Maple Grove Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Maple Grove Hot Springs is a resort hot spring listed near Preston, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 107°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Quiet 45-acre retreat center on the Bear River/Oneida Narrows near Thatcher with 6 stone/natural pools (100-107°F) open 10am-9pm by REQUIRED reservation in 3-hr blocks ($18 adult weekday/$22 weekend; soak+sauna $30/$34; all-day $52) — CLOSED Wednesdays for cleaning, alcohol/drug-free, silence after sundown.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 5 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Preston is an off-site base before the drive to Maple Grove in Oneida Narrows.
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 Maple Grove Hot Springs — Booking (official).
- Cost: Reported $18 — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Developed resort — confirm operating hours and any reservation requirement.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 107°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 — commercial reservation only
- Booking: Reservation required.
- Best time to go: Any booked slot is calm by design (capacity-capped); weekday mornings are the quietest. Weekends book out — reserve days ahead.
- Clothing reality: Official: swimwear MUST be worn — 'nudity is not appropriate on our public access grounds'. Customary reality: suited. Legal — private retreat property, waiver-enforced.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: spotty — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Natural stone pools on a riverbank at a rustic retreat — limited formal accessibility; call ahead for mobility needs.
- RESERVATIONS REQUIRED (online or phone 208-425-6803) — no drop-ins; whole-center private rentals can close public soaking entirely, check the calendar
- CLOSED WEDNESDAYS for pool cleaning/land management — no day soaks or stays
- 3-hour soak blocks at 10am-1pm, 2-5pm, 6-9pm; River Sauna 6-9pm requires Soak & Sauna pass
- CRITICAL ROUTE WARNING: Google Maps routes over Mink Creek via Hwy 36 — NOT accessible (closed in winter); approach via Hwy 34 at mile marker 29; AWD/4x4 required in winter — no refunds for travel delays
- Alcohol & drug free entire property; silence after sundown until 8am; no outside music/generators; glass-free
- All guests 18+ must sign the center agreement/waiver before admission
- Dogs only in approved overnight units (cabin, walk-in tent sites); leashed on grounds; never chained at pools
- Kids welcome but pools are quiet soaking only — no splashing/diving; minors must be with an adult; no lifeguard
- Discount rate ($15-18) for kids 3-12, Franklin County residents, 65+, military, tribe members; under 3 free
- Winter/Spring (Jan-Apr 2027) bookings open mid-November — plan ahead
- Overnight guests get 24-hr property access, can soak until 4pm on checkout day; Group Gather package $300 (up to 15 people, 11am-6pm)
- Hazard: Remote gravel-road access — Hwy 36/Mink Creek route is impassable and Google may send you there; winter requires AWD/4x4 via Hwy 34
- Hazard: No lifeguard; riverfront location
- Hazard: Limited cell service — download directions before leaving Hwy 34
About this spring
Off-grid solar-powered retreat on the Bear River in Oneida Narrows canyon — 3 stone riverside soaking pools (~100-107°F), a creek pool and river sauna fed by a 180°F source; yurts, cabins and camping. Reservation-only. Fee: 3-hr soaking block $18-22, reservation required — no walk-ins. Reservation-only; wrong-route GPS errors common; 180°F source ponds dangerous.
Maple Grove Hot Springs is an off-grid retreat on 45 acres along the Bear River at the head of Oneida Narrows Reservoir in Franklin County, about 21 miles north of Preston. The Hopkins family homesteaded the site in the early 1900s and it was long known locally as Hopkins Hot Springs; renamed Maple Grove in 1945, it operated commercially into the 1960s before the Timmons family bought and restored it in 1999, crafting the riverside stone pools. It is now run as an intentional community. Natural lithium-bearing mineral water rises at 180°F+ in an upper source pond and collects at 160°F+ in a lower pond — both scenic but strictly off-limits to swimmers — then flows through a network of streams and waterfalls to six soaking pools, including three circular stone pools and a natural creek pool at 100–107°F plus a 102°F waterfall rinse. Trumpeter swans, eagles, osprey and pelicans frequent this stretch of the Bear River. Soaking is by 3-hour reservation block only, via Highway 34 at mile marker 29.
Directions & trailhead access
11386 Oneida Narrows Rd, Thatcher — use Hwy 34 at mile marker 29; do NOT follow GPS via Hwy 36/Mink Creek (impassable).
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
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 | 107°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 107°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $18 — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Maple Grove Hot Springs — Booking (official) |
Maple Grove Hot Springs FAQ
Is Maple Grove Hot Springs open right now?
Quiet 45-acre retreat center on the Bear River/Oneida Narrows near Thatcher with 6 stone/natural pools (100-107°F) open 10am-9pm by REQUIRED reservation in 3-hr blocks ($18 adult weekday/$22 weekend; soak+sauna $30/$34; all-day $52) — CLOSED Wednesdays for cleaning, alcohol/drug-free, silence after sundown. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Maple Grove Hot Springs free?
Maple Grove Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near Preston. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Maple Grove Hot Springs?
Maple Grove Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 107°F and a historical source temperature of 107°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Maple Grove Hot Springs clothing optional?
Maple Grove Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Maple Grove Hot Springs?
Maple Grove Hot Springs is a private venue with paid public admission. Confirm current hours, fees and booking requirements with the operator before visiting.
Where to stay in Preston
Preston is an off-site base before the drive to Maple Grove in Oneida Narrows. Reserve soaking or an on-site stay directly and use the approved Highway 34 route; the Mink Creek shortcut is impassable.
Check overnight options with the operator
Check the road and access notes above before you book.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- Maple Grove Hot Springs — Booking (official) — operator · 2026-09
- Maple Grove Hot Springs — Springs & Guidelines (official) — operator · 2026-09
- Maple Grove Hot Springs — Experiences/Calendar (official) — operator · 2026-09
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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