• Gold Fork Hot Springs is a scenic destination in a pine forest setting
• There are 6 pools with different temperatures
Gold Fork Hot Springs is a picturesque destination allowing you to escape from your day-to-day life and enjoy hot mineral water in a pine forest of the North Fork Range. The hot springs facility is open to visitors all year long.
Gold Fork Hot Springs used to be a property of Boise Cascade, but the company was blowing hot springs they owned up to prevent people from getting hurt there for liability issues. Fortunately, Gold Fork was too large and too dangerous to blow up, so it was sold. This location changed owners many times for the course of the next 15 years until it ended up with current owners Brenda Bailey and her daughter Kelly McInerney. Their goal is to keep the springs as natural as possible and as comfortable as possible for their guests.
Gold Fork is located in the small town of Donnelly 90 minutes away from Boise and has multiple features making it very popular for visitors of all ages. There are 6 pools with different temperatures. Hot geothermal water cascades from the top hottest pool at 110 degrees F to the lowest pool slowly cooling on its way down to 85 degrees F. This way you can pick the temperature that is most comfortable for you. Due to a great flow rate and high alkalinity, no chemical treatment is required. The water in the pools is fully replaced every four hours.
The wooden deck is geothermally heated during winter and has tables, chairs, and umbrellas. One of the pools has a sandy bottom and sandy deck giving it a feeling of a small geothermal beach. The cascading waterfall can be used for hydro-massage.
There are change rooms and lockers. This is an accessible location with handicapped parking and restrooms. There are no overnight accommodations, camping, or RV parking, but you can always find a place to spend the night at one of the multiple locations nearby. There is no place to buy food, but you can bring your own. No alcohol or tobacco is allowed.
Gold Fork Hot Springs | Facts
Location: 24 miles southeast of McCall • Idaho • USA
Open: Year-round
Development: Soaking pools, changing rooms, lockers
Clothing: Required
Accommodations: No camping
Hiking distance: Short
Road Access: Any vehicle
Day-use fees: Yes
Restrictions: Cash and checks only
Elevation: 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
Water T° (source): 127°F (53°C)
Water T° (tubs): 110-85°F (43-29°C)
Water acidity level: Alkaline (pH=9)
Chemical used: None
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Directions
From McCall,
- Travel south on Highway ID-55 for 15 miles to Davis Creek Lane
- Turn left onto Davis Creek Lane and go 2.5 miles to Gold Fork Road
- Turn right onto Gold Fork Road and continue 2.3 miles
- Bear right onto Gold Fork Road/NF-498 and follow 1.7 miles to the destination.
goldforkhotsprings.com
