Loftus Hot Springs is a secluded little spot on the Middle Fork tributary of the Boise River. It’s located about two and half hours northeast of Boise, Idaho.
Just off the side of the service road is a medium-sized pool. Depending on how many fellow bathers you run into, you could be as deeply immersed in silence as you are in warm water.
The Mineral Pools
The pool is a short walk up a path from where you park your car, but you may have to do a bit of searching if there is snow on the ground. As mentioned before, it’s pretty tucked away, hence the reason people tend to make their own decisions about whether or not to wear swimwear.
Fed by a warm waterfall and covered along the bottom with sand, it’s a top-notch option as far as hot springs go. You could sit here for hours on a slow day and watch the wildlife go by.
Accommodations and Food
The closest campsites are at Troutdale, but there are many more primitive sites throughout the Boise National Forest if they are full. Don’t expect hotels or cell service in the vicinity of Loftus.
The closest place to get food is back in Boise, so you might want to make a grocery run and fill up on gas before packing up your car for the trip.
Read about the top camping near Boise, ID.
Getting There
It’s about two hours outside of Boise. Leave the city via ID-21 North and go past Lucky Peak Reservoir. Take a right on East Spring Shores Road towards Atlanta. 34 miles later on the left are the springs.
This route will switch names multiple times, but it will continue to run parallel to the river. It’s just past the bridge over the Boise River at the turnoff at mile marker 34. There is a small parking lot on the west side of the road, the side opposite of the river.
Details
Address: Middle Fork Boise River Road, Mountain Home, Idaho 83647
Season: Year-round
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