Kirkham Hot Springs

What to expect

Kirkham is the hot spring most Boise people have been to, because it is so easy. Hot water seeps and springs out of a rock bluff above the South Fork Payette River, then spills down in a handful of small, steaming waterfalls. Where that water meets the riverbank, visitors and the Forest Service have shaped a series of shallow rock pools with sand and gravel bottoms. At least one pool sits right under a hot waterfall, which works like a natural shower.

The temperature is different in every pool. Pools close to the falls can be too hot to sit in. Pools nearer the river take in cold water and can be lukewarm, especially in spring. You move around until you find one you like. The water is clear to slightly cloudy, with a faint sulfur smell.

This is a highway-side spring at about 4,000 feet. You can see the pools from Highway 21, and there is little shade, just a few scattered ponderosa pines. In summer the rocks bake and the place fills up. In winter, steam hangs over the river and the snow-covered bluff, and it can be one of the better winter soaks in the state.

Kirkham has had a rough decade. Crowds during the pandemic left heavy trash and damage, and the Forest Service closed the site in 2021. It came back in 2022 as a day-use area rather than a campground. Since then the forest has put about $1.4 million, mostly from the Great American Outdoors Act, into reshaping it for day use, with new restrooms, changing rooms, designated trails and moved parking. The Forest Service page now lists vault toilets and changing rooms at the site.

Getting there

Kirkham is on Idaho State Highway 21, the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, about 5 miles east of Lowman at milepost 77.

• From Boise via Banks: Drive north on State Highway 55 about 38 miles to Banks. Turn right onto State Highway 17, the Banks-Lowman Road, and drive 31 miles east along the South Fork Payette to Lowman. At the Highway 17 and 21 junction in Lowman, turn left toward Stanley. The site is about 5 miles farther, on the right.
• From Boise via Idaho City: Take Highway 21 northeast through Idaho City and over Mores Creek Summit to Lowman, then continue east. This route has more mountain driving and is the one more likely to be affected by winter weather.
• From Stanley: Take Highway 21 west past Banner Summit and the Grandjean turnoff. Kirkham is on the left about 5 miles before Lowman.

All routes are paved. Turn in at the signed entrance, pay at the fee station and park in the day-use lot. From the lot, a short trail drops to the pools. It is steep in places, with rock steps and some loose footing. Wear real shoes and consider a trekking pole in wet or icy weather. A large pullout on Highway 21 west of the site gives a view of the pools and waterfalls, but the $5 fee still applies if you park on the highway.

When to go

Kirkham is open year-round, but the experience changes a lot by season.

• Summer is the busiest time. Rafters, campers from nearby campgrounds and day trippers from Boise all stop here. Expect a full lot on weekends and hot, exposed rocks in the afternoon.
• Fall and spring are the sweet spot. The air is cool enough that the hot pools feel good, and crowds thin out on weekdays. In late spring the river is high, so some lower pools can be flooded or cooled.
• Winter can be excellent, with steam over the river, but check the Idaho 511 road report first. The Banks-Lowman Highway and Highway 21 can close for rockfall during storms.

Mornings are quieter than evenings. You must be out by 9pm, when the gate closes.

Rules and etiquette

• Day use only, 7am to 9pm. No overnight camping. The gate is locked at 9pm.
• Pay the fee. $5 per vehicle per day, including on the highway shoulder. The annual Boise National Forest day-use pass on Recreation.gov also covers it.
• Swimsuits are required. Swimwear is posted at the site, and a Boise National Forest order (#0402-00-64) bans public nudity on all forest land from August 27, 2025, to August 27, 2030. Violations are a Class B misdemeanor.
• Dogs on leash. Pets must be leashed at all times and kept away from the pools and runoff.
• No soap or shampoo in the pools, and no glass on the rocks.
• Pack out trash. Litter is the reason this site was closed in 2021. Use the bins and take the rest home.
• Stay on the trails. Social trails have trampled the plants on the bluff. The Forest Service has built designated paths to stop that.

Where to stay nearby

You cannot camp at Kirkham, but the Lowman area has several Forest Service campgrounds.

• Mountain View Campground is just east of Lowman at milepost 73.2 on Highway 21, about 4 miles west of Kirkham. It has several single-family sites and a group site, all accessible, and takes reservations on Recreation.gov. It runs roughly late May to late September.
• More Forest Service campgrounds line Highway 21 toward Grandjean and the Banks-Lowman Road toward Garden Valley. Bonneville Campground, up Highway 21, has its own hot springs.
• Lowman has a few seasonal services, but gas and food there are not always reliable. Garden Valley and Idaho City have more dependable stores and lodging. Stanley is the base to the east.
• Private soaking: Haven Hot Springs, about a mile west on Highway 21, rents private pools by reservation.

Safety notes

• Very hot water: The waterfalls and source pools can scald. Check each pool with your hand and keep children away from the falls.
• Slick rock: The rocks around the pools and on the trail are uneven and slippery when wet. Most injuries here are falls, not burns.
• The river: The South Fork Payette runs fast and cold, especially in spring runoff. Children should not wander into the current from the lower pools.
• Sun: There is almost no shade. Bring water and sun protection in summer.
• Road hazards: Watch for falling rocks and wildlife on Highway 21, especially deer and elk at dawn and dusk.

Nearby stops worth adding

Highway 21 is lined with soaks. Bonneville Hot Springs has rock pools and a bathtub shack a short walk from a campground farther east. Sacajawea Hot Springs sits on the river near the Grandjean turnoff. West of Lowman on the Banks-Lowman Road, Pine Flats Hot Springs is a short climb above the river. The Kirkham Ridge Trail starts less than a quarter mile from the site and runs about 35 miles for hikers, mountain bikers and riders.