Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool is a primitive hot spring listed near Lowell, Idaho. Reported soak temperature: 105°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Open and free — closed to occupancy 8pm-6am daily (enforced since Dec 2022); the upper main pool sits on a cliff ledge ~105°F, seats ~10, and is the most reliable soak at the site.
Checked April 2026 · verified against an official source · 4 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via Montana Free Press — overnight closure implemented.
- 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 105°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: None
- Best time to go: Weekday early mornings; avoid Saturday nights' tail end (must leave by 8pm anyway)
- Clothing reality: No posted code; customarily clothing-optional — expect nudity.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Steep uneven trail; not mobility-friendly
- No entry 8pm-6am — closure covers springs and trailhead parking; citations possible
- Free; vault toilet on site
- Source emerges ~118°F — the upper pool is hot; test water before entering
- Same 0.5-0.7 mi steep trail from the US-12 MP ~142 pullout serves all pools
- No EMS backcountry aid — posted at trailhead
- Hazard: Hot source ~118°F near the upper pool
- Hazard: Slick steep trail; winter ice
- Hazard: No emergency backcountry response
About this spring
The largest and hottest pool at the Weir Creek Hot Springs complex in the Clearwater National Forest — a rock- and log-edged pool (~105°F) perched on a cliff ledge above Weir Creek with views of the cedar canyon. Reached by a steep half-mile trail from the US-12 pullout near milepost 142. Trail steep and slick — hazardous when icy. No overnight use 8pm-6am. Dogs leashed and out of pools.
The upper pool is the largest, hottest and most photographed pool at Weir Creek Hot Springs, perched on a cliff ledge above Weir Creek in the Clearwater National Forest's Lochsa Ranger District. The ~118°F source feeds the pool at a soaking-friendly ~105°F — repeated readings of 105-108°F have been logged from morning to afternoon — and the rock- and log-edged basin, its V-shaped rock bottom and mortar-reinforced outer walls, holds eight to ten people since volunteers enlarged it in 2006; the original soaking plank is still in place.
Cedar forest and volcanic rock cliffs frame the canyon view. The pool is reached by the same steep, slick half-mile trail (about 200 feet of gain) from the US-12 pullout at milepost 142.1 — hazardous when icy. Overnight use is banned from 8pm to 6am, dogs must be leashed and kept out of the water, and summer weekends draw heavy crowds, particularly from Missoula.
Directions & trailhead access
Pullout near milepost 142 on US-12 (~68 mi east of Kooskia); steep ~0.5-mi trail to the top pool on the cliff ledge.
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 | 105°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 118°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 | Montana Free Press — overnight closure implemented |
Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool FAQ
Is Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool open right now?
Open and free — closed to occupancy 8pm-6am daily (enforced since Dec 2022); the upper main pool sits on a cliff ledge ~105°F, seats ~10, and is the most reliable soak at the site. (Status verified against an official source, last checked April 2026.)
Is Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool free?
Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool is listed as free to access in Idaho County, Idaho. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool?
Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool has a reported soak temperature of 105°F and a historical source temperature of 118°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool clothing optional?
Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How do you access Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool?
Weir Creek Hot Springs — Upper Pool is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- Montana Free Press — overnight closure implemented — news · 2022-12
- Hot Springs Guides — Weir Creek — community · 2026-04
- Bitterroot Star — use restrictions announcement — news · 2022-11
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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