Owen Cabin Hot Spring
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Owen Cabin Hot Spring is a primitive hot spring listed near Challis, Idaho. No soak temperature is on record. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Weak-flowing hot spring just past Upper Loon Creek Hot Springs on the same wilderness trail — the ~133F source trickles into Loon Creek where only remnants of old rock-walled pools remain, so it is a historic-site stop (ruined Owen Cabin, decent meadow campsite) rather than a reliable soak.
Checked August 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 5 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via USFS Salmon-Challis NF — Loon Creek Area MF2.
- 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: No soak temperature on record — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; 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 required; Salmon-Challis NF Middle Fork Ranger District.
- Best time to go: July-September; pair with Upper Loon Creek Hot Springs rather than as a destination.
- Clothing reality: No rules (wilderness).
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Wilderness backpacking only.
- Essentially NOT a soak: source is hot but very low flow, choked with algae; outflow meets Loon Creek where only outlines of past rock-walled pools remain — nobody had rebuilt them when last documented
- Same access as Upper Loon Creek: Loon Creek Rd (NF-007) open ~July-Oct, then ~7-8 mi up Loon Creek Trail — Owen Cabin lies just beyond Upper Loon pool #4
- Historic Owen Cabin ruin on the meadow edge; large grassy primitive campsite nearby — better as a camp stop than a spring
- Frank Church-RONR Wilderness rules apply (non-motorized, LNT, group limits)
- Source ~133F/56C — scalding at origin, but flow too low to form good pools
- Snakes, bears, moose reported in the drainage
- Hazard: Scalding 133F source
- Hazard: Rattlesnakes, bears
- Hazard: Seasonal dirt-road access only
- Hazard: No usable pools — don't hike in expecting a soak
About this spring
GNIS-listed spring beside the ruined Owen family cabin in a meadow along Loon Creek in the Frank Church Wilderness — just past Upper Loon hot springs. Source ~133°F with low flow; past pools are largely defunct (rated D- as a soak by idahohotsprings) — more a historic site than a viable pool. Access road open only ~Jul-Oct. Source scalding; pools defunct. Rattlesnakes, bears, moose.
Owen Cabin Hot Spring sits in the southern Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness beside Loon Creek, about five miles up the Loon Creek Trail from its seasonal trailhead and just past the four-source Upper Loon Hot Springs complex. It is named for the Owen family homestead cabin, which still stands in ruins at the edge of a meadow that doubles as a decent primitive campsite.
The source is hot — a USGS crew field-measured 149°F here in July 1979, and the water is alkaline (pH 9.3) and sodium-rich — but its flow is so low that the rock-walled soaking pools once built where the outflow meets Loon Creek have never been rebuilt; their outlines are still visible, and the source itself is choked with rust-colored algae. Guidebooks consequently rate it among the least viable soaks in the drainage — more historic site than pool. The Loon Creek access road typically opens only July through October, and the area holds rattlesnakes, black bear, moose, elk, deer and mountain lion sign.
Directions & trailhead access
From Challis: Loon Creek Rd to the trailhead (open ~Jul-Oct); hike Loon Creek Trail ~5 mi north past Upper Loon Hot Springs to the meadow.
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 | Not reported |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 149°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | USFS Salmon-Challis NF — Loon Creek Area MF2 |
Owen Cabin Hot Spring FAQ
Is Owen Cabin Hot Spring open right now?
Weak-flowing hot spring just past Upper Loon Creek Hot Springs on the same wilderness trail — the ~133F source trickles into Loon Creek where only remnants of old rock-walled pools remain, so it is a historic-site stop (ruined Owen Cabin, decent meadow campsite) rather than a reliable soak. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked August 2026.)
Is Owen Cabin Hot Spring free?
Owen Cabin Hot Spring is listed as free to access in Custer County, Idaho. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Owen Cabin Hot Spring?
No soak temperature is on record for Owen Cabin Hot Spring; the geothermal source is reported around 149°F. Always test water temperature before entering.
Is Owen Cabin Hot Spring clothing optional?
Owen Cabin Hot Spring is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Owen Cabin Hot Spring?
Owen Cabin Hot Spring is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- USFS Salmon-Challis NF — Loon Creek Area MF2 — official · 2026
- IdahoHotSprings.com — Owen Cabin Hot Springs (rated D-; pool remnants, cabin ruin) — community · 2003-07
- AllTrails — Loon Creek Trail (lists Owen Cabin Hot Spring) — community · 2025
- SoakingSprings.com entry (directory lead; open/hike access, Challis NF) — community · 2026-08
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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