Jerry Johnson Hot Springs

A series of primitive, geothermal pools along Warm Springs Creek in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, reached by a scenic suspension bridge and a flat forest trail.

Jerry Johnson Hot Springs consists of three distinct geothermal sources bubbling along Warm Springs Creek, deep within the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests of north-central Idaho. The springs are located within the ancestral homelands of the Nez Perce, or Nimiipuu, who have utilized the Lochsa River corridor and its thermal waters for seasonal hunting, gathering, and spiritual travel for generations. The modern name honors Jerry Johnson, a Prussian-born prospector who built a cabin near the creek in the late 1800s while searching for a legendary lost gold mine. Today, visitors access this undeveloped sanctuary by parking at the Warm Springs Trailhead off U.S. Highway 12, near mile marker 152. The journey begins by crossing the Lochsa River over the wooden Warm Springs Creek Pack Suspension Bridge, a striking structure that sways gently above the rushing, boulder-strewn river. From there, Warm Springs Trail #49 leads hikers south on a relatively flat, 1.3-mile path through a lush canopy of ancient western red cedars and Douglas firs, where the air is thick with the scent of damp earth, moss, and evergreen needles.

The thermal features are arranged in sequence as you walk further up the trail, each offering a completely different soaking environment. The first geothermal source, known as the waterfall pools, emerges directly from a rocky hillside and cascades down into the creek bed. Because these pools sit right at the water's edge, they are typically submerged by cold high water during the spring snowmelt, only becoming usable for soaking in late summer when the creek level drops. Continuing past this first source leads to the second thermal area, where several rock-walled pools are built into the creek bank. These pools feature sandy-silt bottoms and receive a direct flow of hot water from vents on the slope, mixing with the cooler creek water to create temperatures ranging from 100 to 109 degrees Fahrenheit. The third and final source is located in a small meadow further along the trail, where a deeper, rock-lined pool averages a comfortable 100 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, providing a spacious, full-body soak with views of the surrounding forested ridges.

Because Jerry Johnson Hot Springs is entirely wild and undeveloped, visitors must navigate the area with a commitment to preservation and safety. There are no changing rooms, trash cans, or facilities at the springs, and the area is clothing-optional, meaning soakers should expect to encounter nude bathers, particularly at the upper pools. To protect the fragile riparian ecosystem and prevent the severe resource damage that historically plagued the site, the U.S. Forest Service enforces a strict nighttime closure, prohibiting entry to the trail and pools between 8:00 PM and 6:00 AM. Overnight camping is forbidden at the springs and the trailhead, though the nearby Jerry Johnson Campground offers primitive campsites just a mile away. Winter transforms the trail into a snowy, icy corridor, requiring micro-spikes or snowshoes for the hike, but rewarding those who make the trek with the sight of thick steam rising dramatically into the freezing mountain air against a backdrop of snow-draped cedars.