Silver Creek Plunge & Campground
Silver Creek Plunge & Campground is about 22.5 miles (36.21 km) north of Crouch, ID, which is a few miles north of Garden Valley, ID. It takes a little more than an hour to reach the Garden Valley turnoff towards Crouch from Boise. From there it is another 1.5 hours to the campground. Even though it is only 25 miles (40.23 km) from this point, it is a very slow drive through winding, narrow, and mostly unpaved roads.
The drive is scenic with several pull-offs. The first half of this section follows the Middle Fork of the Payette River. There are multiple pull-offs where you can admire the woods and the often raging river as it races and tumbles over the bouldered river bed. In the second half, you will find similar stops along the road with forest and creek views. You will pass a few creeks along the way, but mostly you will travel alongside Silver Creek.
Nestled just off National Forest Road 671 are Silver Creek Campground and Silver Creek Plunge. The land is privately owned but works with the State to manage and provide the campground. The area is beautiful with rocky mountain peaks that stretch above the treeline, cool creeks, thick woods of pine, and clover-filled meadows.
The campground contains a multitude of spaces for RVs or campers, there are also a few tent-only spots available as well. Most locations are reservation-only. You can look for and make reservations at the recreation.gov website. There are a few spots that are “first come, first served (FF),” which can also be identified by visiting the recreation.gov website.
There are two group sites. The first, Lodgepole Springs Campground, is on its own a little more than 0.5 miles (0.8 km) before you reach the Silver Creek Campground entrance. The second is inside the Silver Creek Campground and is only 100 yards (91.44 m) from the geothermal pool of Silver Creek Plunge.
Note: Weekends are the most popular, and you will be hard-pressed to get a reservation on short notice, and the same goes for the FF spots. I wouldn’t expect one to be available if you just try to go there on a whim between Friday and Sunday.
Each grouping of half a dozen or so campsites has a nearby vaulted toilet. They were as clean as vaulted toilets can be.
Each campsite had at least one picnic table, a cook top table to place your small camp stove, and a fire pit with an attached gill that could be swung out of the way if needed. These campsites were clean and very well maintained. The SCP staff helps to keep them this way, and they are doing a wonderful job.
Lots of people brought up ATVs, side-by-sides, dirt bikes, mountain bikes, scooters, and more. There are hiking trails and lots of opportunities to get great views of our beautiful natural world. Silver Creek provides a great opportunity for fishing, but also for recreational soaking, floating, or just sitting alongside and enjoying.
Silver Creek Plunge (SCP) started out as a simple silver mine. The claim was first made by M.F. Eby in the 1890s, who was a Boise pioneer who loved horticulture and mining. There is no record of silver being extracted from the mine, but Mr. Eby did strike hot (geothermal) water. In the 1920s the claim was sold to E.H. Heller who passed it to his son, Leland Heller, who sold it to Mert Lyons in 1956. Mert and his friend Floyd Suttle built the Silver Creek Plunge that exists today. It was most recently purchased on May 16, 2022, by the Penn Family, whose family can be traced back to the 1860s in Idaho and Eastern Oregon.
Fun Fact: The hot water that feeds the pool is the original mine entrance. Nearly 500 gallons (1,892.71 l) per minute exit the mine and fills the pool. This means that the entire volume of the pool (186,000 gallons) is changed every 6 hours. The water enters the pool at 100 degrees and exits the pool at 97 degrees.
Pool Pricing*:
Children under 2: free
Children 2–12: $10
Adults 13–59: $12
Seniors 60+: $8
Night swimming (after 8:00pm): $8
*The price covers the whole day. The staff will stamp your hand with a permanent marker, so you can leave and return as often as you like without having to pay again for that day.
The pool is open from 9am-10pm every day except Wednesday. On Wednesday, the pool is drained and cleaned, but does reopen in the evening around 7:30pm.
When there is no lifeguard on duty, the pool only allows 35 people in the pool at any given time. When a lifeguard is on duty, the pool capacity is not limited. This usually isn’t an issue, except on weekends. When we were there, SCP had just hired a lifeguard and was hoping to hire another soon. If you are concerned about being able to access the pool, you can call to see if they will have a lifeguard on duty during your visit.
Silver Creek Plunge Office: 208-739-3400
If you are feeling a little adventurous, the geothermal water drains from the pool into the nearby Silver Creek. You can head over to the creek from the pool and take a cool dip in the creek water, or, sit in the mixed creek and geothermal water to get a nice temp soak. If you get a little too cold, you just head right back to the pool and take the plunge back into the pleasant hot water.
SCP has a gift shop with a wide assortment of everyday items you can purchase. If you forgot something they likely have a spare you can purchase, or if you just find you need a little something extra they might have it.
They Carry:
Snacks and treats, including frozen treats and foods, like Hot Pockets and Totino’s pizzas.
A variety of refrigerated drinks.
Pool supplies, like goggles, wide-brim hats, sunscreen, and toys.
Camping supplies like small propane tanks, matches, bug repellent, etc.
Household supplies like toothbrushes and toothpaste, hand sanitizer, and feminine hygiene products.
A Few Notes
Phone Signal: There is no cell phone signal except at the SCP gift shop, and only if you have Verizon or compatible service. I got 1–2 bars inside a taped rectangle on the floor labeled, “Phone.” It was enough to text, check email, and get all the notifications in the world. I wouldn’t count on it for anything more intensive, though.
Critters: There are bears in these mountains, but they don’t seem to cause an issue in so densely populated a place like the CSP. The bigger issue was the chipmunks. Be sure trash bags are kept inside tr out of reach. If you are using tents, I would not store food in them at all. Those cute little monsters will eat through your tent, bags, and anything else that gets in their way if food is on the line.
Sunscreen: The hot water of the pool makes sunscreen application almost worthless. I would highly recommend wearing a hat, something with a wide brim. Apply the sunscreen still, make sure you let it sit on you for the recommended amount of time, then get in the pool. If you simply apply it then jump in, it’s washed off you in seconds, and you will be burned to a crisp within the hour.
Well, that is Silver Creek Campground and Silver Creek Plunge. There was so much to do and see. Whatever level you want to make your adventure, you can find it at this location. From lazily soaking in the geothermal pool, hiking the steep mountain trails, riding an ATV along the forest road to take in the sights, or fishing for rainbows in one of the many creeks in the area. This single location has so much to offer. It was incredible. We can’t wait to go back.
