Sharkey Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Sharkey Hot Springs is a developed hot spring listed near Salmon, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 100°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Stop on Idaho Hot Springs Loop — see all stops, ordered south to north.
Current status
BLM-developed day-use hot spring 25 mi south of Salmon: two concrete soaking pools (~103°F, untreated), heated changing rooms, vault toilets and a fire pit — $3/person age 16+ via recreation.gov pass or onsite self-pay, open year-round but closed Wednesday mornings for weekly cleaning; no camping.
Checked November 2024 · verified against an official source · 4 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Sleep in Salmon before or after the Goldbug hike.
Salmon is about 18 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: Open — last verified below — confirm via BLM — Sharkey Hot Springs site page: two concrete pools, heated changing rooms, vault bathrooms, fire pit, kiosk; water natural and untreated; managed by Salmon Field Office; history (filled 1973, rebuilt/reopened 2002).
- Cost: Reported $3/person — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 100°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: Standard amenity fee: recreation.gov 'Sharkey Hot Springs Pass' (activitypass/10012013) or self-service Recreation Use Permit onsite; annual pass $20 via Salmon Field Office.
- Best time to go: Any weekday; avoid Wednesday mornings (cleaning). Soaking under winter stars is popular — road is typically plowed to the lot.
- Clothing reality: Swimsuits required/customary — developed family-oriented BLM facility with mixed public use; not a clothing-optional site.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Among the most accessible wild-ish springs: ADA concrete parking and walkways; pools have built-in steps, benches and handrails — though actual step-free water entry is unverified.
- $3/person day-use fee for everyone 16+; under 16 free; $20 annual pass option; buy/download the recreation.gov pass BEFORE leaving Salmon — no cell service at site — or use the onsite self-service fee station
- Closed every Wednesday morning for weekly cleaning and maintenance (community-reported; BLM cleans weekly)
- Day-use only — no overnight camping at the site; BLM/USFS campgrounds along Hwy 28 and Salmon River nearby
- Water is natural and UNTREATED — standard natural-water precautions
- ~25 mi south of Salmon: Hwy 28 → 17 Mile Rd → Lemhi Rd (Old 28) → NF-185/Warm Springs Rd (Lewis & Clark Hwy) ~2 mi; gravel final stretch is plowed in winter per winter trip reports
- Pools are modest — two 6'x10' concrete pools; site sees ~60-80 visitors/day, so holiday weekends can fill them
- Fire pit use subject to seasonal BLM fire restrictions
- Hazard: Untreated geothermal water (natural-source, not chlorinated)
- Hazard: Remote winter driving on gravel road (though reportedly plowed)
- Hazard: Limited emergency services — nearest help is Salmon ~25 mi
About this spring
BLM-developed recreation site on a sagebrush hillside above the Lemhi Valley — two large concrete soaking pools (~98-103°F), heated changing rooms, vault toilets and picnic tables. Rebuilt by BLM in 2002; also historically known as Lewis and Clark Hot Springs. Fee: $3/person (16+) via recreation.gov. No cell service — download the recreation.gov pass before leaving Salmon. Closed Wednesday mornings for cleaning. No camping.
Sharkey's two concrete pools are the latest chapter of a site with a deep soaking pedigree. The springs were a sacred place for the Agaideka — the 'salmon-eaters' — and the BLM's interpretive kiosk quotes tribal member Rozina George describing them as Puha Pah, 'medicine water.' Rancher Frank Sharkey settled beside the springs in the 1870s; Eleihu Barnes built a shanty over the water around 1890 to keep cattle out, and Tom Benedict's enclosed concrete pool in the 1920s was known locally as 'the plunge.' After the site fell into disrepair in the 1960s, the BLM filled the pool and burned the buildings in 1973 — but locals kept digging homemade tubs, and the agency rebuilt and reopened Sharkey in 2002.
The Salmon Field Office now runs a developed recreation site on the sagebrush hillside: untreated natural water in two large pools, heated changing rooms, vault bathrooms, a fire pit with seating, and open views over the Lemhi Valley.
Directions & trailhead access
From Salmon, Hwy 28 south ~17 mi to Tendoy; 17 Mile Road, then Lemhi Rd/NF-185 ~2 mi to the springs (~25 mi total).
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 developed site means here
A developed site sits between primitive and resort: improved soaking infrastructure — built tubs, decks, stairs, sometimes changing rooms or vault toilets — often run by a land trust, nonprofit, or small operator. Expect modest fees or donation requests, posted etiquette rules, and more predictable conditions than a wild pool.
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 | 100°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | Not reported |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $3/person — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | BLM — Sharkey Hot Springs site page: two concrete pools, heated changing rooms, vault bathrooms, fire pit, kiosk; water natural and untreated; managed by Salmon Field Office; history (filled 1973, rebuilt/reopened 2002) |
Sharkey Hot Springs FAQ
Is Sharkey Hot Springs open right now?
BLM-developed day-use hot spring 25 mi south of Salmon: two concrete soaking pools (~103°F, untreated), heated changing rooms, vault toilets and a fire pit — $3/person age 16+ via recreation.gov pass or onsite self-pay, open year-round but closed Wednesday mornings for weekly cleaning; no camping. (Status verified against an official source, last checked November 2024.)
Is Sharkey Hot Springs free?
Sharkey Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near Salmon. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Sharkey Hot Springs?
Sharkey Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 100°F. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Sharkey Hot Springs clothing optional?
Sharkey Hot Springs is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Sharkey Hot Springs?
Sharkey Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Salmon
Sleep in Salmon before or after the Goldbug hike. The Elk Bend trailhead is south of town on US-93.
Salmon is about 18 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- BLM — Sharkey Hot Springs site page: two concrete pools, heated changing rooms, vault bathrooms, fire pit, kiosk; water natural and untreated; managed by Salmon Field Office; history (filled 1973, rebuilt/reopened 2002) — official · undated (current)
- Recreation.gov — Sharkey Hot Springs Pass: all visitors 16+ must pay use fee; buy pass in advance due to limited cell service — official · 2026-09
- BLM Salmon Field Office Recreation Fee Sites Business Plan (Nov 2024): day-use $3/person 16+, $20 annual, <16 free; ~60-80 visitors/day year-round; ADA concrete parking/walkways; onsite fee station + SFO office pass sales — official · 2024-11
- Winter trip report (blog): road found plowed all the way to the parking lot; confirms weekly pool cleaning — community · undated
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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