Shower Bath Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Shower Bath Hot Springs is a primitive hot spring listed near Challis, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 106°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Spectacular wilderness hot spring deep in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness on Warm Springs Creek (Middle Fork Salmon tributary), where hot water showers out of a cliff face into rock/sand pools — but reaching it requires a ~11+ mile round-trip hike whose final quarter-mile wades IN the creek through a cliff-walled 'Narrows' with no bank; accessible only ~July-September when runoff drops and the rough trailhead road is open.
based on recent visitor reports · 5 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
A town base on US-93.
Challis is about 20 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 IdahoHotSprings.com — Shower Bath Hot Springs (A+ rated; Narrows, access routes, pool details).
- 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: Reported soak temperature 106°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; reported dog-friendly.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: Free self-issued wilderness permit at the trailhead (standard for Frank Church-RONR Wilderness in Salmon-Challis NF); no fee for the springs.
- Best time to go: Mid-July through September — after Warm Springs Creek drops enough to wade the Narrows safely and before snow closes Sleeping Deer Road. Very low use even in season.
- Clothing reality: No posted policy — remote wilderness site with very low use; clothing-optional in practice.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — multi-mile wilderness hike with numerous unbridged creek fords and a mandatory in-creek wade/swim through the Narrows.
- The 'Narrows' — the last ~0.25 mi of trail to the springs goes IN Warm Springs Creek itself between ~200 ft cliffs with no bank; you WILL be wading (possibly swimming) cold creek water. DO NOT attempt at high water — dangerous during spring runoff and storms
- Season is short — roughly July through September; driving window to the trailheads is only ~2-3 months (snow + runoff)
- Two access routes: (1) Warm Springs Creek Trail #4104 from Twin Peaks on Sleeping Deer Rd #40086 (~5.8 mi to springs per onX), (2) Mahoney Creek Trail #4121 (~11.3 mi round trip per AllTrails, steep 'nasty' alternate); both involve multiple stream fords — reports count 8+ fords on the Loon Creek approach
- Trailhead roads are rough and rugged — high-clearance vehicle recommended (Sleeping Deer Road / Mahoney Creek TH near Challis/Sunbeam)
- Cliff-face seeps run ~120F — main rock-walled pool is ~106F; seasonal sand/gravel pools are dug next to the creek where hot and cold mix — pool existence/temp varies with season and floods
- Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness — wilderness rules apply: no motors/bikes, party size limits, pack it out; self-issued wilderness permit typically required at trailhead
- Wildcats use the Narrows to trap prey — moose/elk/deer kills common in the area per idahohotsprings.com
- Camping: best sites are on the far side of the Narrows near Sitz Hot Spring; one small campsite near Shower Bath
- Pools are seasonal — riverside sand/gravel pools may be submerged or washed out during high water
- Hazard: Mandatory in-creek wade through the 'Narrows' — drowning risk at high water, no escape banks
- Hazard: Flash flood / runoff danger in slot-canyon section
- Hazard: ~120F source seeps — test pools before entering
- Hazard: Multiple unbridged stream fords on all approaches
- Hazard: Rough high-clearance trailhead roads, seasonal snow closure
- Hazard: Remote wilderness — no cell service, days from help
- Hazard: Predator activity (wildcats) in the Narrows per trip reports
About this spring
One of Idaho's most spectacular backcountry springs — hot water showers out of an orange algae-stained cliff into rock-walled pools (~106°F main pool) in a small canyon of Warm Springs Creek, Frank Church Wilderness. ~5.5-6 mi one-way on Mahoney Creek Trail, ending with a mandatory cold wade through 'the Narrows.' Mandatory cold swift creek wade with 200-ft walls — no bank. Trailhead roads open only Jul-Oct. Source seeps ~120°F+ scald.
Shower Bath earns its name: after a mandatory wade up Warm Springs Creek through the Narrows — a few hundred yards of swift, cold water between 200-foot rock walls with no bank — the canyon opens and hundreds of gallons of hot water sheet out of an orange algae-stained cliff face. More than ten separate seeps, some gushing from foot-wide holes, form natural showers that catch sunlight in rainbows. The main rock-walled pool sits against the cliff at about 106°F, misted by falling hot water, while ~120°F vents nearby feed seasonal sand-and-gravel pools dug beside the creek for temperature mixing.
The reward matches the approach: roughly 5.8 miles on foot from trailhead roads that open only July through October, along a fire-burned, poorly maintained tread with repeated Mahoney Creek crossings. A two-tent campsite sits beside the springs; better camping lies across the Narrows near Sitz Hot Spring.
Directions & trailhead access
Mahoney Creek Trail from trailheads reached via seasonal forest roads NW of Challis (open ~Jul-Oct); final ~0.25-0.5 mi wade through the Narrows.
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 | 106°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 120°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported dog-friendly |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | IdahoHotSprings.com — Shower Bath Hot Springs (A+ rated; Narrows, access routes, pool details) |
Shower Bath Hot Springs FAQ
Is Shower Bath Hot Springs open right now?
Spectacular wilderness hot spring deep in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness on Warm Springs Creek (Middle Fork Salmon tributary), where hot water showers out of a cliff face into rock/sand pools — but reaching it requires a ~11+ mile round-trip hike whose final quarter-mile wades IN the creek through a cliff-walled 'Narrows' with no bank; accessible only ~July-September when runoff drops and the rough trailhead road is open. (Status based on recent visitor reports.)
Is Shower Bath Hot Springs free?
Shower Bath Hot Springs 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 Shower Bath Hot Springs?
Shower Bath Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 106°F and a historical source temperature of 120°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Shower Bath Hot Springs clothing optional?
Shower Bath Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Shower Bath Hot Springs?
Shower Bath Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Challis
A town base on US-93. Remote Middle Fork springs are not ordinary day trips from a town hotel.
Challis is about 20 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- IdahoHotSprings.com — Shower Bath Hot Springs (A+ rated; Narrows, access routes, pool details) — community · 2024
- AllTrails — Shower Bath Hot Springs via Mahoney Creek Trail (18.2 km, hard, dogs leashed) — community · 2025
- HotWaterSlaughter — Shower Bath Hot Spring (pool temps ~106F, seeps ~120F, seasonal pools) — community · 2024
- onX — Warm Springs Creek Trail #4104 (route via Sleeping Deer Rd #40086, Narrows description) — community · 2025
- 10Adventures — Shower Bath Hot Springs hike (ford warnings, rough trailhead road) — community · 2024
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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