Smith Cabin Hot Spring
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Smith Cabin Hot Spring is a primitive hot spring listed near Idaho City, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 102°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Roadside Boise National Forest hot spring on the Middle Fork Boise River ~33 mi up Middle Fork Road from Highway 21 near Troutdale Campground: ~138-143F source water is tempered with river water in up to three volunteer-built rock pools — two across the river requiring a ford — that winter runoff periodically washes out.
Checked September 2026 · based on recent visitor reports · 5 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Stay in Idaho City for its managed soaking venue.
Idaho City 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 USGS GNIS/LakeQuality — Smith Cabin (138F survey value).
- 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 102°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Clothing policy unknown — verify locally; 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 — Boise National Forest public land; dispersed access.
- Best time to go: Late spring–fall after runoff drops; pools rebuild through summer. Winter access possible but road is brutal and pools may be gone.
- Clothing reality: No posted policy; guidebook lists 'clothing recommended' — roadside location on a traveled forest road means swimsuits are the norm.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Pool #1 is ~65 ft from the road down to the riverbank — rough, not wheelchair-suitable; #2/#3 need a river ford.
- Source is ~138-143F — pools only soakable when mixed with river water; test carefully, hot inclusions can scald
- Three pool sites: #1 roadside, #2 across the river slightly upstream, #3 ~100 yds farther up ~20 yds from the bank — reaching #2/#3 requires fording the Middle Fork Boise River (dangerous at high water) or parking on the opposite side and walking ~1 mi
- Pools are volunteer-built rock rings — shallow, rustic, and frequently destroyed by winter/spring runoff; condition varies trip to trip
- Middle Fork Boise River Road is year-round but notoriously washboarded ('one of the most irritating roads' per hotspringsguy); some alternate access roads have seasonal FS closures — in winter/spring check Boise NF road status
- Unmarked pullout on the river side ~3.1 mi past Sheep Creek Bridge toward Atlanta; no signs
- Troutdale Campground and dispersed sites nearby for camping
- Hazard: 138-143F source water — scald risk in unmixed pools
- Hazard: River ford to reach pools 2-3 — hazardous at high flows
- Hazard: Pools washed out seasonally — may be absent
- Hazard: Washboarded remote road; no cell service
About this spring
Three hot spring sources on both sides of the Middle Fork Boise River near Troutdale Campground — shallow volunteer-built rock pools cooled by river mixing; source ~140°F scalding. A minor soak compared to nearby Sheep Creek Bridge and Loftus; pools frequently washed out by runoff. 140°F vents cause burns — only enter cooled pools. Middle Fork road heavily washboarded. Fording the river to pools 2-3 hazardous at high water.
Smith Cabin is a collective name for three separate thermal sources straddling the Middle Fork Boise River near Troutdale Campground in the Boise National Forest's Atlanta backcountry. Spring #1 rises on the road side of the river, #2 emerges across the channel slightly upstream, and #3 sits about 100 yards farther up, originating some 20 yards above the riverbank — reaching the far-bank pair means fording the river, hazardous at high water. The vent water, around 140°F at the source, is far too hot to enter unmixed, so soaking depends on shallow volunteer-built rock pools where river water blends in; those riverside pools are routinely destroyed by runoff.
IdahoHotSprings.com, the long-running regional survey that documented the site, rates it a C- — clear water and no odor, but a modest foot-soak stop compared with Sheep Creek Bridge and Loftus a few miles down the notoriously washboarded Middle Fork Boise River Road.
Directions & trailhead access
Middle Fork Boise River Road (FS 268) ~33 mi northeast of Boise via Hwy 21/Mores Creek; unmarked riverside pullout ~3 mi past Sheep Creek Bridge.
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 | 102°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 140°F |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Unknown — verify locally |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | USGS GNIS/LakeQuality — Smith Cabin (138F survey value) |
Smith Cabin Hot Spring FAQ
Is Smith Cabin Hot Spring open right now?
Roadside Boise National Forest hot spring on the Middle Fork Boise River ~33 mi up Middle Fork Road from Highway 21 near Troutdale Campground: ~138-143F source water is tempered with river water in up to three volunteer-built rock pools — two across the river requiring a ford — that winter runoff periodically washes out. (Status based on recent visitor reports, last checked September 2026.)
Is Smith Cabin Hot Spring free?
Smith Cabin Hot Spring is listed as free to access in Elmore County, Idaho. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Smith Cabin Hot Spring?
Smith Cabin Hot Spring has a reported soak temperature of 102°F and a historical source temperature of 140°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Smith Cabin Hot Spring clothing optional?
Directory records do not confirm the clothing policy at Smith Cabin Hot Spring — verify current rules before visiting.
How do you access Smith Cabin Hot Spring?
Smith Cabin Hot Spring is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Idaho City
Stay in Idaho City for its managed soaking venue. Remote Middle Fork Boise River springs require a separate road plan.
Idaho City 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
- HotSpringsLocator/Wild Idaho Soaking — Smith Cabin Hot Springs (3 pools, 143F source, ford details, directions) — community · 2025
- SoakingSprings — Smith Cabin Hot Spring (138F, Boise NF, roadside on Middle Fork Road) — community · 2026-09
- hotspringsguy — Smith's Cabin Hot Springs revisited (3 sources, seasonal road closures, washboard road, pool condition) — community · 2006-10
- USGS GNIS/LakeQuality — Smith Cabin (138F survey value) — official · 2024
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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