Easley Hot Springs

What to expect

Easley Hot Springs is an old-fashioned summer swimming pool, the kind of place families have been driving up to from Ketchum for generations. It sits on the Big Wood River inside the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, with Boulder Peak rising behind the pool deck. There are no slides, no spa menu and no restaurant. You get a big warm pool, two hot tubs, a changing room and a small store.

The water comes from natural springs on the hillside at about 100°F38°C and flows by gravity into the pool and tubs. Nothing is added. The pool and even the showers run on untreated spring water, which is unusual for a commercial pool and the main reason many people come.

The pool is a full-size concrete pool, 40 by 75 feet, first poured in 1928. It runs from 2 feet deep at the shallow end, where there are stairs, to 8 feet at the deep end. It holds around 85°F29°C all summer, which makes it comfortable for long swims rather than a hot soak.

The hot tubs are where to go for heat. There are two: a larger one big enough for a group, and a smaller one that overlooks the pool. They are fed by the same spring, so they are warmer than the pool but not scalding.

The whole place has a relaxed summer-camp feel. Bring a cooler and use the picnic patio.

History

The springs are named after John V. Easley, who ran a stage station across the Big Wood River from the springs starting in 1880. He dug out the springs and put up a log bathhouse for travellers and miners heading to Boulder City and Galena. When the mines faded, he closed the station.

The Idaho Baptist Convention began holding summer camps just downstream in 1919. In 1928 the American Baptists took over the Forest Service permit and built the concrete pool, a store, changing rooms and a gas pump. A larger store and shower house went up in 1953.

Record spring runoff in 2006 pushed the Big Wood River into an old channel along the pool’s north side, badly damaging the pool, deck supports and the road below. Repairs, including a new deck, were finished in fall 2008, and they held through another record runoff in 2017. The Idaho Baptist Convention of American Baptist Churches still runs Easley, and profits support Cathedral Pines Baptist Camp.

Prices and booking

2026 day rates:

• General admission (ages 12 to 59): $14
• Seniors (60+): $12
• Children (3 to 12): $12
• Toddlers (2 and under): free

Passes: A five-day pass is $60. Season passes are $175 for an adult, $140 for a child or senior, and $400 for a family. A $550 cabin season pass covers whichever group is renting a participating cabin.

Groups and parties: Groups of at least 20 pay $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and children during regular hours, scheduled in advance. Private parties before or after hours (minimum 20 people, booked at least 7 days ahead) are $16 for adults and $14 for children or seniors.

Rentals: Swimsuits and towels are $1 each, and pool toys $3. Bring your own towel if you can.

Payment is by cash, check or card at the window. You do not need a reservation for a normal visit.

Hours: In September 2026 the pool, tubs and store were open Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with Sunday and Monday visits by appointment. Summer hours are set each season and can change without notice. Call 208-726-7522 before you drive up.

Rules and etiquette

• Supervision: Children under 13 must be with an adult, and nobody may swim alone.
• Lifeguards are on duty only when 40 or more people are in the pool area. Below that, you swim at your own risk.
• Follow staff instructions. The pool manager and lifeguards have the final word.
• Swimsuits are expected. If you forgot yours, rent one at the store. Easley sits on Sawtooth National Forest land under a Forest Service permit, and a forest order bans public nudity there through September 2031.
• Food: Picnics are welcome on the patio. The store sells snacks, ice cream, ice and sunscreen.

Getting there

Easley is about 20 minutes north of Ketchum on State Highway 75, the Sawtooth Scenic Byway toward Galena Summit and Stanley.

1. From Ketchum, drive north on Highway 75 past the Sawtooth National Recreation Area headquarters.
2. Between mileposts 142 and 143, turn off at the sign for “Easley Hot Springs & Pool.”
3. Stay on the short access road and bear left at the Easley Hot Springs sign. The parking lot is about 50 feet farther.

The access road is paved and short, so any car can make it. The walk from the parking lot to the pool is a few steps.

When to go

Easley is a summer-only operation. The 2026 season opened on Saturday, May 23, and the pool generally runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with reduced days into September. It closes for the winter, and the off-season number is 208-726-5007.

July and August are the busiest months, especially on hot weekend afternoons. Weekday afternoons are calmer. Evenings get cool fast at this elevation, and the hot tubs are the place to be once the sun drops behind the ridge.

Where to stay nearby

• Easley Campground (USFS): A small Forest Service campground next to the springs, open in summer and reservable on Recreation.gov. Sites have fire pits and picnic tables, with vault toilets.
• Other Forest Service campgrounds line Highway 75 along the Big Wood River between Ketchum and Galena.
• Ketchum and Sun Valley: About 20 minutes south, with a full range of hotels, condos and vacation rentals. Some local cabin rentals include Easley season passes.

Safety notes

• Kids: Lifeguards are not always on duty. Watch children closely, especially near the 8-foot deep end.
• Untreated water: The pool is chlorine-free spring water. Avoid swallowing it and keep your head above water in the hot tubs.
• Cool evenings: Summer lows here are typically in the 40s°F. Bring warm layers for after your swim.
• Highway 75: Slow down well before the turn. Traffic moves fast on this stretch of the byway.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Harriman Trail, a long hiking and biking trail up the Big Wood River valley, passes right by the springs and through Easley Campground. A few miles farther north, Russian John Hot Spring is a small, primitive warm pool just off the highway. West of Ketchum, Frenchman’s Bend Hot Springs offers a free creekside soak on Warm Springs Road.