Marsh Gully Hot Springs
Marsh Gully Hot Springs surfaces at 106 degrees Fahrenheit on BLM land in Minidoka County, flowing nearly 57 degrees above the high desert ambient temperature. Public access is open, and the Bureau of Land Management's Burley Field Office manages this thermal feature under protection status that permits continued public enjoyment alongside other land uses.
Reaching the spring requires a walk of more than half a mile across open BLM rangeland at 4,780 feet elevation, where sagebrush and bunch grasses cover the slopes rising from the Snake River Plain toward the Cotterel Mountains. The landscape is spare and quiet. Annual precipitation stays below 15 inches, and 32 inches of snow dust the hills in winter. The spring's warm outflow creates a small oasis of green vegetation visible from a distance against the dry terrain.
Like neighboring Marsh Creek Hot Spring less than a mile to the west, Marsh Gully taps the same geothermal system along the fault zone where Snake River Plain basalts meet the older rocks of the Cotterel Range. Both springs emerge at similar temperatures, suggesting they share a common deep heat source. The area's volcanic geology, shaped by the passage of the Yellowstone hotspot millions of years ago, continues to drive thermal activity across this section of southern Idaho.
The half-mile-plus walk from the nearest road crosses open, unfenced BLM land with no trail markers, so carry a GPS device or reliable map. No facilities exist at the spring. McClendon Spring Campground, about 9.5 miles away, provides basic camping near the California Trail corridor. The spring is open to the public, but practice leave-no-trace principles on these federal lands. Summer and fall offer the most comfortable hiking conditions.
Is Marsh Gully Hot Springs worth visiting?
Best for
- Hot spring soaking
- Overnight camping trips
Explore the Cotterel Mountains or hunt for upland birds and deer near this semi-developed camping destination. McClendon Spring was a favorite resting place for emigrants along the California Trail.