Mile-16 Hot Springs
Open
Winter roads need a 4x4 and chains; the pool can submerge during spring runoffOpen seasons
- Access
- Roadside, on Forest Road 474 beside the South Fork Salmon River
- Accommodations
- No camping at the spring; National Forest camping nearby
Mile-16 Hot Springs — better known to regulars as Fire Crew (and sometimes Sugah) — is a single rock-mortared pool beside the South Fork Salmon River in the Boise National Forest, northeast of Cascade in the Warm Lake/Yellow Pine area. Not to be confused with the unrelated Fire Crew Hot Springs near Crouch: this one’s nickname comes from the Krassel workstation fire crew that built the soak in 1980–81, and “Mile-16” dates from when the road was unpaved and the spring sat exactly 16 miles down it.
Pool Condition
One rock-mortared pool with a rock, sand, and gravel bottom and a light coating of algae. The water runs 101–107°F, crystal-clear, with a slight sulfur odor. Wildlife sightings include deer, elk, moose, fox, and black bear.
Seasonal Notes
Accessible all year, though in winter the Warm Lake Highway and FSR 474 North require a 4×4 and chains — the roads are narrow, slick, and snow-covered. Best enjoyed in summer and fall. The pool can occasionally submerge during spring runoff.
Camping
There is plenty of National Forest camping (official and primitive) nearby. There is no camping at the hot springs itself.
Mile-16 Hot Springs Soak Stats
- Season: Summer, fall (accessible all year)
- Access Type: Roadside
- Public Land: Boise National Forest (Krassel Ranger District)
- Elevation: 4,150 ft
- Water Temperature: 101–107°F
- Water Clarity: Crystal-clear
- Visibility: Moderate
- Odor(s): Slight sulfur
- pH: 7+
- Nearest Area: Warm Lake / Yellow Pine
- Usage Level: Moderate (heavy seasonal use)
Frequently Asked Questions
How hot is the water?
The pool runs 101–107°F and the water is crystal-clear, with a slight sulfur smell. The bottom is rock, sand, and gravel in a single rock-mortared pool.
Is this the Fire Crew Hot Springs near Crouch?
No. The nickname honors the Krassel workstation fire crew, the crew that built this soak in 1980–81. Crouch's Fire Crew Hot Springs, in the Garden Valley corridor, is an unrelated spring.
When is the best time to visit, and when is it closed?
Summer and fall are the prime seasons. The listing calls it accessible all year, but winter travel on the Warm Lake Highway and Forest Road 474 calls for a 4x4 and chains, and spring runoff can occasionally submerge the pool.
How hard is the access?
Roadside. The pool sits beside the South Fork Salmon River on Forest Road 474, between mile markers 15 and 16, northeast of Cascade.
Can I camp nearby or stay overnight?
Not at the hot springs itself. Plenty of National Forest camping, both official and primitive, is available nearby, per the listing.
How many pools are there?
The listing describes one rock-mortared pool. River-edge pools on this corridor get rebuilt and rearranged season by season, so the count can change.
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