How to Spend a Day at Sunbeam Hot Springs | Stanley, ID

Only about 15 minutes away from Stanley, Idaho, Sunbeam Hot Springs is one of the unique, free hot springs located along the Salmon River through the Salmon-Challis National Forest. It is a network of man-made pools forming from river rock walls and sandy bottoms, lining the river. Sunbeam Hot Springs is also as easy to access as Boat Box Hot Springs. There’s nothing better than to soak in a naturally heated thermal pool, situated in a beautiful backdrop after a long day of hiking, rafting, or driving.

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

Sunbeam Hot Springs
44°16’03.2″N 114°44’56.2″W

Parking

There is a small extended shoulder where you can park for free.

Restroom

Vault toilet. However, it may not always be stocked with toilet paper so bring your own!

Fee

Free

Time:

30 mins to a few hours (depending on how long you’re planning to soak)

Pet-friendly

Probably best if you leave your pets in the car.

Ideal Time

Early morning for less people.

Weather

Video

History of Sunbeam Hot Springs

Sunbeam Hot Springs has quite a long history of serving the people of Idaho. The Lemhi-Shoshone people, native to this part of Idaho, had long used the healing water of Sunbeam Hot Springs. However, the first official record of visitors to these pools was not recorded until October 21, 1821. This was when Alexander Ross and some of his Hudson Bay Fur Trappers wrote in his diary about stopping at a “boiling fountain,” which turns out to be Sunbeam Hot Springs.

In 1937, a bathhouse was built by CCC men from the Clayton CCC camp. Hot water was diverted from the hot springs, through the pipe, to the Salmon River; while cold river water would cool the hot water in the pipe and it would be returned to the bathhouse. The Forest Service guard at the Bonanza Guard Station was then responsible for maintaining the place. During the war years, the bathhouse fell into disrepair because of the lack of personnel and funds. The structure is now preserved as a historic tribute to CCC craftsmanship.

Getting There

Sunbeam Hot Springs is very easy to find and accessible. It is located right next to highway 75. From Stanley, follow State Hwy 75 North for about 12.1 miles. It is about 8.8 miles past Boat Box Hot Springs. You should be able to see an old bathhouse on the right-hand side, along the river. There is an extended shoulder along the side of the road where you can park for free.

When is the Best Time to Visit Sunbeam Hot Springs?

Sunbeam Hot Springs is available year-round. Since it is located along the heavily-traffic highway 75, it is kept relatively clear and plowed all year long. This means you’ll have access to these hot springs most of the time. Unfortunately, during heavy snowfalls, this road might be inaccessible. Also, during Spring runoff, the network of pools might be submerged. In the summer, Sunbeam Hot Springs can be busy. We recommend coming very early in the morning and on a weekday if you want the place to yourself. That being said, Sunbeam Hot Springs is best to visit any time in the year. Spring and Summer give you lush greenery and perfect weather, while fall and winter make for an extra steam bath and solitude.

Exploring Sunbeam Hot Springs

If you haven’t been to Sunbeam Hot Springs before, we recommend checking the old bathhouse first. It is on your way down to the hot springs. It is empty but it was interesting to see how it was used back then. It also serves as a perfect changing room if you need one.

The Network of Pools at Sunbeam Hot Springs

After exploring the bathhouse, Dustin and I headed toward the right-hand side (facing the river) of the bathhouse towards the crowd of people. We followed a small gravel path down a small hill toward a network of hot springs pools and a bunch of people sitting around in these manmade pools. Joining them, we learned that this network of pools is made by volunteers.

These pools get rebuilt every year because they become submerged during the Spring runoff. Once the river water is low enough to reveal the riverbank, visitors and volunteers then rebuilt these pools backup using the river rocks and by mixing the hot springs water with the cold river water. The hot springs come from the hillside and cascade down into the Salmon River. At the source of Sunbeam Hot Springs, the hot water is over 160 degrees, so make sure to be careful while walking along here. Also, the temperature of each pool can be very different so make sure to test out the water first before going in.

It was our first time seeing something like this. All the hot springs we’ve been to so far are more like one or two big pools of hot springs water. We’ve never seen anything like running hot springs from the side of the hills or building all the pools to mix the hot and cold water together. It was pretty cool! Apparently, this is quite common with most of the Idaho hot springs.

The Tubs

After spending a moderate amount of time soaking and building our own little pools, we headed back to the car. Once we were almost to the car, we ran into a super nice man. After a quick conversation with him, he told us to check out the other side of the bathhouse. Heading to the left side of the bathhouse (facing the river), we saw two adorable tubs down the hills, similar to the one at Boat Box Hot Springs. There is a small, slippery trail that leads down from the road. It is short but quite slippery so be careful going down.

There are two tubs here. They are probably big enough to fit about 2 people each. The tubs were empty when we got there. There are drain holes near the bottom of them, to help clean out the tub and get fresh water. To fill it back up, you can use the pipe for hot water and balance it out with the cold water from the river using a bucket. Be careful when filling the tub, the water is crazy hot!! It is quite a workout and takes about 20 minutes to do, so if you’re not that ambitious, you can use the network of pools on the other sides or just down below the tubs. We were super lucky to have the whole place to ourselves. It was such a peaceful experience, soaking in the natural geothermal water and the gorgeous backdrop in front of us

Wear clothing | Sunbeam is located along a busy road, it is not a place to soak in the nude. It is best to put your bits away.
Take out your trash! Please don’t be that person that leaves trash wherever you go. If you bring it there, take it back with you. It’s not that hard
Please DO NOT urinate or defecate in the water. Go use the restroom | Yep, just don’t do it. It shouldn’t even be an issue but it’s happened… Always, don’t use soap, shampoo, or such in the tub. It is not your bathroom.
Please don’t bring any glass or other sharp items.
Keep your pets in the car. Pets are not allowed in the pools or the swim areas.

If you’re visiting Stanley or its surrounding, we recommend stopping by Sunbeam Hot Springs for a quick soak so you can enjoy the classic Idaho hot springs experience for yourself. Don’t forget to stop by Boat Box Hot Springs right up the street. It’s an adorable little metal tub, perfect for a cozy soak!

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.