Frenchman's Bend Hot Springs
- Free
- 3 hr 22 min from Boise
- Roadside
Natural hot spring pools tucked against boulders beside Warm Springs Creek and its gravel road, about 11 miles from Ketchum in the Sawtooth National Forest. Visit Idaho notes the springs are well known and see heavy traffic on weekends and holidays. The source water emerges at about 124°F, far hotter than the creek-side soaking pools.
- Price
- Free
- Nearest town
- Ketchum
- From Boise
- 3 hr 22 min
- Hike (one way)
- Roadside
Plan your visit
Hours & season
| Season | Visit Idaho suggests fall for foliage |
|---|
Tickets & booking
| Price | Free |
|---|---|
| Access | Free public access |
On site
| Lodging | No |
|---|---|
| Land manager | USFS |
Not stated by the land manager: swimwear, ages, dogs.
Soak responsibly
- Pack out everything, including food scraps and toilet paper. Use WAG bags where required.
- No soap, shampoo or sunscreen in the pools; rinse away from the water.
- Check permits and closures with USFS before you go.
- Keep groups small and give others space. Respect posted dog and camping rules.
Water temperature
This venue doesn't publish pool temperatures.
Mineral profile
Total dissolved minerals
209 mg/L
Lightly mineralized · Sodium–sulfate (sodium sulfate water)
- pH
- 9.2
- Temp at source
- 125°F
- Lithium
- 0.16 mg/L
- Fluoride
- 14 mg/L
- Boron
- 0.10 mg/L
Lab analysis of the source water at “04n 17e 31bbc1s Warfield H.S.”, sampled 1983–1988 by the USGS and partners (data). Pool water may be cooled, mixed or treated, and spring chemistry is generally stable over decades. We report measurements only; we don't make health claims.
What's here
- natural pools beside Warm Springs Creek
- next to a gravel road
- busy on weekends and holidays
- also called Warfield Hot Springs
- Sawtooth National Forest
Getting there
- From Boise3 hr 22 min164 mi
- From Ketchum25 min11 mi
- From Friedman Memorial / Sun Valley (SUN)42 min24 mi
Typical driving time without traffic or snow.
| Elevation | 6,286 ft |
|---|---|
| Road |
|
| Trail | Visit Idaho describes the pools as easily accessible from the road |
Things to do near Ketchum
Campgrounds
Trailheads
- Deer Creek Trailhead7.8 mi
- Lake Creek Trailhead7.9 mi
- Fox Creek9.1 mi
- Norton Lake Trailhead9.6 mi
Straight-line distances. Campground and trailhead data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nearby springs
Easley Hot Springs
A historic swimming pool and two hot tubs fed by gravity from a natural hot spring, on Sawtooth National Forest land north of Ketchum. The pool is about 85°F, and the venue describes it as chlorine-free. It runs in summer under a Forest Service permit, operated by Cathedral Pines Baptist Camp.
Skillern Hot Springs
A backcountry hot spring in the Sawtooth National Forest north of Fairfield, reached on foot by the Big Smoky Trail #072 from Canyon Transfer Camp on Big Smoky Creek. The Forest Service names it among the district's hot springs accessible in summer. NOAA lists the source at about 140F, so test the water before getting in.
Worswick Hot Springs
A hot spring on the Sawtooth National Forest's Fairfield Ranger District that the Forest Service calls popular and places close to the free Five Points Campground, 17 miles north of Fairfield on FR 094. NOAA lists the source at about 180F, scalding at the vent, so check the temperature of any pool before entering.
Easley Hot Springs: 10 mi · Skillern Hot Springs: 16 mi · Worswick Hot Springs: 16 mi
Sources (5)
· checked November 2026
Prices, hours and rules are checked against the official site and land-agency pages. Spot something out of date? Let us know.