Red River Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Red River Hot Springs is a resort hot spring listed near Elk City, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 104°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Rustic off-grid hot-springs resort deep in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest ~23 mi east of Elk City; day-use soaking $20/adult Thu-Mon 9am-9pm (closed Tue-Wed), cabins/lodge rooms/dry RV & tent sites by phone reservation.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 5 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Red River Hot Spring — official site (pricing, rules, hours, reservations).
- Cost: Reported $145 — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Developed resort — confirm operating hours and any reservation requirement.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 104°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing required; reported dog-friendly.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None for soaking — pay at lodge. Lodging/camping requires phone reservation.
- Best time to go: Weekdays (Thu/Fri) outside summer peak; day-use crowd is heaviest on summer weekends. Overnight guests get extended 7am-10pm pool access.
- Clothing reality: Operator rule: no nudity (posted alongside no smoking/vaping/pets in pool area). Customary and required: swimsuits. Legal: nudity prohibited by venue policy on private commercial property.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Pool area is at lodge level but site is rustic; Cabin 1 requires stairs. Roadtrippers lists wheelchair accessible — verify directly; natural terrain around property is uneven.
- Day-use admission is single-entry — leave and you pay again; no come-and-go day pass unless you're an overnight guest
- Bring your own towel; rentals $2
- No glass in pool area — $350 state fine
- Pool is NOT chlorinated and there is no lifeguard — swim at your own risk
- Off-grid property: guests asked not to bring kitchen appliances; microwave/BBQ area provided; bring an ice chest with food
- Reservations currently by phone only (541-300-6182) — online booking promised but not live; old listings still show a 208-842-9222 number
- PRICE INCREASE: current rates $20 adult / $17 senior-vet / $15 under-12 — older directories still list $12/$10/$8
- Closed Tuesday and Wednesday (winter-season schedule; some sources say summer runs 7 days — call ahead)
- Cafe limited hours: Fri-Mon 9am-7pm, Thu 5-7pm only; snacks/frozen meals sold in lobby otherwise
- Hazard: 23-mile forest road (Red River Rd / FR-222) from Elk City — snow and ice in winter, long remote drive with no cell service
- Hazard: Unchlorinated pool, no lifeguard
- Hazard: Remote location — nearest services ~45 min away in Elk City
About this spring
Remote historic resort in Nez Perce-Clearwater NF ~23 mi east of Elk City at the end of Red River Rd — a large unchlorinated pool ~100-104°F plus hot tubs and private cabin tubs fed by a ~140°F source; lodge, cabins and cafe. Fee: Day-use fee (amount unverified); lodging $145-350. No lifeguard; remote; phone reservations only.
Red River Hot Springs is one of Idaho's most remote developed springs, at the end of Red River Road in the Nez Perce National Forest about 23 miles east of Elk City. It has hosted soakers for well over a century — Idaho's geothermal history places its recreation opening near the end of the 1800s, and a 1922 USFS photograph held in the University of Idaho's Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness History Project documents the site. The resort long operated under a Forest Service special-use permit, an arrangement litigated in the early 1990s (Doremus v. United States). Today it is an off-grid property: a large unchlorinated pool with no lifeguard, lodge rooms ($165–300) whose bathrooms have mineral-water faucets for private soaking, cabins ($145–150) including a honeymoon cabin with its own in-ground tub, and dry RV and tent sites. Day soaking is $20 adult, $17 seniors/veterans, $15 under 12; the resort is open Thursday–Monday and reservations are by phone only.
Directions & trailhead access
3837 Red River Rd — Elk City, then FR-222 ~23 mi to the end
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 | 104°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 104°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $145 — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported dog-friendly |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Red River Hot Spring — official site (pricing, rules, hours, reservations) |
Red River Hot Springs FAQ
Is Red River Hot Springs open right now?
Rustic off-grid hot-springs resort deep in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest ~23 mi east of Elk City; day-use soaking $20/adult Thu-Mon 9am-9pm (closed Tue-Wed), cabins/lodge rooms/dry RV & tent sites by phone reservation. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Red River Hot Springs free?
Red River Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near Elk City. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Red River Hot Springs?
Red River Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 104°F and a historical source temperature of 104°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Red River Hot Springs clothing optional?
Red River Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Red River Hot Springs?
Red River Hot Springs is a private venue with paid public admission. Confirm current hours, fees and booking requirements with the operator before visiting.
Overnight options and spring admission
Book rooms, cabins or soaking times directly with the operator.
Check overnight options with the operatorSources & references
- Red River Hot Spring — official site (pricing, rules, hours, reservations) — operator · 2025-2026
- GovServ listing — Red River Hot Springs (winter hours, pool cleaning June 10-13 2025, restaurant temporarily closed) — community · 2025
- Roadtrippers — Red River Hot Springs (amenities, old hours/phone) — community · 2024
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
- www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/sbw/items/sbw037.html
- oemr.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/idaho_geothermal_history.pdf
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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