Vulcan Hot Springs
- Free
- Roadside
A geothermal area on Vulcan Creek in the Boise National Forest, reached on Vulcan Hot Springs Trail #072 from the Tyndall / Vulcan Trailhead. The trailhead has a vault toilet and five dispersed campsites but no drinking water. The source springs are near boiling, so soaking is only possible where creek water has cooled them.
- Price
- Free
- Nearest town
- Cascade
- Hike (one way)
- Roadside
Plan your visit
Tickets & booking
| Price | No fee stated by the Forest Service |
|---|---|
| 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
361 mg/L
Lightly mineralized · Sodium–sulfate (sodium sulfate water)
- pH
- 9.1
- Temp at source
- 190°F
- Lithium
- 0.09 mg/L
- Fluoride
- 20 mg/L
- Boron
- 0.12 mg/L
Lab analysis of the source water at “14n 06e 11bda1s Vulcan Hot Sps”, sampled 1972–1980 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
- Vulcan Hot Springs Trail #072
- Tyndall / Vulcan Trailhead with vault toilet
- 5 dispersed campsites at the trailhead
- no potable water
- source water near boiling
Getting there
| Elevation | 5,546 ft |
|---|---|
| Road |
|
| Trail |
|
| Parking | Three-acre trailhead site with 5 dispersed campsites |
Things to do near Cascade
Campgrounds
Trailheads
Straight-line distances. Campground and trailhead data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Nearby springs
Trail Creek Hot Springs
Creekside pools about 19 miles from Cascade on the Warm Lake road, reached by a short, steep descent from a roadside pullout. Some pools are reinforced with concrete, and pipes let cold creek water in to adjust the temperature. Visit Idaho features it as a winter soak, when the path down is snow-covered.
Gold Fork Hot Springs
A privately run soaking site on Gold Fork Road east of Donnelly, with six rock-formed, flow-through pools and a sandy children's pool. Admission is cash only, there is a two-hour soak limit, and no reservations are taken. Winter hours run Wednesday to Monday, with Thursdays set aside for guests 18 and over.
Boiling Springs
A geothermal area on the Middle Fork Payette River about 24 miles north of Crouch on Forest Road 698, next to a Forest Service campground and the rentable Boiling Springs Cabin. Recreation.gov describes soaking in the hot springs beside the cabin, and the USFS says the springs are a short walk from the trailhead parking. The main spring is near boiling, so test the water before getting in.
Trail Creek Hot Springs: 5 mi · Gold Fork Hot Springs: 14 mi · Boiling Springs: 16 mi
Sources (3)
· 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.