Silver Creek Plunge
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Silver Creek Plunge is a resort hot spring listed near Crouch, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 100°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Open now in fall mode through Oct 31: 186,000-gal geothermal pool (~100F) 15 mi up a dirt forest road north of Crouch. Fall hours: Fri-Sat 9-9, Sun 9-6, Mon & Thu 10-6, CLOSED Tue-Wed. Day use $15 adult/$12 kids & seniors, no reservation needed. Winter access is snowmobile-only.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 4 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
For the Banks–Lowman and Garden Valley leg.
Garden Valley is about 13 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 USFS Boise NF - Silver Creek Campground page.
- Cost: Reported $15 — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Developed resort — confirm operating hours and any reservation requirement.
- 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: none for day use; adjacent USFS Silver Creek Campground sites bookable on recreation.gov (Plunge owners are camp hosts)
- Best time to go: weekday afternoons; Saturday nights are the busiest; September weekdays are quiet
- Clothing reality: Swimsuits REQUIRED and must be 'modest' per operator (no g-strings/cheeky bottoms, full chest coverage) - enforced family campground rule.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: pool deck entry but rough forest-road approach; no published wheelchair details
- Pool CLOSED Wednesdays until after 6pm for cleaning (fall: fully closed Tue-Wed)
- Last ~15 miles are dirt/gravel (Middle Fork Rd then FS-671)
- NO garbage service anywhere - pack out all trash or $50 fine
- Limited solar power - leave hair dryers/electric skillets home
- No shooting, no chainsaws, quiet 11pm-9am, $200 fine for campfires left burning
- Tent sites unmarked first-come-first-served $15/night; cabins/A-frames need reservation
- Evening swim (2 hrs before close) only $10
- Hazard: 15 miles of unpaved mountain road - slow going, can be rough/muddy; winter snowmobile-only
- Hazard: No garbage service, pack-it-out
- Hazard: Remote - ~2 hrs from Boise, nearest services Garden Valley/Crouch 25 mi
About this spring
Family resort (since 1957) in Peace Valley inside Boise NF — a 186,000-gal geothermal pool at ~100°F that turns over every ~6 hours; cabins, A-frames and tent sites plus adjacent USFS Silver Creek Campground. Summer daily; winter Fri-Mon only. Fee: $15 adult / $12 child / $12 senior (winter: $12/$10/$8) — no reservations needed. Winter = weekends only; heavy ATV traffic on access road.
Silver Creek Plunge is a family geothermal resort on 13 private acres inside Boise National Forest along Silver Creek, about 23–25 miles north of Crouch in the Peace Valley. Its origin story is literal: M.F. Eby staked the Silver Creek silver mine here in the 1890s and struck hot water instead of ore — today's hot pool occupies the old mine entrance. E.H. Heller bought the claim in the 1920s; his son Leland sold to Mert Lyons in 1956, and Lyons and Floyd Suttle built the resort that opened in 1957. The 186,000-gallon flow-through pool takes in 100–104°F water at roughly 540 gallons per minute, averages about 100°F, and turns over every six hours. The Penn family, Idaho-rooted since the 1860s, has owned it since May 2022. Rustic late-1950s A-frames, family cabins, tent sites and the adjacent 53-site USFS Silver Creek Campground serve overnighters. A 2005 diesel spill from a leaking storage tank contaminated the spring; 300 yards of soil were removed during cleanup.
Directions & trailhead access
Banks-Lowman Rd to Crouch, Middle Fork Rd north ~5 mi paved then FR-671 ~15 mi dirt — ~20-25 mi total from Crouch
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 | 100°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 100°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported $15 — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing required |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | USFS Boise NF - Silver Creek Campground page |
Silver Creek Plunge FAQ
Is Silver Creek Plunge open right now?
Open now in fall mode through Oct 31: 186,000-gal geothermal pool (~100F) 15 mi up a dirt forest road north of Crouch. Fall hours: Fri-Sat 9-9, Sun 9-6, Mon & Thu 10-6, CLOSED Tue-Wed. Day use $15 adult/$12 kids & seniors, no reservation needed. Winter access is snowmobile-only. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Silver Creek Plunge free?
Silver Creek Plunge is listed with reported fees near Crouch. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Silver Creek Plunge?
Silver Creek Plunge has a reported soak temperature of 100°F and a historical source temperature of 100°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Silver Creek Plunge clothing optional?
Silver Creek Plunge is listed as swimsuit-required in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Silver Creek Plunge?
Silver Creek Plunge is a private venue with paid public admission. Confirm current hours, fees and booking requirements with the operator before visiting.
Where to stay in Garden Valley
For the Banks–Lowman and Garden Valley leg. Reserve managed pools separately and check forest-road conditions.
Garden Valley is about 13 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- Silver Creek Plunge official site (hours, pricing, rules) — operator · 2026-09
- USFS Boise NF - Silver Creek Campground page — official · 2025
- Recreation.gov - Silver Creek Campground — official · 2025
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
Your private trip notes
Saved only in this browser — not published or shared.No private notes yet
Keep access details and observations for your own planning.