How to Find Valley Creek Hot Springs | Stanley, ID

Valley Creek Hot Springs was one of the last ones on our list to visit while we were in Stanley, Idaho. Since we couldn’t find a lot of information on this one, we weren’t sure what to expect. Unlike Boat Box Hot Springs and Sunbeam Hot Springs, which were a bit further away, Valley Creek Hot Springs is located right on the outskirts of the town of Stanley. Even though it wasn’t as interesting as the other two, Valley Creek Hot Springs is actually my favorite because of its secluded yet easy-to-get-to location and beautiful mountain backdrop surrounding this little place.

Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surrounding areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no taking artifacts or fossilized items, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!

Stats

Where

Valley Creek Hot Springs
44°13’18.8″N 114°55’52.3″W

Parking

There is a small dirt parking at the trailhead

Restroom

There is no restroom

Fee

Free

Time:

30 minutes or more

Pet-friendly

Probably best if you leave your pets in the car.

Ideal Time

You can go any time. If you want the tub to yourself, you might want to go earlier in the morning or later in the evening.

Weather

Video

The Adventure

Getting to the Parking Lot

Valley Creek Hot Springs is located toward the back of the small Stanley Museum. From Stanley, follow Highway 75 North for about 0.7 miles then turn left onto Valley Creek Road. Enter as though you’re going to the Stanley Museum, however, continue through on a small dirt road. About 0.3 miles, you should see a short dirt road on the left that leads to a small dirt parking lot. To get into the parking lot, there was a big hump at the entrance. Since we had a low clearance car, we didn’t know if we could make it over the hump, so we ended up parking along the shoulder of Valley Creek Road and walking in instead. Please note that this is the only way to drive here, the rest of Valley Creek Road is private and closed off.

Getting to the Valley Creek Hot Springs

At first, we were a bit confused about where to go. Luckily, after parking, we ran into a construction crew who told us where to go. To get to the springs, from the parking lot, look for a wooden bridge behind the bushes. Once you’ll walk across this wooden bridge, the pool will be on your left. On the right, there is a small barn with a hot springs pool, however, you’ll need to make a reservation and pay for this one. The pool on the left of the bridge is for the public.

Visiting Valley Creek Hot Springs

The pool for Valley Creek Hot Springs is about 20ft across and 2-3 feet deep. The bottom of the pool is silt, so it won’t stick to you and washes off quite easily. This place is smaller and undeveloped. However, while the other hot springs around there were busy, we actually had this whole place to ourselves. The water wasn’t super hot but it was quite comfortable for us. There were a few spots where the water was bubbling that can get hot though, so be careful!

Valley Creek Hot Springs is really beautiful. We love how secluded it is, away from the main road. It’s surrounded by gorgeous views of majestic mountains, lush green hills, and a babbling creek. If you’re up for a night soak, we’ve heard that it’s super magical watching the night sky in these wonderful hot springs!

Public hot springs are not bathing facilities, therefore, please DO NOT use soap, shampoo, or solvents in the hot springs. This includes biodegradable soap and shampoo. It is also illegal in most wilderness and public land areas.
It should be a given, but we’ve heard of it happening before. PLEASE DO NOT urinate or defecate in the water. Use the restrooms or go far away from the water sources.
Please don’t bring any glass or other sharp items.
Make sure to take all your trash out. Always carry out EVERYTHING that you brought in.
Please keep your pets in the car. Pets are not allowed in the pools or the swim areas.
Always be courteous to other visitors. It is a public space, it won’t hurt you to be nice and share.

If you love hot springs, don’t forget to check out Boat Box and Sunbeam Hot Springs. They are just up the road from this beautiful Valley Creek Hot Springs.

These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.

adventure gear

Swimsuits (the hot springs are located along the busy road, you don’t want to be nude for this…)
Towels, change of clothes
Water! You’ll get dehydrated fast in the hot springs.
Always good to bring some snacks with you. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.