Kirkham Hot Springs Soakable

Kirkham Hot Springs reads 149°F at the source (NCEI, historical reading); the pools people soak in usually run cooler than the source. Managed by the Boise National Forest (checked 2026-08-19).

Cool Warm Hot Boiling-class 149°F

149°F / 65°C

Boiling-class range at the source — scalds in seconds

Reading from the NCEI Thermal Springs List (historical reading, 1981 compilation). Source temperature — lower pools usually run cooler.

Water temperatures change with flow and season — test before entering, and never submerge your head in warm natural water. CDC guidance on Naegleria fowleri.

Access

A developed day-use site on the South Fork Payette River five miles east of Lowman on Highway 21, with a trail from the parking area down to the soaking pools and small steaming waterfalls at the river’s edge. Day use only, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the gate closes nightly; $5 per vehicle even when parking along the highway. Dogs are not allowed at the pools.

Trailhead: Kirkham day-use site, Highway 21 east of Lowman

Winter: The developed site operates end of May through end of September; the Forest posts no winter information for it.

Access notes read from the manager's own page, checked 2026-08-19.

Check current conditions with the Boise National Forest

Nearby springs

Identity, coordinates, and temperature quoted from the NCEI Thermal Springs List (historical reading, 1981 compilation).