Frenchman's Bend Hot Springs

What to expect

Frenchman’s Bend is one of the most popular wild soaks around Ketchum and Sun Valley. Hot water rises from the gravel and rocks along Warm Springs Creek in the Sawtooth National Forest, about 10.5 miles up the valley from town. Over the years soakers have stacked rock walls to make a handful of wide, shallow pools on both sides of the creek, with sandy and gravel bottoms.

The springs come out hot, around 124-126°F51-52°C at the source according to several visitor reports. You control the temperature in each pool by moving rocks to let more or less creek water in. Pools change from one week to the next, and sometimes from one hour to the next, as the creek rises and falls. Most reports describe two or three usable pools at a time. One sits on the road side of the creek, directly below the parking area. The others are on the far bank and need a short, cold wade across the creek.

The water is clear with only a faint sulfur smell. The creek runs right beside the pools, and deer and elk are often seen in the valley.

This place is popular and the rules are strict. That combination keeps it in good shape, but it also means you will rarely have it to yourself on a summer evening.

About the name: Many maps and guides call this spot Warfield Hot Springs, and the US Geological Survey lists Warfield Hot Springs at the same location on Warm Springs Creek. A few older local pages list Frenchman’s Bend and Warfield as two separate springs, one of them closer to town. Most current sources treat them as the same place, and Frenchman’s Bend is the name the Forest Service uses.

Getting there

From Ketchum, take Warm Springs Road west from the center of town. It runs up the valley past the Warm Springs ski base and a string of subdivisions and ranches.

• After roughly 10.5 miles, just past Croney Cove Ranch, watch for a wide pullout on the right side of the road.
• Park in the pullout. It holds only a handful of cars. Do not park along the road shoulders.
• Walk about a quarter mile up the creek. The pools are on your left, on both sides of the water.

The road is paved for the first part and then turns to gravel and dirt for the last several miles. It is bumpy, narrow and has blind corners, and in winter it can be icy or snow-packed. One visitor in January 2015 found it in decent shape but watched a car slide into a truck on a blind curve, so take your time. In spring the road often floods along the creek.

When to go

Late June to late October is the prime season. By then the creek has dropped, the pools are above water, and you can adjust them easily. September and October mornings are the best of the year: frost on the grass, steam on the water and far fewer people.

Spring runoff, roughly March to June, buries the pools under creek water and can flood or close the road. Visiting in May usually means finding nothing to soak in.

Winter is possible in some years, but access depends on snow and road conditions. Some sources note a Forest Service road closure from about October to mid-May beyond certain points on Warm Springs Road. Check with the Ketchum Ranger District before planning a winter trip.

Crowds: Evenings and weekends are busy, and parking is the limiting factor. If the pullout is full, come back another time rather than parking on the road.

Rules and etiquette

The Forest Service tightened the rules at Frenchman’s Bend after years of late-night parties and trash. They are posted at the site and are enforced.

• Hours: 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. The springs are closed at night.
• No camping at or around the springs.
• Swimsuits are required. Nudity is not allowed here, and a Sawtooth National Forest order bans public nudity on all forest land through September 2031.
• No glass and no alcohol.
• No pets.
• Do not build or rearrange the pools beyond small adjustments to the cold-water inflow.
• No soap or shampoo, including biodegradable products.
• Pack out everything, including food scraps. There are no toilets or trash cans.

There is no fee.

Where to stay nearby

You cannot camp at the springs. Options nearby:

• Sawtooth National Forest: There are Forest Service campgrounds and dispersed sites elsewhere in the forest around Ketchum. Follow posted closures, and do not camp in the springs area or along Warm Springs Road where it is signed.
• Ketchum and Sun Valley: About 10.5 miles back down Warm Springs Road, with a wide range of hotels, condos and lodges.

Safety notes

• Scalding spots: The source water is well over 120°F49°C. Feel the water in several places, especially near where the hot water enters, before you sit down.
• Creek crossing: The wade to the far-bank pools is short but cold and slippery. Do not attempt it when the creek is high.
• Footing: The rocks around the pools are wet and uneven. Wear sandals with grip.
• Driving: The road has blind curves and can be icy in the shoulder seasons. Drive slowly, especially after dark on the way home.
• Kids: Children are welcome, but the vents can scald and the creek is close. Keep young kids within arm’s reach.

Nearby stops worth adding

North of Ketchum on Highway 75, Easley Hot Springs has a chlorine-free spring-fed swimming pool and hot tubs in summer. A bit farther north, Russian John Hot Spring is a small primitive pool just off the highway. Both make an easy add-on to a Frenchman’s Bend soak.