The number one post of 2011 was … Holiday Hot Springing in Idaho, posted in November 2011.

Number two goes to … Loftus Hot Springs Near Boise, Idaho is No More, posted in May 2011.

Number three … Dippin’ @ Skinny, posted in October 2011.

An early morning, fall visit to Skinnydipper Natural Hot Springs, located in the Boise National Forest in Idaho.

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You never know what you might find when visiting Skinnydipper Hot Springs, northeast of Boise. Good, bad… ugly?

Getting up before dawn is never easy. However, when you are after Skinnydipper  it is a must, IMHO. There’s nothing quite like watching the sun rise through a dimly lit forest while soaking in a natural hot springs.

I really like that my cell phone doesn’t work out here. I like that questions about wi-fi in nearby towns draw nothing but a brow raise. Getting away from it all really makes it easier to have a relationship with nature… and reconnect with yourself.

I don’t like hiking through a beautiful forest along a trail littered with beer cans and cigs, just to arrive at a pristine hot springs to find glass beer bottles and more of the same. Glass just sucks all the way around. People make mistakes, people get drunk, glass gets broken and goes into the pools… we all lose. Some of the news folk that read this blog need to remember this lesson, that’s right, I’ve seen your Facebook pics. No worries, just remember for next time.

Cleanup wasn’t that bad, only one (very full) bag’s worth. The funny thing is the Jackholes only trashed the lower party pool, which clocked in at a meek 89 degrees. There was absolutely no evidence of Jackholes at the upper pool, which had recently fashioned valves attached to hot and cold pipes for attaining optimal soaking conditions. It looks like those idiots soaked in cool waters, heh. High Five, Karma.

I ran into a friendly soaker post ‘qualifying’ the upper pool for a couple hours, who volunteered to hike out with the trash bag after expressing gratitude for picking it all up. There’s a first time for everything, I was quite impressed.

Needless to say, just like in real life, every segment of the population has some bad apples. Same goes at Skinnydipper. Mostly good, some not so good.

Important to note:

• Lock up your vehicle and hide any left behind gear, Jackholes have been known for theft and vandalism here. Just this last visit, there was freshly broken windshield glass visible in the pullout, which looked like originated from 2-4 vehicles.
• Don’t bring glass, and please pick up all trash you come across. As a rule of thumb, keep two extra sacks in your backpack.
• Be wary that the hike up to the hot springs is relatively steep with jagged switchbacks. I wouldn’t advise this hike for small children unless you are equipped. Much unlike the two Mothers I witnessed, each with a 3 y/o with sandals and flip flops on. I would also advise that many people soak in the buff here (hence all of the Bare warning signs), if you are not ok with your kids baring witness, nearby Hot Springs, Pine Flats, Kirkham and Bonneville Campgrounds each have hot springs that are easier to access and are much more suitable for children.
• Remember too, most hot springers are of the friendly lot, give them respect unless you are given a clear reason not to.

Happy Trails!

Rating: A-
pH: 7

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With winter in full-swing I thought it would be a good time to start a series that focus-on hot springs that are viable winter destinations from the city of Boise, Idaho.

Boise’s Best Winter Hot Springs

1 Hour from Boise

Skinnydipper AKA Mile Marker 4 Hot Springs near Garden Valley

Skinnydipper is about a 45minute to 1 hour drive from Boise, followed by a 0.5 mile hike up steep switchbacks to the actual hot springs. Visiting should be avoided during inclement weather. Roads and the trail can become treacherous quickly. It’s popular, so go on the weekdays or in the morning or both if you can. Luckily, there’s usually 2 or 3 pools in good working order. Thus, decent space to accommodate moderate sized groups of people. Lock-up your vehicle and hide your valuables, as theft has been on the rise in the parking area.

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Directions

• From Boise, take Highway 55 north to Banks, Idaho (45 minutes)
• Head east from Banks on the Banks-Lowman Highway to the mile marker 4 sign and trail head parking area (15 minutes)
• Cross the road and find the well-used and visible trail that heads north, up the side of the mountain
• Follow the switchbacks all the way up before dropping down to the pools (.5 mile hike/steep elevation)
• Be careful! This hike can be treacherous during inclement weather conditions

Check Idaho Road Conditions and Reports

Fees
None. Skinnydipper is a public hot springs located on BLM land.

Overnight Options
Nearby campgrounds on highway 55, north of Crouch and east of Garden Valley plus a couple hotels in Garden Valley.

Special Considerations
Skinnydipper is a recent find, and has only been around since the mid to late 90s – much unlike the rest of Idaho’s natural hot springs. It is also one of Idaho’s most abused hot springs and survives primarily due to the efforts of volunteer groups like ‘The Keepers’, ‘Boise River Volunteers’ and a few locals. Please remember to not bring any glass (not fun to step on in the pool) and pick up all trash you come across.

Upcoming Boise’s Best Winter Hot Springs Series Posts:

Gold Fork Hot Springs near Donnelly and Cascade

Miracle Hot Springs near Hagerman

Kirkham Hot Springs near Lowman

Bonneville Hot Springs near Lowman

Juntura Hot Springs near Juntura, Oregon

Many thanks to my fellow soak-seekers for sending in the following updates!

1. The super-soaker at Bonneville Hot Springs near Lowman, Idaho is back in action after being repaired by multiple volunteer groups.
2. The surrounding landscape at Willow Creek Hot Springs near Pine, Idaho was severely damaged by wildfire in 2008; I recently received word that no soaking pools have resurfaced, and that not much potential remains.
3. Deadwood Hot Springs has been cleaned and tinkered with a few times. Despite the attempted improvements, a thorough cleaning and adjustment of the source hoses will most likely be required pre-soak. Spend the night or make sure you have ample time if you make the hike out.
4. Multiple reports of Jackhole sightings have surfaced in regard to Skinnydipper AKA Mile Marker 4 Hot Springs near Banks, Idaho.  Reports included alleged sightings of public urination/defecation in the parking area and next to the pools.
   Side note: Skinny was officially closed at night for 2 years ending in 2009. However, Jackholes either defaced or removed signs and the closure was never really enforced. Very sad because the surrounding area has been abused so much that it was classified as ‘critically endangered’ years ago. This subsequently resulted in management/jurisdiction of MM4 changing hands from the Forest Service to the BLM.
5. This season brought about a sizable fee-hike to $25/night for campgrounds in the Atlanta, Idaho area near Atlanta, Power Plant and Chattanooga Hot Springs.
6. A little reworking has taken place at Secesh Hot Springs, northeast of McCall, Idaho. Smaller pools have been disassembled in favor of a larger primary pool. Initial qualifications have been favorable.

Please Remember

Pack it In Pack it Out – No Trash or Glass at the Hot Springs!

Travel Tools

• Check road reports/conditions
• Check the weather forecast
• Check listing of hot springs with Red Spider Mites (RSMs)
• Learn about how to test if a hot springs is safe to soak
• Submit access and/or condition updates

After reading the hotspringsguy’s post on Skinnydipper it is hard to not want to go clean it up! Boise River Volunteers will be having a clean up on Tuesday 4/6/10- we will meet at 10am and clean then soak- plan for this to be an all day event. Tons of trash along with tons of fun, bring food, warm enough clothes for the weather, and money to chip in on gas if you can. Sign up at riverhelpers or comment for assistance in getting signed up. We are always glad to accept new volunteers!

- Amber

Keys from female jackhole found at Skinnydipper

Cig butts, cig packs, beer cans, more beer cans, food packaging, underwear, a dress, a shirt with human feces on it … and on. This was some of the awesomeness I found at Skinnydipper hot springs this morning. A sickening feeling crept into my stomach as I was hiking up the trail towards the soaking pools once I realized that I was entering jackhole territory.

There was one car in Skinny’s pullout about an hour before dawn. Partiers from Emmett, Idaho that spent the night. About half-way up I passed two drunken 20 something jerks on their way down. After the last one walked by he said “them pools is fu**ing packed!”. Whatever, I thought.

As I approached the lower pools I noticed two more jackholes; male and female, that were in the lowest soaking pool nestled amongst their jackhole trash heap. I continued up to the two upper pools. Cesspools of human waste. Unbelievable!! While I was discovering the mess and crunching beer cans beneath my shoes the jackholes below abandoned their home away from home. They must have sensed I was coming for them.

I finished stuffing the only garbage bag I brought up with trash before taking off down the trail after the jackhole horde. I was furious! My soaking partner was close behind. As I was cruising down the trail the faint light of the rising sun gave me a glimpse of the pullout. Jackholes were trying to bust into my truck! I was still maybe 10 minutes from being all the way down.

Once my compadre witnessed the scene below a loud bellow was released that startled myself and the jackholes. They looked up, saw me – and scattered! Invigorated, I increased my rate of decent and missed a switchback and landed on my chest a few feet later. I didn’t skip a beat and was quickly back on my feet, the jackholes messing with my ride and trash rage gave me the adrenalin I needed.

My feet hit the pavement as the jackholes sped away. To be honest, it worked out for the better. I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if I had caught them. My backup was still a few minutes away and the jackholes had me outnumbered. It would have been ugly, no doubt.

Defeated, we left without soaking. The jackholes took this round.

This is a good time to remember that taking care of public hot springs means addressing jackholes besides just cleaning up their trash. Try to be nice, snap a pic of their license plate and email it to the Boise National Forest and BLM (and here, I’ll gladly post it).

Week after week slipped past, until finally, a Tuesday afternoon stepped out of the void and presented itself. It only took a second for me to realize just what exactly this meant. No time for dogs, but I needed an accomplice. Easy. I knew of a geothermal fiend that didn’t have BSU class on Tuesdays. So, I nabbed my soak-pack (a small sling-style backpack pre-loaded with day hiking and hot springing gear) and was out the door. Destination – Boise National Forest.

Afternoons like this are why Boise is such a great place to live. Forest to the north, high desert to the south. Open space. The great outdoors. Only 1 hour in either direction. Within 30 minutes I broke free of crowded roads and the vast expanse of the bustling valley. Another 30 minutes on highway 55 brought me into the thick of the forest, and Mile Marker 4 Hot Springs.

Skinnydipper was slammed, and I wasn’t in a mood to banter. A more subtle commune with nature was on my agenda. On down the highway. Thoughts of checking on Rocky Canyon and Little Anderson came and went. Then, I arrived at Hot Springs Campground. Took a look around, checked temps (100-101) and left. It looked good, but I needed more hiking.

Pine Flats was awesome. Not the soak, but everything else. All of the pools except one tiny soaker up top were too cool (upper 90s) for school. It was just nice to hike around and look for signs of spring. Oh, and no trash to pick up is always a treat. After all of that hiking, it was time to return to Hot Springs Campground.

The soak at HS CG was marginal. We cleared the area of trash and hopped right in. Well, turns out that 101 degrees during the day wasn’t too bad, but that 101 had turned into 99 after sunset and the ambient air temps had dropped right along with it. Add to that Red Spider Mites (RSMs), and the suck factor increased a bit. I’ve heard stories, but after many visits to HS CG with no RSM encounters I didn’t think much of it – until now. I have a theory that hot springers are inadvertently infecting the non-afflicted hot springs with RSMs. Ugh, another one to add to the list.

Skinnydipper Hot Springs in Central Idaho

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Miracle Hot Springs in Southern Idaho

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Skinnydipper Hot Springs Featuring The Crappy Old String Band – For more funny videos, click here

The hike and hot pools of famed Skinnydipper Hot Springs located in south-central Idaho. Featuring Bluegrass from ‘The Crappy Old String Band’ with Bart Rayne on Banjo and Vocals.

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