Kirkham Hot Springs
- Call for prices
- 2 hr 9 min from Boise
- Roadside
Hot pools and small steaming waterfalls on the rocks along the South Fork Payette River at milepost 77 on Highway 21, about 5 miles east of Lowman. The Forest Service runs it as a day-use site, open 7am to 9pm with a $5 vehicle fee, vault toilets and changing rooms. The old campground is closed to overnight use.
FS-listed season ended late Sept; confirm winter access with Lowman Ranger District (208-259-3361)
- Price
- Call for prices
- Nearest town
- Lowman
- From Boise
- 2 hr 9 min
- Hike (one way)
- Roadside
Plan your visit
Hours & season
| Hours |
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|---|---|
| Season |
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Tickets & booking
| Price |
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|---|---|
| Access | Day pass, walk-ins welcome |
Rules
| Dogs | No |
|---|
On site
| Camping nearby | Yes |
|---|---|
| Land manager | USFS |
Not stated by the land manager: swimwear, ages.
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
247 mg/L
Lightly mineralized · Sodium–sulfate (sodium sulfate water)
- pH
- 9.1
- Temp at source
- 137°F
- Lithium
- 0.11 mg/L
- Fluoride
- 15.5 mg/L
- Boron
- 0.05 mg/L
Lab analysis of the source water at “09n 08e 32cba1s Kirkham H.S.”, sampled 1972–1992 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
- terraced pools and hot waterfalls
- South Fork Payette River
- wooden staircase to pools
- vault toilets and changing rooms
- day use only, no overnight camping
- little shade
Getting there
- From Boise2 hr 9 min79 mi
- From Stanley1 hr 8 min54 mi
- From Boise (BOI)2 hr 10 min76 mi
Typical driving time without traffic or snow.
| Elevation | 3,934 ft |
|---|---|
| Road |
|
| Trail | Short staircase trail from the parking area down to the pools |
| Parking | $5/vehicle day-use fee applies even when parking along Highway 21 |
Things to do near Lowman
Pine Flats Campground
Forest Service campground west of Lowman with a 1/4-mile trail to a riverside hot springs pool
Bonneville Campground
Forest Service campground at Hwy 21 milepost 91.5 with a 1/4-mile trail to Bonneville Hot Springs
Campgrounds
- Kirkham Campground0.1 mi
- Mountain View Campground2.9 mi
- Helende Campground3.8 mi
- Deadwood Campground5.7 mi
Trailheads
- Gold Fork Trailhead6.3 mi
- Jackson Peak Trailhead7 mi
- Jenny Lake Trailhead7.3 mi
- Crooked River Trailhead7.9 mi
Straight-line distances. Campground and trailhead data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nearby springs
Haven Hot Springs
A roadside stop on Highway 21 near Kirkham with a 1951 pool, about 75 by 30 feet, fed by flowing thermal water and hotter on one side (101-104°F) than the other (85-98°F). The pool is booked as a private soak by the hour, and each of the four motel rooms has its own soaking tub. RV and tent sites are on site.
Pine Flats Hot Springs
Riverside soaking pools below a hot waterfall on a cliff above the South Fork Payette River, reached by a quarter-mile nature trail from the Forest Service's Pine Flats Campground west of Lowman. The campground runs end of May to end of September. In winter the gate is closed and visitors walk the road.
Bonneville Hot Springs
A hot springs soaking pool a quarter mile by trail from the Forest Service's Bonneville Campground at milepost 91.5 on Highway 21, northeast of Lowman. The campground season runs end of May to end of September, after which it is open to dispersed camping until snow. The Warm Springs Guard Station rental cabin also has a trail to the springs, used on skis and snowshoes in winter.
Haven Hot Springs: 0 mi · Pine Flats Hot Springs: 7 mi · Bonneville Hot Springs: 13 mi
Sources (7)
· 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.
- Official site: Kirkham hot springs
- visitidaho.org: Kirkham hot springs
- visitidaho.org: Soak away the day in idahos hot springs
- visitidaho.org: 7 must visit idaho hot springs
- visitidaho.org: Your guide to an idaho hot springs road trip
- stanleycc.org: Relax
- kivitv.com: Kirkham hot springs will be transformed with 1 4 million in upgrades