Trail Creek Hot Springs
Cascade, Idaho · on Trail Creek · Boise National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- hot spring
- ACCESS
- Local spot, unofficial
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Year-round
About Trail Creek Hot Springs
Trail Creek Hot Springs (also called Samuel's Hot Springs) is a free, undeveloped natural hot spring along Trail Creek in the Boise National Forest, about 19 to 20 miles east of Cascade, Idaho on Warm Lake Road (NF-22). Visitors descend a short but steep unofficial footpath from a roadside dirt pullout to reach volunteer-built rock-and-cement soaking pools, a hot-water twist on the classic swimming hole, fed by a roughly 120 to 125 degree Fahrenheit geothermal source mixed with cold creek water.
The springs sit in a creek canyon along the Warm Lake Road corridor of the Boise National Forest, a heavily forested mountain area northeast of Cascade known for lakes, hot springs, and dispersed camping. The pools are tucked below the road at creek level, reached by a steep drop from an unmarked pullout, with surrounding mountain and canyon views noted by visitors, especially scenic under winter snow.
Swimming at Trail Creek Hot Springs
This is a soaking site rather than a swimming site: multiple small rock/cement pools (one reported as roughly 8x12 feet and about 2 feet deep) sit directly beside Trail Creek, fed by a hot spring source that visitors dilute with a PVC pipe drawing in cold creek water to bring pool temperatures down to a soakable 100-110°F. It suits soakers seeking a rustic, do-it-yourself hot spring rather than swimmers or families expecting developed facilities, though sources note it does see family use.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Cascade, Idaho, take Warm Lake Road (NF-22) east approximately 19-20 miles to an unmarked dirt/gravel pullout on the road (reported near milepost 60.6); park there and follow the steep footpath down to the creek.
Parking: Small unpaved dirt pullout directly on Warm Lake Road (NF-22), described by visitors as easy to miss with no official lot or trailhead signage.
The hike in
- To the water
- 0.1 to 0.5 mile one-way (sources conflict: hotspringsguides.com and hotspringslocator.com say ~0.1 mi steep drop; roamidaho.com says 0.5 mi)
- Time on foot
- A few minutes each way given the short distance, though the steepness/ice can slow descent and ascent considerably in winter.
Difficulty: Short but steep; hotspringslocator.com calls it a steep drop to the canyon floor, and themandagies.com describes it as acting like a slide when icy, with a rope in place to assist and boards placed to help cross the creek safely.
Trailhead: Unmarked/unofficial dirt pullout on Warm Lake Road (NF-22) near milepost 60.6, about 19-20 miles east of Cascade, Idaho; no trailhead sign, just a wide roadside pullout on the south side of the road.
Not a maintained, named trail with mile markers; it is a short, unofficial, user-made footpath dropping directly from the road pullout to creek level. No formally mapped trail listing was found for this spot.
Bring traction devices (microspikes) for winter visits; the path is used heavily enough in winter that it becomes icy and compacted.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
hotspringsguides.com and hotspringslocator.com both describe the site as popular with families and suitable for kids in the cooler lower pool, but the access footpath is steep (some sources say only ~0.1 mi, others ~0.5 mi) and gets icy/slick in winter and muddy after rain; algae on the pool rocks also creates a slip hazard, so supervision is needed getting down/up and around the pools.
Parking
Free
Unofficial dirt pullout directly on Warm Lake Road (NF-22) near milepost 60.6, described by hotspringslocator.com as just 'a wide dirt pullout' with no signage and limited capacity; free, no day-use fee.
Restrooms
None on site
No toilets, trash cans, or changing areas at the springs themselves (confirmed by hotspringsguides.com and hotspringslocator.com). Vault toilets exist at nearby developed campgrounds (e.g., Shoreline and Picnic Point campgrounds near Warm Lake), not at the hot spring pullout itself.
On the water
Trail Creek at this site is a small, fast mountain creek feeding shallow rock/cement soaking pools (roughly 8x12 ft and ~2 ft deep); no source mentions or implies watercraft use here, and the pools/creek are not sized for kayaks, canoes, or paddleboards. No boat launch or landing is described at this location.
What regulars say
Visitors note the site receives steady traffic, with company likely on weekends, and it is described as popular with local families, especially in winter when steam rises against the snow. Winter visitors report the access path becomes icy enough to act 'as a slide,' with some parties adding a rope and boards to help others down and across the creek. Algae-covered rocks around the pools are called out repeatedly as a slip hazard.
Backstory
The soaking pools were built and modified over time by local visitors (volunteer-constructed rock/cement walls and PVC piping to mix hot and cold water) rather than developed by any agency; it is described as a long-standing local favorite in the Warm Lake area of Boise National Forest.
Trail Creek Hot Springs: FAQ
Does Trail Creek Hot Springs charge a fee?
No fee mentioned in any source; appears to be free day-use access on National Forest land.
Is Trail Creek Hot Springs kid friendly?
hotspringsguides.com and hotspringslocator.com both describe the site as popular with families and suitable for kids in the cooler lower pool, but the access footpath is steep (some sources say only ~0.1 mi, others ~0.5 mi) and gets icy/slick in winter and muddy after rain; algae on the pool rocks also creates a slip hazard, so supervision is needed getting down/up and around the pools.
How hard is the hike to Trail Creek Hot Springs?
A hike is required, about 0.1 to 0.5 mile one-way (sources conflict: hotspringsguides.com and hotspringslocator.com say ~0.1 mi steep drop; roamidaho.com says 0.5 mi) to the water (a few minutes each way given the short distance, though the steepness/ice can slow descent and ascent considerably in winter.). Wear real shoes, since approaches to natural swim spots are often rocky or rooty.
Where do I park for Trail Creek Hot Springs?
Unofficial dirt pullout directly on Warm Lake Road (NF-22) near milepost 60.6, described by hotspringslocator.com as just 'a wide dirt pullout' with no signage and limited capacity; free, no day-use fee.
When is the best time to visit Trail Creek Hot Springs?
Accessible year-round when Warm Lake Road is open, though winter is a popular time to soak (steam against snow); the access path becomes icy and hazardous in winter, and the road can close during heavy snowfall. Spring runoff can raise and cool the creek, affecting pool temperatures.
What are the rules at Trail Creek Hot Springs?
Leave No Trace / pack out all trash; no glass, soap, or sunscreen in the pools; do not alter or move the rock walls or PVC piping; keep noise low; ask before photographing other visitors; dogs allowed but must be leashed and kept out of the pools; camping is not permitted directly at the springs, though dispersed camping exists nearby in the forest.
What water body is Trail Creek Hot Springs on?
Trail Creek Hot Springs is on Trail Creek, a natural hot spring verified in USGS hydrography data.
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