• Snively Hot Springs offers a unique riverside soaking experience with stunning views of the Owyhee River Canyon
If you’re seeking a relaxing soak, be sure to add Snively Hot Springs to your must-visit list. Nestled in the upper reaches of the Owyhee River Canyon, this spot offers stunning views of the Owyhee River winding through vibrant geological formations in a picturesque canyon setting.
Hot water up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit comes from the ground near Owyhee Lake Road, approximately 300 feet from the riverside. It flows through the ditch into a manmade pool, lined with river rocks and boulders, sited right in the river. The water within the pool is shallow, between two to three feet deep.
The hot water flowing through the ditch mixes with the cold water from the river. The water temperature in the pool is not uniform: some spots may be very cold, some very hot.
The temperature of the pool water is determined by the distance from the river and the source of the spring. You can find the perfect soaking location by moving towards or away from the hot springs source.
Stirring water with your hands may help maintain a relatively even temperature around you.
The hot spring area is open year-round, but the pool can be submerged in the river during spring runoff or when the dam releases water.
Therefore, summer and fall are the best seasons to enjoy soaking at Snively Hot Springs.
The springs are located on the BLM land 12 miles below the Owyhee Dam. The area has a big parking lot, a pit toilet, and a picnic table.
The Snively Hot Springs recreation area gets overused and littered. To keep the place clean and safe, BLM allows day use only. Camping and fires are prohibited. Glass containers are prohibited within 30 feet of hot springs.
Please, pack all your trash and leave no trace behind!
Caution. Watch out for poison oak along the river bank and around the parking area.
Beyond Hot Springs: Other Adventures
The Owyhee River Canyon is a breathtaking expanse of high desert, offering many outdoor adventures, including hiking, kayaking, rafting, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, rockhounding, and wildlife watching.
Driving through the majestic labyrinth that is the Owyhee River Canyon is an unparallel experience in its own right. Graveyard Point and Succor Creek areas would be particularly interesting for rock collectors. Both spots are a source of unique and beautiful mineral specimens.
For adventure-seeking visitors, multiple hiking options range from easy to moderate to challenging. Whether it is a leisurely stroll you want or an adrenaline-pumping trek, you can find those in the Owyhee River Canyon. Camping along the shores of the Owyhee Reservoir or taking a boat out onto its serene waters offers a chance to connect with nature in its purest of forms.
The river below the dam offers rafting and fishing for brown and rainbow trout.
Snively Hot Springs Camping & Lodging
Camping and fire are prohibited within 30 feet of the hot springs. However, camping is allowed at any other place on the BLM land.
Budget-friendly accommodations are available in Otrario, 31 miles northeast, or in Nampa, 47 miles southwest.
Affordable vacation rentals for short and long term stay at Nampa, Idaho
Snively Hot Springs | Facts
Location: 31 miles southwest of Ontario • Eastern Oregon • USA
Open: Year-round from dawn to dusk
Development: Undeveloped
Clothing: Optional
Amenities: Pit toilet & picnic table
Restrictions: No camping, no fires, no shooting, no glass containers allowed within 30 feet of the pool
Hiking distance: Short
Road Access: Any vehicle
Day-use: Free
Managed by: Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Elevation: 2,400 ft (732 m)
Water T° (source): 134°F (57°C) - 150°F (66°C)
Water T° (pool): 90°F (32°C) - 120°F (49°C)
Water acidity level: Alkaline (pH=9.2)
Springs Type: Sodium and Calcium Chloride Sulfate
Chemical used: None
| Cations Sodium (Na) - 93 Mg/L Calcium (Ca) - 2.7 Mg/L Potassium (K) - 1.1 Mg/L |
Anions Sulfate (SO4) - 91.7 Mg/L Silica (SiO2) - 70.2 Mg/L Chloride (Cl) - 19.5 Mg/L Fluoride (F) - 15 Mg/L |
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More Adventures
Directions to Snively Hot Springs
From Ontario,
- Drive toward E Idaho Ave
- Take I-84 East and drive 4 miles toward Boise
- Take exit 3 for US-95, turn right onto US-95 South, and continue 7.2 miles to US-20/US-26
- Turn right and continue 2.4 miles to OR-201 South
- Turn left onto toward Lake Owyhee and continue for about 8 miles to Owyhee Avenue
- Turn right onto Owyhee Avenue and drive 4 miles to Owyhee Lake Road
- Turn left and continue on Owyhee Lake Road for 6.5 miles to the parking area on the left.
There used to be a swimming pool at the site where the grove of trees are. There are rattlesnakes and ticks in the area.
There are rattlesnakes in the area.
Ticks are also something to be considered.
A little bit of a history lesson…for you.
There used to a swimming pool located where the large trees grow. The Owyhee Dam up stream is built over an extinct volcano. The site was called hole in the ground.
There is a fault line through the canyon.
The large pipes you see along the road to Snively hot springs are irrigation pipes connected to canals and tunnels from the Owyhee Dam.