Burgdorf Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Burgdorf Hot Springs is a resort hot spring listed near McCall, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 102°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Stop on Idaho Hot Springs Loop — see all stops, ordered south to north.
Current status
Open for reserved 2-hour soak blocks (10am/12pm/2pm/4pm, closed Wednesdays) at $20 adult 16+ / $15 child or senior — reservations up to 90 days ahead and walk-ins are turned away; closes during Nov–Dec and Apr–May shoulder seasons when the road is impassable, and winter access is snowmobile/tracked vehicle only; cabins are rustic with no running water or electricity, 2-night minimum.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 6 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Stay in McCall if you want a town room.
McCall is about 27 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Reservation or permission required — confirm via Burgdorf Hot Springs — Soak page (rates, 2-hr blocks, walk-ins turned away).
- Cost: Reported $20/adult — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Reported 0 mi trail — confirm the route, road, and seasonal access.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 102°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: None — soak/cabin reservation is the access
- Booking: Reservation required.
- Best time to go: Any reserved slot is capped and uncrowded (~20 people observed); summer weekdays easiest to book; winter snowmobile soaks are the signature trip — book early for holiday weeks
- Clothing reality: Official: swimsuits required — family-oriented public swims. Not clothing-optional.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Rustic historic site — gravel-bottom log pools with steps, no ADA infrastructure; heated changing rooms
- Reservations required — walk-ins explicitly turned away; book up to 90 days ahead online
- Closed every Wednesday plus ~2 days/month for pool draining/cleaning (white days on calendar)
- Closed during shoulder seasons: roughly Nov/Dec and Apr/May when snow makes the road impassable — check the booking calendar
- Winter (Dec–Apr): snowmobile/tracked vehicle only — ~18–20 miles from Francis Creek parking
- Cash preferred on-site though online booking takes cards; virtually no cell service
- Same-day slots sometimes available by phone (208-315-6657)/email only
- Cabins have no running water or electricity — 'camp inside a cabin'; 2-night minimum
- No food service — limited snacks/drinks; nearest food Secesh Stage Stop ~6 mi
- Cabin guests get 24-hr pool access; day soakers confined to their 2-hr block
- Hazard: Remote forest road — 32 mi north of McCall, no services
- Hazard: Smaller pools run hottest (~113°F source) — test before entering
- Hazard: Winter access only by snowmobile over unplowed roads — carry emergency gear
- Hazard: Property inaccessible by car during shoulder-season mud/snow
About this spring
Historic rustic resort (est. 1870s) in the Payette National Forest ~32 miles north of McCall, with three log-sided gravel-bottom pools (~99-104°F) fed by a ~113°F source. Reserved day soaks and cabin rentals (cabins have no running water or electricity). Winter access by snowmobile only. Fee: 2-hr reserved soaks ~$20/adult; reservations required, closed Wednesdays. Reservations required — walk-ins turned away. Closed Wednesdays. No pets on property.
Burgdorf is one of Idaho's oldest hot springs resorts, and the surrounding community was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district in 1972. The springs were a sacred site for Native Americans before Chinese miners located them; German immigrant Fred C. Burgdorf, who had mined at nearby Warren, settled the meadow in the late 1860s and was running a resort by 1870. After the 1898 Thunder Gulch mining rush, Burgdorf and his wife Janette Foronsard, a singer from Denver, refurbished and expanded the property in 1902 — when the settlement originally called 'Resort' formally took the Burgdorf name. He sold out in 1923 following Janette's death, a post office survived until 1945, and basketball coach George Karl was later a part owner.
Today three log-sided, gravel-bottomed pools are fed by the 113°F source — two small pools sit at the vents while the large pool swings between roughly 96 and 113°F with the seasons. Cabins rent without electricity or running water — the resort calls it 'camping inside a cabin' — and from December through April the only way in is by snowmobile.
Directions & trailhead access
From McCall take Warren Wagon Road north ~30 miles to signed Burgdorf Road (FR 246), then ~2 miles to the resort. Nov/Dec-Apr: road unplowed — snowmobile/tracked vehicle only.
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 resort site means here
A resort spring is a commercial operation: developed pools or tubs with controlled temperatures, changing facilities, and usually day-use fees or lodging packages. Expect posted rules (swimsuits, quiet hours, age limits), staff on site, and in many cases required reservations — especially on weekends and holidays.
Best time to visit
June – September (Late Spring through Early Autumn)High-altitude mountain access routes and backcountry trailheads can experience seasonal snowpack from November through May. Peak summer and early autumn provide clear trail access and pleasant evening soak conditions.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 102°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 113°F |
| Hiking distance | Roadside — no hike required |
| Access fee | Reported $20/adult — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Burgdorf Hot Springs — Soak page (rates, 2-hr blocks, walk-ins turned away) |
Burgdorf Hot Springs FAQ
Is Burgdorf Hot Springs open right now?
Open for reserved 2-hour soak blocks (10am/12pm/2pm/4pm, closed Wednesdays) at $20 adult 16+ / $15 child or senior — reservations up to 90 days ahead and walk-ins are turned away; closes during Nov–Dec and Apr–May shoulder seasons when the road is impassable, and winter access is snowmobile/tracked vehicle only; cabins are rustic with no running water or electricity, 2-night minimum. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Burgdorf Hot Springs free?
Burgdorf Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near McCall. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Burgdorf Hot Springs?
Burgdorf Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 102°F and a historical source temperature of 113°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Burgdorf Hot Springs clothing optional?
Burgdorf Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How far is the hike to Burgdorf Hot Springs?
Burgdorf Hot Springs near McCall, Idaho is roadside/drive-up — no trail hike is required from the parking area.
Where to stay in McCall
Stay in McCall if you want a town room. Burgdorf’s rustic cabins and soaking reservations are booked directly with the operator.
McCall is about 27 mi from the spring (straight line).
Check overnight options with the operator
Burgdorf is a separate mountain trip; winter access is by snowmobile, not a normal road drive.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- Burgdorf Hot Springs — Soak page (rates, 2-hr blocks, walk-ins turned away) — operator · 2026-09
- Burgdorf Hot Springs — FAQ (seasonal closures, cabin 24-hr access, 90-day window) — operator · 2026-09
- The Mandagies — Burgdorf guide (cash preferred, card online) — community · 2025
- TripAdvisor — Burgdorf reviews (winter snowmobile access, capped soaks) — community · 2025
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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