Miss The Rustic Boiling River? Idaho Has A Replacement Hot Spring River
When epic flooding struck the Yellowstone River in the summer of 2022, there wasn't just damage done to homes, businesses, roads, and bridges, Parts of the Yellowstone River itself, including the area surrounding 'The Boiling River' area, were reshaped and lost - perhaps forever.
Who can rekindle that 'remote but close' romance of hot springs found right next to a river? Idaho, of course. In fact, Idaho has several hot springs options open to the public that sort of capture the vibe of the old Boiling River.
The first option in Idaho (that's not for the lazy), is Rocky Canyon Hot Springs. As with everything cool, it seems that it's not quite what it used to be back in the day as far as hot springs temperature. But you can see from the video, the two adventurers clock the temp at over 100 degrees in one of the pools. But first, they have to traverse the icy waters of the river to get to the pools.
The UltimateHotSpringsGuide.com has this to say about Rocky Canyon Hot Springs: "Rocky Canyon Hot Springs is located along the Middle Fork Payette River in the Boise National Forest. You need to forge the river to get to this gem. It is a primitive and rustic hot spring pools with built-up rocks. The pools are cooler as the hot spring water cascades to the river.
Another option that is WAY EASIER to get to, is Kirkham Hot Springs - located less than 2 hours north of Boise. These are not difficult to get to. They have basic camping spots right next to the highway. This isn't the place for you if you're looking for super rural, untouched beauty. BUT, they are in pretty good shape, and sometimes convenience is a necessity.
For a few more Idaho hot springs options, it doesn't take long to find a list or someone's extensive opinion. Hey, it's almost as if they WANT all the folks from Montana to come over and use their hot springs instead of ours! Open invitation, people.