Sunflower Hot Springs
- Free
- Roadside
A riverside hot spring at Sunflower camp, river mile 32.6 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Forest Service lists it as one of six hot springs camps on the float; each permitted group may be assigned only one, and it is not guaranteed. The agency warns that some Middle Fork springs are hot enough to burn and bans soap in hot springs.
- Price
- Free
- Nearest town
- Stanley
- Hike (one way)
- Roadside
Plan your visit
Hours & season
| Season |
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Tickets & booking
| Price |
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|---|---|
| Access | Free public access |
| Booking |
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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
273 mg/L
Lightly mineralized · Sodium–sulfate (sodium sulfate water)
- pH
- 9.3
- Temp at source
- 151°F
- Lithium
- 0.07 mg/L
- Fluoride
- 15 mg/L
- Boron
- 0.09 mg/L
Lab analysis of the source water at “16n 12e 15bba1s Sunflower Hot Springs”, sampled 1980 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
- Middle Fork of the Salmon Wild and Scenic River
- reached only by permitted river float
- Forest Service hot springs camp at river mile 32.6 (right bank)
- Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
- no soap in hot springs
- small camp (8 people)
Getting there
| Elevation | 4,377 ft |
|---|---|
| Road |
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| Trail |
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Things to do near Stanley
Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
About 2.4 million acres, the largest contiguous wilderness in the Lower 48; the Middle Fork runs 104 miles through it.
Middle Fork of the Salmon River float
Permitted multi-day float from Boundary Creek to the Main Salmon; up to 8 days for groups of 1-10.
Campgrounds
- Hood Ranch0.1 mi
- Little Creek Camp0.2 mi
- State Land Left0.9 mi
- State Land Right0.9 mi
Trailheads
Straight-line distances. Campground and trailhead data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nearby springs
Hospital Bar Hot Springs
A riverside hot spring at Hospital Bar camp, river mile 52.1 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Forest Service lists it as one of six hot springs camps on the float; each permitted group may be assigned only one, and it is not guaranteed. The agency warns that some Middle Fork springs are hot enough to burn and bans soap in hot springs.
Sheepeater Hot Springs
A riverside hot spring at Sheepeater camp, river mile 13.0 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Forest Service lists it as one of six hot springs camps on the float; each permitted group may be assigned only one, and it is not guaranteed. The agency warns that some Middle Fork springs are hot enough to burn and bans soap in hot springs.
Basin Creek Hot Springs
Hot springs near Basin Creek and Basin Creek Campground on Highway 75 east of Stanley; the Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber lists both the campground spring and Basin Creek (Cove/Kem) springs among the area's soakable sites.
Hospital Bar Hot Springs: 12 mi · Sheepeater Hot Springs: 12 mi · Basin Creek Hot Springs: 33 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.