Blue Joint Hot Spring 1
Blue Joint Hot Spring 1 reaches 84°F at 5,031 feet elevation in the Bitterroot National Forest, running 42.5 degrees above ambient -- a strong thermal signature for this remote mountain setting. Open public access is maintained on Forest Service land, with a 125-meter walk from the nearest road.
The spring surfaces in the upper Nez Perce Fork drainage of the Bitterroot River in Ravalli County. Dense stands of lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, and Engelmann spruce cover the steep mountain slopes. Annual snowfall reaches 137 inches, burying the landscape for six months or more. The Bitterroot Range along the Idaho-Montana border rises sharply to the west, while the Sapphire Mountains form the eastern wall of the valley. Elevation keeps summer days cool, with the annual air temperature averaging just 41.5°F.
The name refers to blue joint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), common in wet meadows throughout the drainage. The Nez Perce Fork area holds significance as part of the route traveled by the Nez Perce during the 1877 conflict. The spring appears in the 1980 NOAA/NCEI thermal inventory. No commercial development has occurred. Fales Flat Campground, 7.2 km away, was designed partly for equestrian use and provides trail access deeper into the Selway-Bitterroot country.
Access requires travel on Forest Service roads that are typically open from late June through October. Snow blocks routes from November onward. The 125-meter walk from the road is short but crosses uneven ground. Fales Flat Campground, 7.2 km away, accepts reservations and accommodates horse trailers. At this elevation, afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. Carry insect repellent -- mosquitoes thrive in the surrounding wet meadows. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended.
Is Blue Joint Hot Spring 1 worth visiting?
Best for
- Warm-water soaking
- Overnight camping trips
Overview Fales Flat Campground is a group facility on Nez Perce Fork of the Bitterroot River. It is also well equipped for equestrian campers. The campground provides access to a variety of hiking and horseback riding trails in the area, as well as a variety of historic sites that denote the presence of the Nez Perce many years ago.Recreation Fly fishing and wading in the Nez Perce Fork, which runs alongside the campground, are also popular activities. A variety of trails and unimproved road...