are in for a treat.



As of 2007, Rocky Canyon Hot Springs now features 5 rock and mortar pools and 1 rock and log walled pool with gravel/sand bottoms.



The Forest Service Road that provides access is snow covered all winter until approximately late April or mid-May. Spring runoff makes for a tricky river ford early in the season, cross carefully. Best bet is to wait until after runoff. During the summer this is ORV country, expect legions kicking up dirt and dust all over the road.



Primitive and official campgrounds are all over the place. Due to the location of the hot springs there is no possible way to camp next to or near the springs.



06.16.07 Trip Report

Well how do you like that. Five new, stellar soaks and one original tasty soak await the hot springs interloper at Rocky Canyon Hot Springs. Thank you Carey and J. Smith - excellent handiwork on the new digs!



Despite the insane forest road traffic that did not cease until 3am!!!! This soak was a slam dunk. The traffic is terrible because of all the folks heading to and from Silver Creek Plunge. If you decide to camp near the hot springs, make sure you put all of your trash away at night. Wildlife has been getting into human trash in this area, once the wild animals eat our trash they rarely are able to return to their instincts.

As hot springers, we already leave enough of a footprint behind. Let's do our part, pick up everyone's trash, and make sure we are leaving these special areas as untouched as possible.
Rating: A

Rocky Canyon Hot Springs in Idaho Video Clip

North of Crouch, Idaho and on the far side of the Middle Fork Payette River next to Idaho's busiest Forest Service Road lies a beautiful sight... Rocky Canyon Hot Springs. If you can stand all of the people, non-stop dirt road traffic and river ford you are in for a treat.

View the complete listing for Rocky Canyon Hot Springs in Idaho

Taupo Hot Springs in New Zealand

On the Waikato River

The largest hot springs waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere

New Zealand Hot Springs Waterfall Pic

I don't think she took Lewis and Clark here...

North of Lowman, near the Sawtooth Lodge and Grandjean trailhead into the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) and nestled on the banks of the South Fork of the Payette River lies Sacajawea Hot Springs.

Sacajawea Hot Springs features a seasonal batch of rock walled pools with river rock, sand and gravel bottoms. The good news is that over the years Sacajawea has accumulated a variety of user-built, rock-walled pools. The bad news is that your soak depends on the cold river water to keep the pool temps in the usable range. Which means you better keep stirring the pool in hopes of dispersing the frequent blasts of hot and cold. That is, if you can find a pool level enough with the river.

With that said, there may or may not be a good soak waiting for you, depending on the river level, but at least the view is beautiful. Sacajawea Hot Springs is well known, easy to get to (during the warm months) and is located near the Sawtooth Lodge, Grandjean Campground and trailhead. Expect to see and interact with people.

View the complete listing for Sacajawea Hot Springs in Idaho

Technorati Profile

500,000+ Acres of Idaho's Public Roadless Forests Face Invasive Development

Over 500,000 Acres. It's hard to imagine just how big that is.

Idaho's Republican Governor petitioned the Forest Service to allow road building in protected roadless areas last year. They want road access for invasive development of a big chunk of our last roadless public lands. This invasive development includes, mining, drilling, logging and more. They want to take a big slice out of what makes Idaho, Idaho.

Idaho's Republican Governor was able to get the petition in during a small window when the Bush Administration got rid of nationwide roadless protections. The window shut when the courts found the Bush Administration to have acted illegally, and reinstated nationwide protections. Despite this and opposition from hunters, anglers, backpackers and other outdoor enthusiasts, Idaho's Republican-led Government has decided to continue on.

Roadless areas only account for less than 2% of all land in the US. That's all that is left.

In light of the above, the Idaho Conservation League, along with select Idaho businesses and individuals are focusing on the Adopt-a-Roadless Area program.

Participants in the Adopt-a-Roadless Area Program pledge to visit the roadless area at least once this year, learn about the area and its history, raise awareness about the area, and encourage the Forest Service to protect these special places from new development.

Idaho has 9.3 million acres of roadless forests, more than any other state in the lower 48. These areas provide clean water, wildlife habitat and solitude enjoyed by thousands of people across Idaho. The Bush Plan would immediately open 85% of Idaho¹s Roadless areas to potential development.

The Adopt-a-Roadless Area Program is aimed at encouraging Idahoans to:
* Experience their National Forests,
* Learn about the unique values of specific roadless areas and
* Increase public awareness about the threats to these special places

To participate, or to learn more, log onto www.wildidaho.org or contact Jonathan Oppenheimer, Senior Conservation Associate at the Idaho Conservation League at joppenheimer@wildidaho.org or (208) 345-6942 ext. 26.

Keep Idaho's National Roadless Forests Pristine

Sign the Care2 Idaho Roadless Forest Petition!

Additional Roadless Area Information

Pic of Goldbug Hot Springs in Idaho

More Goldbug pics...

Burgdorf Hot Springs Slideshow

View the Complete Listing for Burgdorf Hot Springs in Idaho

Olympic Hot Springs Photographic Treat

A member from the family that originally owned and operated the Olympic Hot Springs Resort in the early 1900s recently contacted me with a special treat... two photos of the Hot Springs Resort from 1927 and 1937 (see above and below).

Of course, the present day location of the old resort is located in Olympic National Park, and the old road into the hot springs in now a hiking trail. The resort is long gone, although remnants can still be found near the hot springs, and the hot pools are now in a natural state.

The hike to Olympic Hot Springs is 2.5 miles from the trailhead during warmer months. When there is snow, road barricades are erected, and increase the hike in from 2.5 to 6.5 miles during winter. The hot springs emanate from multiple locations to feed a group of 5 pools; where 3 out of the 5 are typically a sweet soak.

Seasonal Notes
While the hot springs are usable all year, snow shoes might be in order during winter months. Road barriers are pushed back 4 miles during the winter because of snow and snow drifts - extending the hike to 6.5 miles, 1-way. This significantly increases the elevation gain as well.

Wildlife Notes
To protect raccoons, bears and other wildlife, all food, garbage and scented items must be secured from all wildlife 24 hours a day. If staying overnight; all food, garbage and scented items must be hoisted to keep it from Bears and other wildlife. Bear canisters would be a great choice as well.

Dogs are not allowed on any trails in the Olympic National Park, they are only allowed in select campgrounds while on-leash (strictly enforced).

Camping Notes
Nearest campground: Altaire/Elwha (5 miles from trailhead). There are 2 camping sites near the hot springs for backpackers, one even features a pit toilet.

View pictures of present day Olympic Hot Springs