Jerry Johnson Hot Springs

What to expect

Jerry Johnson is the best-known hot spring on the Lochsa corridor of US Highway 12, and it earns that by being easy. You cross a wooden pack bridge over the Lochsa River, turn up a side valley along Warm Springs Creek, and walk through cedar forest to a string of soaking pools. There is no development at the springs beyond what soakers have built from rocks.

The pools fall into three groups.

• The cliffside waterfall pools come first, about a mile in. Hot water spills straight off the hillside into small rock basins beside the creek. These are the hottest, with sources reporting water up to about 115°F46°C. The path down to them is steep. In spring and early summer, when Warm Springs Creek runs high, these pools are often underwater or cooled by creek water.
• The riverside pools sit a little farther along the creek. The main one is easy to spot because of a large boulder in the middle. It is the most used pool and is usually warm rather than hot, roughly 95-100°F35-38°C. A few smaller, shallower pools nearby run cooler.
• The big pool is farthest up the trail, out in a small meadow with views of the surrounding ridges. It is the largest, deepest and clearest of the three, and fits around ten people. It also tends to be the quietest because many visitors stop at the first two.

The water is clear and has no strong smell. The forest along the trail still shows marks from a 2012 fire, with new growth coming back among the burned snags.

Getting there

The springs are in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, reached from the Warm Springs Trailhead at milepost 152 on US Highway 12, the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway. This stretch follows the Lochsa Wild and Scenic River between Lowell, Idaho, and Lolo Pass on the Montana border.

• From Missoula, Montana: Drive south to Lolo, then west on US-12 over Lolo Pass and down into the Lochsa canyon. It is about 65 miles and roughly 1 hour 30 minutes. The Forest Service puts the trailhead about an hour from Lolo.
• From Kooskia or Lowell, Idaho: Drive east up the Lochsa on US-12. Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes from Kooskia. The road is paved and winding, with long gaps between services.

Parking is a large pullout on the highway side, between mileposts 152 and 153. The Forest Service trailhead itself has only two marked spaces, one of them for stock trailers, so most people use the pullout. There is one pit toilet at the parking area and nothing at the springs, so use it before you start. Do not park on the highway shoulder.

Cross the highway carefully, then cross the suspension pack bridge over the Lochsa. At the bulletin board on the far side, turn right onto Warm Springs Trail #49. The trail is wide and mostly level for about 1.3 miles, with a few short climbs. Plan on 30 to 45 minutes each way at a relaxed pace.

When to go

Late summer and fall are the best months. By late August, Warm Springs Creek has dropped, the waterfall pools are out of the water, and every pool is usable. Fall colors along the creek are a bonus.

Spring brings high water. Runoff can wash out or submerge the creekside pools, and the trail can be muddy and slick after snowmelt or heavy rain.

Winter is quiet and beautiful, and US-12 is kept open. Expect packed snow and ice on the inclines, so carry microspikes or similar traction and hiking poles. Daylight is short, and the 8pm closing time still applies. Some guides report that the Forest Service closes the Warm Springs Trail in winter to protect elk winter range. The Forest Service trailhead page lists the site as open year-round, so call the Nez Perce-Clearwater Supervisor’s Office (208-935-2513) before you plan a winter visit.

Weekends in summer and fall get busy. Arrive early on a weekday morning if you want a pool to yourself, and expect more people to show up as the day goes on.

Wildfires on the Lochsa side of the forest have closed areas in past summers. Check the Nez Perce-Clearwater alerts page before you drive.

Rules and etiquette

The Forest Service brought in restrictions after years of overnight camping, trash and damage at the springs. The forest reissued the Jerry Johnson closure order in 2022, alongside a new one for nearby Weir Creek.

• Day use only, 6am to 8pm. No overnight camping at the springs or in the trailhead lot. Officers patrol and issue citations to people in the area outside those hours, including people parked there after dark.
• No fee. The trailhead and springs are free.
• Clothing is optional in practice. No swimsuit rule is posted, and nudity is common. If that is a problem for you, this is not your spring.
• No fires at the hot springs.
• Pack out everything. Trash and abandoned clothing are a long-running problem here. Take your wet socks and towels home with you.
• Leave the rocks alone. Do not pull apart pool walls or throw rocks into the creek.
• Share and keep it down. Move along if people are waiting, and keep music off.

Where to stay nearby

There is no camping at the springs, but the corridor has Forest Service campgrounds and one well-known lodge.

• Jerry Johnson Campground is a short drive west on US-12, about 53 miles east of Lowell. It has 20 first come, first served sites with picnic tables, fire rings and toilets, but no drinking water. It is a summer campground, open roughly June to October 31. The Forest Service page lists a $14 nightly fee but also notes that no fee is being collected, so bring cash just in case.
• Lochsa Lodge at Powell, east toward Lolo Pass, is the closest place for gas, meals and a room, and it is open year-round.
• Missoula has the nearest full range of hotels and services.

Safety notes

• Hot water: The cliffside pools can reach about 115°F46°C. Feel the water with your hand first and mix in creek water if a pool is too hot. Keep your head above the water.
• Footing: The spur down to the waterfall pools is steep, and the rocks around every pool are sharp and slippery. Water shoes help.
• High water: In spring, Warm Springs Creek runs fast and cold right beside the pools. Stay out of the main current.
• Winter ice: Traction devices are close to essential on the trail from December to March.
• Remoteness: US-12 has long stretches with no cell signal and few services. Fill up on gas in Lolo or Kooskia, and tell someone your plans.
• Car break-ins: Leave nothing valuable in sight at the pullout.

Nearby stops worth adding

Weir Creek Hot Springs is about a 10-minute drive west on US-12, with smaller pools up a steep, rougher trail and its own night closure. Over Lolo Pass in Montana, Lolo Hot Springs is a developed resort with pools and cabins if you want a paid soak on the same trip. Farther down the Lochsa, Stanley Hot Springs is a longer wilderness hike from Wilderness Gateway. The Lolo Pass visitor center at the state line is a good place to check road and trail conditions.