Blue Joint Hot Springs 2
Blue Joint Hot Springs 2 flows at 84°F at 4,936 feet elevation in Bitterroot National Forest, matching the temperature of its companion spring roughly a mile to the west. At just 88 meters from the road, it qualifies as a roadside thermal feature on open-access Forest Service land. The water runs 42 degrees above ambient.
The spring emerges along the Nez Perce Fork corridor at slightly lower elevation than Blue Joint Hot Spring 1, in a drainage defined by steep, forested mountain walls. Lodgepole pine and Douglas fir dominate the slopes, with willow and alder lining the creek bottom. Ravalli County's western edge receives heavy snowfall -- nearly 125 inches annually at this elevation -- and the surrounding peaks of the Bitterroot Range exceed 8,000 feet. Annual precipitation totals about 28 inches, sustaining the dense forest canopy and numerous small tributaries.
This spring shares its name and geothermal system with Blue Joint Hot Spring 1. Both appear in the 1980 NOAA/NCEI thermal inventory as separate features in the same drainage. The Nez Perce Fork area saw passage of non-treaty Nez Perce bands during the 1877 flight toward Canada. No commercial development has taken place at either spring. The area remains managed by the Forest Service under protection status 3, permitting traditional forest uses.
Roadside access makes this the more convenient of the two Blue Joint springs. Forest Service roads in this drainage are snow-free from late June through October in most years. Fales Flat Campground, 8.2 km away, is reservable and supports equestrian camping. High-clearance vehicles are recommended on the final approaches. Bring warm layers -- nighttime temperatures at 4,900 feet can drop below freezing even in midsummer. Pack out all waste; no facilities exist at the spring itself.
Is Blue Joint Hot Springs 2 worth visiting?
Best for
- Warm-water soaking
- Easy day trips
- 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...