A Round of Idaho Updates

Summer Greetings!

Apologies for the lack of updates... however, that only means one thing - I've been out and about. I would have had a video clip of Jerry to post, but Revver has been gummed-up lately. Looks like I'll have to go with YouTube when I've got some time to re-upload the clip.

Not hot springs related, but here's some incredible pics of Coeur d'Alene Lake that I recently took while traveling...



I just received an email update from Will about Loftus (Boise National Forest) Hot Springs stating that the springs are clean save for glass in the upper pool... most was removed (courtesy of Will, many thanks friend) but not all was completely removed.

Rnspringer posted on the forums about a recent visit to Pine Burl and Moondipper (Boise National Forest)... you can check that out here...

A good friend of mine, Conedog, just returned from the Warm Lake area where last weekend was the once a year weekend when the Nez Pierce and Shoshone tribes are granted fishing rights to the area. My knowledge is pretty weak regarding the ordeal, and will be researching this soon, but it sounds like the rights are granted as part of a treaty or some kind of agreement for tribes that inhabited the land prior to the deal making. Please chime in if you've got some knowledge to share. Anyway, Conedog was fortunate enough to share a soak with a Nez Pierce family that enlightened him of the situation. The family also told him that there was a tribe hunting in the area that shouldn't be... i.e. they were not involved in the agreement, but are taking advantage of the right. Conedog mentioned that they used nets to trap the fish, then a modified spear to bring 'em in. I had no idea.

The Roadless Area Conservation Rule AKA RAC Rule AKA Roadless Rule controversy is heating up again... thank goodness! I've gone on and on and on about this... and decided to create RoadlessIdaho.com, please visit, take action, link-up and spread the word. Let me know if you link-up, and I'll add you to the supporters list on the site. Please take a minute to send a message to the prez - Earthjustice style - Ask Obama to Protect America's Roadless Forests!

I've also received brief, positive reports for Goldbug, Molly's Tubs and Juntura (Oregon). Overall, it seems I'm getting more reports of cleaned-up hot springs vs those that are trashed. I would love to see that trend.

Hope you are all out enjoying the great outdoors, or have got plans to do so. Please remember to pick up all trash and never bring glass. Happy Trails!

Juntura Hot Springs in Southeast Oregon

Juntura Hot Springs, located in the high desert of southeast Oregon features a large and deep rock-walled pool with a semi-soft sand and rock bottom along with light amounts of algae - the 2 benches have finally been removed from the pool after being torn down and utilized in the pool. The concrete slab adjoining the large pool remains along with a memorial marker for a young man that died at the hot springs (more).

The road off the highway could turn into muck-pots during rain and deteriorates the closer you get to the HS (4x4 recommended most times of year). During winter; once you turn off hwy 20 the road is pretty much snow and ice covered - don't even attempt without 4x4 and chains. The Malheur River is impassible during most of runoff.

04.03.07 - 04.04.07 and 04.07.07

Juntura was a rare high-desert treat, as usual. The ford was barley manageable - on the 3rd Beulah Reservoir was let-out, thus beginning high-desert spring runoff. I would imagine within a week or two the water will be moving too swift for a safe ford. On the 3rd the river was about 3 feet deep, on the 4th close to 3.25 feet and on the 7th above 3.5 feet.

The soaking was great, although approximately 2 feet of depth in the pool was lost due to someone dumping a bunch of sand into the pool. The result - no change in bottom softness, if that was the intended goal. Thousands of tiny bits of trash litter the hot springs, primitive site and surrounding area. New are 2 illegal fire pits, both are next to the pool and river - all fire pits have to be 200 feet from any water source! Beer trash everywhere and plenty of traffic in and out of the hot springs.

Rating: A-

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Sweet Southeast Oregon Soak

Juntura Hot Springs Video (04.03.07)

View the complete listing for Juntura Hot Springs in Oregon

Juntura Hot Springs Pictures

Taken from a Sept. 03 camping trip in Oregon.

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Man Drowns at Juntura Hot Springs in Oregon

Sad news to report about Juntura Hot Springs:

On Sunday, January 15, 22 year old Aaron Carney drowned in Juntura Hot Springs, he was on a soak trip with his dad. The news surrounding the unfortunate incident provides very little details aside from how alcohol may be involved and that the man drowned while his dad was changing after soaking for a few hours.
News Article Source/Link

Juntura is known for being a 'hot' hot spring. Even with buckets of cold river water on hand, summertime soakers find it hard to withstand the hot water for longer than a few minutes. During the winter the cold weather tempers the temperature somewhat, bringing the heat down from above 110° to approx. 105°.

What I don't understand about the story was where did the dad go to change? His choices would have been either near the pool (flat visible land) or off the island near the parking area on the other side of the river. I really doubt that during frigid winter temperatures and with no one else at the springs he walked all the way over to the latter choice.

About Juntura Hot Springs
Juntura Hot Springs is located between Burns and Vale, Oregon - just a few miles from the town of Juntura. The hot springs pool is actually located on an island in the Malheur River.
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Juntura Hot Springs in Oregon Revisited!

Juntura Hot Springs

It has been too long since my last visit to this stellar soak. Albeit; the road (once off the hwy) was pretty icy with a couple inches of snow to boot, and the drive out of the area was somewhat sketchy in a few spots due to rapid snowfall and temps below freezing.

Near Mile Marker 207 on Highway 20 (between Vale and Juntura) is where the shoe tree stands

I would not recommend driving across the semi-frozen river to access the hot springs island - while most of the path was frozen there were wet spots where the ice was broken that clearly revealed water beneath. See picture >

Excellent soaking temperatures

The soaking was awesome! The cold weather has most definitely tempered the usually toasty water; I got consistent 105° readings from different places in the pool. The worst thing about the whole trip (besides all the frozen trash to pick up) was getting out. While we were in the pool ice would form on hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and even skin exposed in the direction of the wind. Soaking in the snow was awesome, but the downside was that it covered everything... no big deal - just made life a little cooler.

Rating: A

More Juntura Hot Springs information and pictures >

New Pictures of Oregon Hot Springs Added!

Pictures were added to: Juntura Hot Springs in Oregon, Cougar (Terwilliger) Hot Springs in Oregon, Bigelow Hot Springs in Oregon, McCredie Hot Springs in Oregon and Wall Creek Warm Springs in Oregon.

Cougar (Terwilliger) Hot Springs in Oregon