Mountain Village Resort Hot Springs

What to expect

Stanley is ringed by wild springs along the Salmon River, but almost all of them are rock pools by the highway with no booking and no changing room. Mountain Village Resort Hot Springs is the opposite. It is a set of three built soaking pools on the resort’s own land along Valley Creek, filled with natural hot water piped in from a nearby source, and you book a time slot the way you would book a table.

The resort runs three separate soaks:

• Osprey is the original pool, in a log building with doors that open toward the creek and the Sawtooth Mountains. It is shared, holds up to 8 people per session, and is free for people staying at the lodge.
• Sandhill Crane and Bluebird are two newer private tubs, each 8 by 8 feet and rated for up to 10 people. Each has its own changing room and a small patch of grass outside.

The resort describes the pools as having gravel or pebble bottoms, and says the water runs about 98-104°F37-40°C depending on the time of year, usually close to 100°F38°C. An older visitor report from 2009 described the Osprey pool as deep concrete with a sandy bottom and hot water also entering from below. No chemicals are added. That is why the soap ban is strict.

Each spring has at least one changing room. There are no showers, toilets or lockers at the springs. The nearest public restroom is in the resort restaurant, so plan accordingly. Security cameras watch the outside of the buildings.

Mineral water can tarnish jewelry, and the resort suggests leaving it in your room.

Getting there

Mountain Village Resort sits at the T junction in Stanley where Highway 21 (the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway from Boise and Lowman) meets Highway 75 (the Sawtooth and Salmon River Scenic Byways). The street address is 220 Eva Falls Avenue.

• From Boise: Take Highway 21 northeast through Idaho City and Lowman and over Banner Summit to Stanley. The resort is at the end of Highway 21 where it meets Highway 75.
• From Ketchum and Sun Valley: Take Highway 75 north over Galena Summit and through the Sawtooth Valley to Stanley.
• From Challis: Take Highway 75 west and south up the Salmon River canyon, past Sunbeam and Lower Stanley.

Park at the lodge and check in at the front desk. You cannot drive to the springs themselves; the resort bans vehicles there, and you walk from the main buildings toward Valley Creek. The walk is short.

Highway 21 between Lowman and Stanley crosses Banner Summit and can be slow or closed in winter storms. Check the Idaho 511 road report before driving in from Boise between November and April.

When to go

Stanley sits high in a mountain basin and is one of the coldest towns in the lower 48. That makes a warm pool welcome almost any month, and the setting changes a lot by season.

Summer is peak season in town. Stanley fills with rafters, hikers and campers, the lodge books up, and soak slots go fast. Book as soon as you know your dates.

September is a good compromise: the crowds thin, nights turn cold, and the meadows along Valley Creek turn gold.

Winter is quiet and very cold. The resort keeps separate winter lodging policies, but it also says plainly that the hot springs are a limited amenity that is not guaranteed. If a winter soak is the reason for your trip, call ahead and confirm a slot before you drive.

Early morning (from 7 am) and the last sessions of the evening are the times most likely to be quiet in the shared pool.

Prices and booking

Prices are as the resort lists them on its hot springs page. No year is given, so confirm when you book.

Soak	Who can book	Price	Session
Sandhill Crane (private)	Anyone	$50 for two, $5 per extra guest	90 minutes, starting 7 am to 8 pm
Bluebird (private)	Anyone	$50 for two, $5 per extra guest	90 minutes, starting 7 am to 8 pm
Osprey (shared)	Lodge guests free; non-guests pay	$30 for two non-guests	1 hour, starting 7 am to 10 pm

• Private tubs: Book online through the resort website or call the front desk at 800-843-5475. There are no discounts for lodge guests, locals or staff on these two.
• Osprey: Call 208-774-3661 or ask at the front desk. Hotel guests get priority, and sessions can include strangers.
• Questions: The resort takes hot springs questions at [email protected].

The rules are posted clearly:

• No nudity. Wear a swimsuit. The resort describes itself as family friendly.
• No soap, shampoo or body wash, including biodegradable products.
• Age: You must be 18 or older, or be accompanied by an adult who is.
• No glass. Food and drinks are allowed in other containers.
• No smoking, no pets and no driving to the springs.
• No one who is visibly intoxicated.

If you forgot a swimsuit, the resort points to Riverwear, a separate retailer that sells swimwear.

Where to stay nearby

On site. Mountain Village Resort has a 61-room lodge, the Stanley Outpost, a separate apartment called Velvet Falls, and RV and tent spaces. The same complex holds a restaurant, a saloon, a mercantile and a fuel station. Staying at the lodge gets you free access to the Osprey pool, which is the main reason many visitors book here.

In Stanley. The town has a handful of other motels, cabins and lodges within a few minutes’ walk or drive, though summer weekends fill early.

Camping. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area surrounds Stanley. Forest Service campgrounds line Highway 75 along the Salmon River east of town and Highway 21 to the west, and there are larger campgrounds near Redfish Lake to the south.

Safety notes

• Heat and altitude: Even at about 100°F38°C, a soak at high elevation can leave you light-headed. Drink water and get out slowly.
• Health: The resort itself advises against soaking for the elderly, pregnant women, infants, toddlers and anyone with a condition needing medical care, and warns against soaking alone or after alcohol, drugs or medication.
• Cold: Stanley often drops below freezing at night, even in summer. Bring warm layers and shoes for the walk back.
• Ice: Paths can be icy in winter. Walk carefully between the lodge and the springs.

Nearby stops worth adding

Highway 75 east of Stanley has a string of free roadside springs. Boat Box Hot Spring, a single tub on the bank of the Salmon River, is about 3.5 miles from town. Basin Creek Hot Springs is about 8 miles out, and Cove Creek Hot Springs is close by. A booked soak at Mountain Village and an afternoon at one of the wild pools make an easy day in Stanley.