Secesh Hot Springs

What to expect

Secesh Hot Springs is a backcountry soak in the Payette National Forest, in the Secesh and Warren country north of McCall. It is not a destination for a casual afternoon. You walk several miles down the Secesh River, ford it, and then climb a slope steep enough that one guide calls it close to vertical. At the top, hot water comes out of the hillside and fills a short chain of rock-walled pools.

The top pool is fed straight from the source and is the warmest. A long-running Idaho hot springs guide reports it at about 98 to 103°F37 to 39°C. Overflow from that pool, plus two smaller seeps, feeds the pools below. The third pool down is too shallow and cool to bother with, and the lowest one, near the river, is cold and stagnant. All of them are small: rock walls, gravel and rock bottoms, roughly 6 to 8 feet across and no more than about 3 feet deep. The water is clear and soft, with no real smell.

Expect to do some housekeeping. Visitors have found the pools full of algae and forest debris, and you may need to clear leaves and needles before you can soak. Red spider mites have also been reported here. They are harmless to most people but unpleasant to share a pool with, so look closely at the water first.

Few people make the trip, and that is the appeal. There are no facilities of any kind.

Getting there

The hike starts at Chinook Campground, on the Secesh River north of McCall.

• From McCall: Drive north on the Warren Wagon Road (Road 21) for 36 miles. Turn right at the Chinook Campground sign onto Forest Road 378 and follow it for 1 mile to the campground. The Forest Service lists the campground at about 5,650 feet.
• The trail: The Secesh River Trail (#080) and the Loon Lake Trail (#081) both start at the campground, and together they form the popular Loon Lake Loop. Head south on the Secesh River Trail through pine, spruce and aspen along the river. At a junction, keep left onto a fainter, more overgrown path that follows the riverbank toward the springs.
• The ford and climb: Near the end you ford the Secesh River, then climb about a quarter mile, very steeply, to the upper pool.

Trip lengths vary by source. One hot springs guide describes about 4 miles in plus the ford and climb. A hiking guide measures the out-and-back at roughly 10.6 miles with about 1,050 feet of total climbing and gives 4 to 5.5 hours. Treat it as a full day.

The trail is not always easy to follow near the springs. Reports describe a maze of faint paths, downed trees and small landslides. The main Secesh River Trail is maintained about once a year, so blowdown can block it after storms. Carry a map or GPS track.

When to go

Late July to October is the window. The ford is the limiting factor. It is usually passable from mid to late July, once spring runoff drops, until snow arrives sometime between September and November.

Late August and September are the sweet spot. The river is at its lowest, the trail is dry and the bugs have eased off.

Winter is not practical. The Warren Wagon Road is not plowed this far, so you would need to snowmobile to the trailhead and snowshoe in, and a winter ford of the Secesh is dangerous.

When this listing was checked in October 2026, the Forest Service showed Chinook Campground open, with the water system off for the season and no alerts for the area. Check the Payette National Forest alerts page and the McCall Ranger District (208-634-0400) for fire closures before you go.

Rules and etiquette

• No fee to hike or soak. Camping at Chinook Campground costs $10 a night for a single site and $15 for a double, first come, first served.
• Clothing: There is no posted rule. This is Payette National Forest land, not the Boise, so the Boise nudity ban does not apply. You may meet hikers coming off the Loon Lake Loop, so keep a swimsuit handy.
• No soap or shampoo in the pools, biodegradable or not.
• Leave no plastic. If you find tarps or plastic sheeting in the pools, pack them out.
• Tread lightly. The Loon Lake Loop is busy with hikers, mountain bikers and motorbikes, and the area around the springs shows the wear.
• Dogs are allowed on the trail on a leash. Keep them out of the pools.

Where to stay nearby

• Chinook Campground sits at the trailhead: nine first-come sites with picnic tables, fire rings and vault toilets. There are no hookups and no trash service, so pack out your garbage. Drinking water is usually on from June to September. Some sites are set up for stock.
• Backcountry camping: There is one grassy, mostly flat site by the river below the springs. There is no room to camp near the upper pools. Loon Lake, on the Loon Lake Loop, has primitive sites.
• McCall, about 37 miles south, has hotels, restaurants and gear shops.
• Burgdorf Hot Springs is a short drive from Chinook and rents rustic cabins. You need a reservation.

Safety notes

• The ford. The Secesh is cold and fast in early summer. Do not cross if the water is above your knees or moving quickly. Unbuckle your pack and use poles.
• The climb. The final quarter mile is steep and loose. Coming down with wet feet is the risky part. Wear real shoes.
• Water quality. These are shallow, slow pools with algae and possible spider mites. Keep your head out of the water.
• Remote country. There is no cell service. Tell someone your plan, carry a headlamp, a filter and extra layers, and leave enough daylight for the return.
• Wildlife and fire. This is bear and wolf country. Store food properly and check fire restrictions before lighting a stove or campfire.

Nearby stops worth adding

Loon Lake is the other half of the loop from Chinook, and near it lies the wreck of a B-23 Dragon bomber that crashed in January 1943, a popular side trip. Burgdorf Hot Springs, a developed historic resort with reservation-only soaks, is close to Chinook and makes an easy soak after the hike. The old mining town of Warren is farther up the Warren Wagon Road.