Idaho has so many great reasons to get out, explore the great outdoors, and recreate. With unarguably some of the most beautiful landscapes to inspire you there is literally no limit to the amount of fun things you can do. If you find yourself scratching your beard thinking of your next great adventure, let us recommend enjoying one of Idaho’s over 300 hot springs. People spend thousands of dollars to have nice hot water to soak their bones in. Here in Idaho we can get that for free. True, it may take a bit of hiking to get there, but half the fun is in the journey! We put together a list of info on hot springs to help you get the most out of this great Idaho perk!

How and Why

First off, here is how springs are formed. The fault lines that have created our beautiful mountains have leftover heat stored from the energy of their movement. Ground water circulates around these faults and shallow bodies of molten rock and from there percolates up to the earth's surface to form pools of naturally hot and enjoyable water.

Dude, What's That Smell?

You may have heard the expression “you will smell a hot spring before you see one”. That comes from what some may consider an unpleasant smell present at hot springs. As the hot water makes its way to the surface it collects minerals along the way, the main being a sulfide compound. This compound is the reason why hot springs have their rotten egg smell.

Rules Rules Rules

If you are new to Idaho, or new to visiting the hot springs, there are a few rules that you should follow.

• Keep It Clean- Hot springs and their waterways are sensitive ecosystems. They cannot handle soap, shampoo, or any other products you may have on your skin. This isn't a bathtub, don't treat it like one!

• Pack It In, Pack It Out- Don't leave any trace or anything at all behind when you leave the hot springs. Think it’s crazy I have to tell you this? Sadly, the past couple of years people have been leaving so much trash at beloved hot springs it has caused them to be shut down and be closed off from the public.

Favorite Spots

Hot springs are so diverse it is hard to have a favorite. There are developed hot springs like Lava Hot Springs and Downata Hot Springs. Still pulling from the natural hot springs in the ground, these developed springs make accessibility easy and create a fun environment for the whole family. There are rustic hot springs like Miracle and Burgdorf. With some infrastructure to make the most of the natural wonder, these springs provide a few creature comforts while still maintaining a bit of the wild Idaho feel. Then there are the hot springs you need to hike into like Pine Flats and Trail Creek. Truly a reward for a long journey, these are hot springs that have little to no development and really showcase the raw nature. The truth is there are just too many to list. For a definitive list of hot springs and more information about the ones highlighted here today go to Visit Idaho.

Remember after a good long hot spring soak your beard is going to need some real TLC. A nice treatment of beard oil from Better Man Beard will nourish and strengthen the beard and help it recover from the harsh minerals of the hot springs.