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Every Hot Spring

Goldbug Hot Springs

Goldbug Hot Springs is a hot spring with developed pools near Salmon in Idaho. Water at the source is recorded at 113°F (45°C). Records place it on public land. Entry is recorded as free. Clothing-optional soaking is common there.

113°F45°C recorded at the source
Hot: most people last only minutes at the source. Look for mixing pools.

Goldbug Hot Springs is a hot spring located in the Salmon-Challis National Forest about 20 miles south of Salmon, Idaho. The spring is along Warm Spring Creek and there are about six waterfall-fed pools.

Facts

Coordinates
44.9053, -113.9293 (Google Maps, OSM)
Source temperature
113°F (45°C)
Access
Public land
Type
Developed pools
Fee
Free
Clothing optional
Yes, commonly
Nearest town
Salmon
State
Idaho
Data sources
NOAA NCEI, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia, Wikidata, Official sources (linked below). See sources

Map

Larger marker is Goldbug Hot Springs; smaller markers are other springs within 50 miles.

Quick answers

Can you soak at Goldbug Hot Springs?
Records place Goldbug Hot Springs on public land. That is not a guarantee of current access: closures, fire restrictions and road conditions change, so check with the land manager before you go.
How hot is Goldbug Hot Springs?
The hottest recorded reading at the source is 113°F (45°C). That is the outlet temperature, not a pool temperature; water cools as it flows away from the source.
Is Goldbug Hot Springs free?
Yes. Entry is recorded as free. Fees change, so confirm before you go.
Is Goldbug Hot Springs clothing optional?
Sources describe clothing-optional soaking as common at Goldbug Hot Springs. Follow any posted rules.
Where is Goldbug Hot Springs?
Goldbug Hot Springs is near Salmon in Idaho, at coordinates 44.9053, -113.9293.
What other hot springs are near Goldbug Hot Springs?
The closest listed springs, in straight-line distance, are Cronks Canyon Hot Spring, 13 mi; Hot Spring (Lemhi County), 14 mi; and Salmon Hot Spring, 14 mi.

Before you go

  • Temperatures are measured at the source and can be far hotter than any soaking pool. Test with a hand before stepping in.
  • Access, fees, and road conditions change. Verify with the land manager or owner; "public" here reflects survey records, not a current right of entry.
  • Water in natural springs is untreated. Keep your head above water and avoid soaking with open wounds. Some springs carry Naegleria fowleri risk.
  • Pack out everything, including soap residue. Many springs have been closed because of trash and overcrowding.

Sources

Dataset last rebuilt October 11, 2026. Not yet checked on site by a person. Access, fee, clothing and closure details appear only when a source below states them. How this data is built.

Checked against

  1. Bureau of Land Managementblm.gov/visit/goldbug-hot-springs
  2. Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldbug_Hot_Springs

Merged from

  1. NOAA NCEI Thermal Springs List (archived 2025): survey location and source temperature, public domain
  2. OpenStreetMap: mapped feature and its tags, ODbL
  3. Wikipedia: short description, CC BY-SA 4.0
  4. Wikidata: name, county and website, CC0