Skillern Hot Springs
- Free
- Roadside
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.
- Price
- Free
- Nearest town
- Fairfield
- Hike (one way)
- Roadside
Plan your visit
Hours & season
| Season |
|
|---|
Tickets & booking
| Price | No fee |
|---|---|
| Access | Free public access |
On site
| Lodging | No |
|---|---|
| Camping nearby | Yes |
| 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
230 mg/L
Lightly mineralized · Sodium–sulfate (sodium sulfate water)
- pH
- 9.2
- Temp at source
- 148°F
- Lithium
- 0.18 mg/L
- Fluoride
- 14 mg/L
- Boron
- 0.05 mg/L
Lab analysis of the source water at “04n 14e 29dcc1s Skillern Hot Springs”, sampled 1981 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
- Sawtooth National Forest, Fairfield Ranger District
- reached by Big Smoky Trail #072
- trailhead at Canyon Transfer Camp
- summer access
Getting there
| Elevation | 5,793 ft |
|---|---|
| Road | From Fairfield: FR 094 north 18 mi, left on FR 227 for 5.5 mi, north on FR 085 for 2 mi to Canyon Transfer Camp |
| Trail |
|
Things to do near Fairfield
Canyon Transfer Camp
Campground on Big Smoky Creek ($6-$12/night, May-Oct) with horse corrals; start of Big Smoky Trail #072.
Five Points Campground
Free 7-site primitive campground 17 mi north of Fairfield on FR 094; vault toilets, no potable water.
Baumgartner Campground
Sawtooth NF campground on the South Fork Boise with its own hot soaking pool and a 1/4-mile interpretive trail.
Campgrounds
- Bowns Campground4.3 mi
- Five Points Campground7.2 mi
- Pioneer Campground10.9 mi
- Baumgartner Campground13.3 mi
Trailheads
- Solider Creek Trailhead10.1 mi
- Norton Lake Trailhead10.8 mi
- Owens Creek Trailhead11.7 mi
- Free Gold Trailhead12.6 mi
Straight-line distances. Campground and trailhead data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nearby springs
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.
Baumgartner Hot Springs
A concrete soaking pool fed by hot spring water inside Baumgartner Campground, on the South Fork Boise River east of Featherville in the Sawtooth National Forest. The Forest Service gives the water as 98-111°F, and the pool is drained nightly. Swimsuits are required, and soap, alcohol, glass and pets are not allowed at the pool.
Frenchman's Bend Hot Springs
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.
Worswick Hot Springs: 6 mi · Baumgartner Hot Springs: 13 mi · Frenchman's Bend Hot Springs: 16 mi
Sources (2)
· 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.