Barth Hot Springs

What to expect

Barth Hot Springs is not a place you drive to for an afternoon soak. It is a wild spring on the bank of the Main Salmon River, roughly 23 river miles below the Corn Creek launch, in the middle of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. No road reaches it, so the only realistic way to get there is a multi-day float trip down the river.

That shapes what this listing can tell you. Barth is a stop, not a destination. Rafting outfitters describe it as hot water set above the river with wide views up and down the canyon, and they say they may stop there for a soak on the second day of a six-day trip. Whether you get in depends on the river level, the group and the schedule.

River guidebooks place Barth at about mile 22.8 to 23.0. A separate warm spring with a masonry tub sits a little upstream at about mile 22.4. Some trip reports call that one Bathtub Hot Springs, and boaters regularly argue about which is which, so check your river map.

The water level matters more than anything else. A June trip report from the Wasatch Mountain Club found Barth underwater at high flows, with the part that was still above the river too hot to sit in. In late summer, with the Salmon lower, the soaking area is above the waterline and mixes with cooler river water. We could not find a reliable temperature for the soaking pools, so test with a hand first.

There are no facilities at the spring. Everything you bring stays with your boat and leaves with your group.

Getting there

All Main Salmon float trips start at Corn Creek, the launch at the end of the river road downstream from North Fork. Corn Creek is mile 0. Barth Hot Springs is about 23 miles below it, usually reached on the first or second day depending on how far your group floats each day.

There are two ways to go:

• With an outfitter. This is how most people see Barth. Several licensed companies run Main Salmon trips, usually five or six days from Corn Creek. Many meet clients the night before in the town of Salmon and bus them to the launch. The outfitter holds the permit, supplies boats and guides, and decides whether to stop at Barth.
• On a private permit. You need your own whitewater skills, boats and gear, plus a Wild Main Salmon permit from the Forest Service through Recreation.gov.

The usual take-out is Carey Creek, at about mile 80.7, on the road upriver from Riggins. The full run is about 80 miles through one of the deepest canyons in the country. Arrange a vehicle shuttle from Corn Creek to the take-out before you launch.

The Main Salmon is also one of the few wilderness rivers where jet boats are allowed, so you may see them on the water.

When to go

Permits are required year-round, but nearly all float trips run from June to September.

• Late June to early July: Highest water and biggest rapids. Outfitters supply wetsuits on early trips. Barth may be partly or fully flooded.
• Mid-July: Flows ease. This is the most popular window and campsites fill.
• August and September: Lower, clearer water, warmer weather and fewer people. The best odds of finding the spring above the river and comfortable to sit in.

Wildfire smoke and fire closures are possible in late summer. Check the Salmon-Challis National Forest for current conditions before you launch.

Rules and permits

The Wild section of the Main Salmon, from Corn Creek to Long Tom Bar, is managed by the Salmon-Challis National Forest. According to Recreation.gov:

• Permits are required year-round for private parties.
• Control season runs June 20 to September 7. Launches in this window are allocated by lottery. Outside it, permits can be reserved directly.
• Fees: a $6 non-refundable reservation or lottery application fee, and a $4 Special Recreation Fee per person per day.
• Trip length limits in the control season: up to 8 days for groups of 1 to 10, 7 days for 11 to 20, and 6 days for 21 to 30. The maximum group size is 30 people.

Forest Service camps on this stretch are split into small camps, for groups of 20 or fewer, and large camps, for 21 or more. Read the full river rules on the permit page before you go. They cover camping, fires and human waste.

At the spring itself, keep soap out of the water, share the space with other parties, and do not dig or rebuild rock walls.

Where to stay nearby

On the river, you camp. Barth Camp, close to the springs, gets good reviews from boaters, and Bargamin Creek, farther down, is another favorite. Camps are assigned or chosen according to your permit rules.

Before and after the trip:

• Corn Creek: A Forest Service campground at the launch is the usual last night before putting on.
• Salmon: The main outfitter town for the upper river, with motels, restaurants and gear shops.
• North Fork: A small stop on US-93 where the river road to Corn Creek begins.
• Riggins: The nearest town to the Carey Creek take-out, with motels and river outfitters.

Safety notes

• Remoteness: Once you leave Corn Creek, you are days from a road and there is no cell service. Carry a satellite messenger and a full first aid kit, and leave a trip plan with someone at home.
• Scalding water: At high flows only the hottest part of the spring may be above water. Check the temperature with your hand before you get in, and keep children back from the source.
• The river: The Main Salmon is cold and powerful in early summer. Wear a life jacket whenever you are on or near the water, including at camp, and watch footing on wet rock at the spring.
• Heat and sun: Canyon afternoons in July and August are hot. Drink plenty of water, and do not soak for long after a day in the sun.
• Wildlife: Black bears, rattlesnakes and ticks all live in the canyon. Store food properly at camp and check for ticks after walks.

Nearby stops worth adding

Main Salmon trips pass old homesteads, pictographs and side creeks, and most outfitters plan several stops along the way. If hot water is the main draw, ask your outfitter which springs they usually stop at, since river level often decides it.