Barth Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Barth Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near remote — Main Salmon corridor, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 106°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Classic backcountry soak on the Main Salmon River ~22 river-miles below Corn Creek in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness — a 140F spring feeding a perched riverside pool reached only by permitted float trip or commercial jet-boat tour (no road within ~10 mi); standard day-two stop on Main Salmon multi-day trips.
Checked August 2026 · verified against an official source · 7 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Reservation or permission required — confirm via Recreation.gov — Salmon River (4 Rivers) permit page, Salmon-Challis NF.
- Cost: Reported free access — fees and permits can change, confirm before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 106°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing required; pets reported not allowed — confirm current rules.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: Recreation.gov permit 'Salmon River (4 Rivers)' — lottery Dec 1-Jan 31 for the June 20-Sep 7 control season ($6 application; $4/person/day rec fee); required year-round, first-come outside control season. Powerboats need a separate Main Salmon Powerboat permit for travel upstream of Vinegar ramp. Commercial outfitters handle permits for guided guests.
- Booking: Lottery / limited reservations.
- Best time to go: River season June-September; it is a standard itinerary stop, so expect company when multiple groups are on the river. Shoulder season floats are quieter but colder with high water in spring.
- Clothing reality: OFFICIAL: public nudity is prohibited on the Main Salmon river corridor (USFS permit rules). CUSTOMARY/LEGAL: swimsuits required — this is a regulated, often social stop on guided and private trips.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: None — whitewater boat access plus a steep rock scramble to the pool.
- Reachable ONLY by river — no trail, no road within ~10 miles; about 22 mi below Corn Creek put-in / ~56 mi above Vinegar Creek
- A river permit is required YEAR-ROUND for the Wild section (Corn Creek to Long Tom Bar); June 20-Sep 7 launches go through the recreation.gov lottery (apply Dec 1-Jan 31)
- Non-floaters can visit on commercial jet-boat day trips from Vinegar Creek boat ramp (~27 mi east of Riggins)
- The pool sits ~1,000 ft off the river up a steep, unimproved rock scramble — bring real footwear, not flip-flops
- Source is ~140F and can scald; the perched 'infinity pool' mixing basin is the soakable part — test before entering
- Historic site — Jim Barth homesteaded above the springs in the 1920s; earlier known as Guleke Hot Springs
- Hazard: Whitewater river travel (Class III-IV corridor) to reach it
- Hazard: Steep ~1,000-ft unimproved scramble up a rock field to the pool
- Hazard: ~140F source water — scalding
- Hazard: Deep wilderness — no cell service, no nearby rescue
About this spring
Emerald-colored pool perched above the Main Salmon River ~22 mi below Corn Creek — an 'infinity pool' edge overlooking the river. Historic boating-pioneer stop (formerly Guleke Hot Springs). Source ~140°F; pool mixes to comfortable temps. Fee: Main Salmon float permit required in season. 140°F source scalding — test pool. Steep unstable rock scramble. Boat access only.
Barth Hot Springs is a boat-access-only spring on the Main Salmon River, about 22 river miles below the Corn Creek put-in in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The NOAA thermal springs database records the source at 140°F; the water feeds an emerald-colored soaking pool perched on a bench above the river, its outer edge blending with the view of the water below like an infinity pool. A steep, unimproved scramble up a rock field leads from the sandy beach landing to the pool, typically visited on day two of a five-to-six-day Main Salmon float.
The spring carries genuine river history. Scow captain Harry 'Cap' Guleke — who ran the Main Salmon from 1896 to 1939 — stopped here so regularly the springs were known as Guleke Hot Springs for over 30 years, until homesteader Jim Barth built on the bench above them in the 1920s. Early boaters worked the springs for placer gold with flumes, and recluse boater John McKay carved 'J.N. McKay 1872 + 1905 + 1914' into a rock near the pool. A Main Salmon permit, allocated by Recreation.gov lottery, is required in season.
Directions & trailhead access
Main Salmon float/jet boat trip — sandy beach below the springs on river right ~mile 22; short steep hike up the rock field.
Idaho geothermal context
Idaho's thermal water rides the old track of the Yellowstone hotspot across the Snake River Plain and surfaces along faults in the surrounding mountains. Many of the best soaks are roadside or river-access pools inside national forests — including springs that only emerge when river levels drop. Backcountry sites demand real navigation skills and long dirt-road drives.
What a primitive site means here
Primitive springs have no facilities: no changing rooms, no trash service, often no maintained road to the pool. Expect natural rock or gravel bottoms, water temperature that varies by spot and season, and other visitors who may treat the site informally. Pack out everything you bring, test the water before entering, and leave the pool cleaner than you found it.
Best time to visit
Year-Round (Best: May – October)Pool temperatures and access can change with weather and season. Outdoor ambient temperatures fluctuate significantly across Idaho. Late spring through autumn offers the most comfortable road access.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 106°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 140°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Recreation.gov — Salmon River (4 Rivers) permit page, Salmon-Challis NF |
Barth Hot Springs FAQ
Is Barth Hot Springs open right now?
Classic backcountry soak on the Main Salmon River ~22 river-miles below Corn Creek in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness — a 140F spring feeding a perched riverside pool reached only by permitted float trip or commercial jet-boat tour (no road within ~10 mi); standard day-two stop on Main Salmon multi-day trips. (Status verified against an official source, last checked August 2026.)
Is Barth Hot Springs free?
Barth Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Idaho County, Idaho. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Barth Hot Springs?
Barth Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 106°F and a historical source temperature of 140°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Barth Hot Springs clothing optional?
Barth Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Barth Hot Springs?
Barth Hot Springs requires permission, a permit or advance booking — confirm the terms with the site manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- Recreation.gov — Salmon River (4 Rivers) permit page, Salmon-Challis NF — official · 2026
- Recreation.gov — Main Salmon River (Powerboat) permit page, Nez Perce-Clearwater NF (incl. nudity prohibition) — official · 2026
- PermitSnag — Main Salmon River Permit 2026 (lottery dates/demand) — community · 2026-08
- Whitewater Expeditions — Barth Hot Springs trip guide (jet-boat access) — operator · 2024
- Salmon River Outfitters Association — Barth Hot Springs (history/description) — operator · 2015-05
- ROW Adventures — Hot Springs Along the Salmon River — operator · 2024
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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