Lava Hot Springs, located in southeastern Idaho, is a popular destination known for its natural geothermal hot springs surrounded by stunning landscapes.
Nestled along the Portneuf (port-nuff) River, the area features a variety of mineral-rich hot springs that have been enjoyed for relaxation and therapeutic purposes for centuries. Native American tribes, particularly the Shoshone and Bannock, were among the earliest known users, believing the springs had healing properties.
The most popular springs to visit are the world famous “hot pools.” Before heading down to Lava Hot Springs, check out this article for insider tips to help you plan your visit and arrive prepared.
@uponarriving These are the hot pools at the world-famous Lava Hot Springs in Southeast Idaho. There are several different pools, and as the mineral-rich water flows from one pool to the next, it cools, allowing you to find the perfect temperature, which can range from 102º to 112º. In some pools, you can dig your feet into the gravel, which is really relaxing. Also, there’s no odor and no chemicals, making for a more natural experience. After you finish soaking, head into town, where they have quite a few restaurants. We stopped by The Chuckwagon for breakfast, where they serve up these crazy fry bread scones and ridiculously sized pancakes. In town, there’s also an Olympic pool with a high dive and slides you can take down if you’re not feeling the jump. Tubing down the rapids of the Portneuf River is also popular. Overall, Lava Hot Springs is a cool little town, and for only $8 on a weekday, the hot springs are a bargain. For more travel content for the curious, follow UponArriving. . . . . . #Idaho #idahodaily #idaholife #idaholove #idahoexplored #hotsprings #hotspringsidaho #lavahotsprings #lavahotspringsidaho #pocatello #pocatelloidaho #travelblogger #travelgram #idahodaily ♬ original sound – UponArriving
Where are the Lava Hot Springs hot pools?
The hot pools are located in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, along the Portneuf River in Bannock County.
It’s a little confusing when looking for them but the business you want to search for in Google Maps is: “Lava Hot Springs Foundation World Famous Hot Springs.”
(Note: there are other springs spread out in different locations around the area, such as the Hot Springs Inn)
Admission to the hot pools depends on age and the day of the week you are visiting. An adult is typically $8 on a weekday and $12 on the weekend. Get more details on the rates here.
The hot pools are also associated with the aquatic complex just a few blocks away. That complex has an outdoor and indoor pool with a high dive and some water slides that send you sliding down over the highway. It looks like it’d be a lot of fun for families.
Keep in mind, there are some package deals where you can get access to those hot pools as well as the aquatic complex.
Our visit to the famous hot pools of Lava Hot Springs
During our seven weeks in southeast Idaho, we visited the hot pools several times.
We tried both weekdays and weekends, and surprisingly, weekday mornings were actually more crowded.
Each visit, we purchased tickets online, which only took a few seconds.
On the website they mention needing to fill out a waiver before you arrive but I think that is built into the purchase because there was no waiver link and we were never asked to complete any form.
There’s parking located on the other side of the street from the entrance. Don’t try driving into the entrance like we caught some others doing!
Once you cross the street and then enter the building you’ll simply give them your Sale ID number and they will welcome you in. You can go straight into the pools from there or you can stop by the changing rooms.
They have men’s, women’s, and family changing rooms.
You’ll find lockers inside that you can use for $.50 (bring your own quarters) and some of them are big enough to stuff a decent sized backpack into. You can also rent swim suits and towels but hopefully, you’ll have those with you.
There is no food or drink allowed in the pools although you can purchase beverages from the gift shop and they at least allow you to bring water with you. Also, there’s no nudity allowed in the pools. No bare butts!
Some people brought belongings out with them like bags and towels so I think it’s just up to your comfort level. One time we walked around with flip-flops on but I found it easier to just walk around the premises barefoot. It’s well kept out here.
There are a handful of different pools that range in temperature from about 102° to 112°. But unlike some other hot springs, you don’t have to guess at the heat. Signs will tell you the temperatures for the pools making it easy to find the perfect temp.
The best part? No sulphur smell!
Some pools are small Jacuzzi type pools while others are much larger and resemble a swimming pool. I heard some people complain about the crowds at this place but for us the crowds were never a problem, even on a weekend. Perhaps they get remarkably more busy in the winter?
Once you arrive, I’d highly recommend that you go with the coolest temperature pool first and then just work your way up.
The first time we visited we tried to go straight into the 112° water. Part of me wanted to get it over with but it’s also the pool with the most scenic backdrop right behind it. It feels a bit secluded from the rest of the pools. So it was very tempting.
But going straight to the pool was a mistake because it felt like stepping into boiling water! Okay, so not that bad but it felt pretty piping hot. So my advice is to work up to this one.
It’s nice going to the hot pools even in the summer because Lava Hot Springs sits at such a high elevation (5,020 feet) that they have cool mornings. Each time we visited during the late summer it was in the mid 50s making for some pretty inviting hot spring weather.
Some of the pools have jets so you can massage your back while relaxing and one of the pools even has a steel bar for you to stretch out and maybe do some water assisted pull ups.
My favorite feature of the pools is that some of them have gravel at the bottom. It’s really relaxing to dig your feet into the loose gravel at the bottom. Trust me, you’ll want to give it a try!
You can find some shade under the available canopies, and many benches are built into the pool walls, offering plenty of spots to sit or stand out of the water if you need a break to cool down.
Each time we visited here we spent about an hour. If you plan on sticking around like we did, it’s a good idea to purchase a bottle of water from the gift shop (they are only $1 per bottle so don’t worry). The gift shop also have a lot of souvenirs you might want to scoop up as well.
Grabbing a bite in town
If you do end up working up an appetite there are a few restaurants to try in town, many within walking distance from the hot pools.
I’ve heard amazing things about the Thai restaurant on the river, but I personally enjoyed trying out the Chuckwagon restaurant. It’s where I discovered what scones are in southeast Idaho.
Unless you’re from here, they are probably NOT what you think of when you think of scones. Instead, they are closer to fry bread and served with butter and honey or other sauces. It’s almost like a huge beignet (which I’m all down for).
Overall, Lava Hot Springs is worth a visit. If you like a good hot springs soak you might also want to one day take a trip down to Hot Springs, Arkansas. They have lots of different ways to experience the hot springs in a very historic type of setting that’s very different from the outdoor springs here. We also recently experienced Snively Hot Springs in eastern Oregon that is in a much more natural setting.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio.
