Idaho County, Idaho
Stanley Hot Springs
Stanley Hot Springs is a backcountry hot spring in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness of central Idaho, requiring a 3.5-mile hike on the Warm Springs Trail from the trailhead on the Selway River Road.
- Geothermal
- Hike In
- Remote
About this place
Stanley Hot Springs is a backcountry hot spring in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness of central Idaho, requiring a 3.5-mile hike on the Warm Springs Trail from the trailhead on the Selway River Road. The spring fills a pool at the base of the mountains, surrounded by wilderness forest, and it sees significantly less traffic than the roadside springs further east — the hike filters for committed visitors.
The Selway-Bitterroot is the largest designated wilderness area in the contiguous 48 states, covering nearly 1.3 million acres of roadless forest in central Idaho and western Montana. The hot springs sit at the edge of this wilderness, reached from the western trailheads off the Selway River corridor. The experience is genuinely remote — no cell service, no facilities at the spring itself, and the surrounding forest wilderness is dramatic.
Clothing-optional nudity has been the norm here for decades. The Selway corridor is reached from Lowell, Idaho, at the confluence of the Selway and Lochsa Rivers (about 65 miles east of Lewiston on US 12), then south on the Selway River Road.
Visitor notes
Contributed by ClothingOptional.org Editorial Team
Who visits
Selway-Bitterroot wilderness hikers, backcountry hot spring enthusiasts, northern Idaho outdoor regulars willing to do the 7-mile round-trip.
How to find it
From US 12 at Lowell, take the Selway River Road south for about 18 miles to the Warm Springs Trail trailhead. Hike 3.5 miles on the trail to Stanley Hot Springs.
Things to watch out for
Trail may be difficult early in season due to snow or high water crossings. No facilities at the spring. Wilderness regulations apply — camp at least 200 feet from water sources. Bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes are present in the Selway-Bitterroot.
Last updated
Etiquette & ground rules
Wilderness setting — leave no trace completely. Clothing optional is the norm. Share the pool generously.
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Jerry Johnson Hot Springs
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Weir Creek Hot Springs sits in the Clearwater National Forest along the Lochsa River corridor — the same US-12 (Lewis & Clark Highway) stretch that hosts Jerry Johnson Hot Springs about 12 miles to the west. The two springs share a similar backcountry character but draw different crowds: Weir Creek is less visited and has a stronger C/O culture, while Jerry Johnson sees more casual traffic from the larger campground nearby. A short forested trail (under a mile round trip) leads from the highway pullout to the main soaking pool, where warm water flows down a rocky cascade into a log-bordered natural tub. Temperatures run around 100–104°F year-round. The forest setting — dense fir and cedar above the Lochsa — makes this feel genuinely remote despite the highway proximity. In winter, the contrast between cold mountain air and hot water is exceptional. Clothing-optional nudity is the norm at Weir Creek, where the self-selecting crowd of repeat visitors has established a consistent naturist atmosphere. First-timers comfortable with backcountry hot springs will find it welcoming.