Downata Hot Springs

What to expect

Downata Hot Springs is a small, busy family resort in Marsh Valley, in the farm country south of Pocatello. It is not a quiet spa. In summer it is a swimming hole with water slides, a snack bar and a campground full of kids. In winter it shrinks down to what most adults come for: a couple of steaming soaking pools of plain mineral water, with mood lighting after dark and snow on the hills around the valley.

The spring rises at about 109-112°F43-44°C and flows at more than 600 gallons a minute from an oval concrete catch basin on the property. The water is clear, odorless and close to neutral, with a pH of about 7.1 and a fairly light mineral load of under 400 mg/L of dissolved solids, mostly calcium bicarbonate. That makes it gentle on skin and swimsuits.

The resort traces back to 1907, when Alexander Marshall’s family moved to “The Springs” and built the first pool. It has been through a long run of owners since. The current management team, led by Darlene Downs, has added most of what you see today, including the two soaking pools and a large dining room finished in 2015, which turned Downata into a year-round operation.

The pools

• Hot soaking pools: The main draw. These hold unchlorinated, flow-through spring water at about 99-102°F37-39°C, varying with the air temperature. They are for soaking only: no swimming, splashing, food or drinks. Bottled water is sold at the front desk.
• Recreation pool: A 300,000-gallon spring-fed pool, cooled in summer with well water and kept around 85-99°F29-37°C. It is chlorinated and cleaned at least weekly. A kiddie pool about 2 feet deep sits in one corner.
• 10-person hot tub: Flow-through with jets and heated only by the spring. Summer only, and children must be with an adult.
• Sauna: Partly warmed by spring water. Adults only, with a signed release.
• Slides: The Dragon Slide, about 351 feet long and opened in 1980, was promoted as Idaho’s first tube slide. The Black Hole Slide (1983) drops partly underground. The Swirly Slide, Family Slide and summer-only Otter Slide empty into the recreation pool. Riders need to be 48 inches tall for the big slides and the Black Hole.
• Water playground: A warm splash pad, open in summer.

Prices and booking

All 2026 pool prices below include tax and are per person. Ages 2 and under pay $3, which covers a swim diaper.

Summer 2026: Recreation pool and slides $12. Hot pools $12. Everything Pass (both, one day) $22. Two-day recreation pool pass $22. Evening recreation pool (last three hours) $8. Monday to Thursday recreation pool $10, holidays excluded. A poolside observation pass is $5.

Winter 2026: Hot pools only $12. Recreation pool without slides $10. Evening rate $8.

Fall 2026 hours: The hot pools open Wednesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Early-bird soaking runs 8 to 10 a.m., and Friday and Saturday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. are kept for quiet soaking. The recreation pool opens Friday 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday noon to 7 p.m., with the hill slides closed. The resort is closed Sunday to Tuesday in this season.

The PoolSide Restaurant serves breakfast and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, with dinner by reservation. In fall 2026 the resort sold dinner-and-soak packages at two for $52, or two for $60 with an all-day soak.

Rentals: Towels and swimsuits rent for $3 (the front desk takes a refundable deposit), and lockers are $3 plus a key deposit.

Rules and etiquette

• Swimwear is required. Thongs and g-strings are not allowed, and street clothes are only acceptable as a non-white T-shirt or gym shorts over a suit. Shorts with rivets or buckles are banned on the slides.
• No alcohol, no glass, no grills. Outside food and soft drinks are allowed but stay on the lawns, off the concrete decks. Staff may check coolers.
• Children: Under 3s must wear a swim diaper. Kids under 9 need a supervising adult in the water. Kids 9 to 11 can swim on their own only after passing a lifeguard swim test (15 yards plus a minute of treading water in the deep end). Non-swimmers always need an adult.
• Pets: Not allowed in the pool area. Official service dogs may stay on the deck but not in the water. Therapy and emotional support animals are not admitted.
• Accessibility: Ramps lead into the recreation pool and the large soaking pool. Ask at reception to have the hot pool gate opened so you can avoid the stairs to the dressing rooms.

Getting there

Downata is in southeast Idaho at 25900 South Downata Road, a few miles southeast of the small town of Downey. Downey sits on US-91 in Marsh Valley, between Pocatello and the Utah line, and is a short hop off I-15. From Downey, follow the signs south and east along the valley floor to the resort. The road is paved and there is a large parking lot, so any car will do in any season.

The resort bills itself as centrally located between Salt Lake City and Yellowstone, and many people stop on the drive between the two.

When to go

Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) is the full-resort season, with every slide running and the campground busy. Weekday mornings are the calmest. Saturdays are the busiest days.

Fall and winter are better for adults who want a quiet soak. The hot pools are open fewer days, but the Friday and Saturday late-night sessions are relaxed and the cold air makes the 100°F38°C water feel right. The resort has run Halloween events such as a “Spooky Splash” on October 31.

Where to stay nearby

You can stay on site. Lodging rates do not include pool admission, check-in is after 4 p.m. and stays of several nights get 10% off. 2026 rates, before tax, include:

• Small yurts (up to 4) $145 and small cabins (up to 4) $155.
• Medium cabins with kitchens (up to 6) $225.
• Conestoga wagons (4 to 6 guests), summer only, $225.
• Large yurt for up to 12, $245, pets allowed with a deposit.
• Bunk House $250, Ranch House $375 and Hadley House (up to 18) $475.
• Budget options: glamping tents $69, Cowboy Hangout with eight cots $89, and the RV trailer or Deer Den at $99.

Campground: Basic tent or RV sites without hookups are $35, tent sites with power $40, and RV sites with power run $45-60 depending on length and water. Tepees with four cots and power are $89. There is no sewer hookup (the dump station is in Downey), campground water is on from about April to October, and quiet hours and an 11 p.m. curfew apply.

For more choice, Pocatello has the nearest chain hotels.

Safety notes

• Kids and water: Lifeguards run swim tests, but the supervision rules are strict for a reason. Keep young children within reach in the deep end.
• Heat: Even at 100°F38°C, long soaks add up. Drink water between sessions and get out if you feel lightheaded.
• Winter driving: Marsh Valley roads can be icy and windblown in winter. Check conditions before driving down from Pocatello at night.

Nearby stops worth adding

Southeast Idaho has several other soaking stops within an easy drive. Lava Hot Springs, also in Bannock County, has large state-run hot pools. Riverdale Resort near Preston and Maple Grove Hot Springs, both in Franklin County to the south and east, are good pairings for a weekend loop.