Idaho's Year-Round Natural Hot Spring Resort Offers A Serene And Scenic Wilderness Retreat

Lava Hot Springs is a year-round resort nestled within a scenic and wild Idaho river valley. Simply dubbed "Lava" by regional hot water-seekers in the know, this gorgeous mountain town bisected by the Portneuf River is a stay-and-play destination that's just as impressive when the hoar frost adorns the cottonwoods in January as it is when summer's heat settles over the valley in July.

Lava Hot Springs, with a population under 400, is one of many underrated small towns in Idaho. It's situated at the foot of Fish Creek Pass, about a two-hour drive due north of Salt Lake City, Utah. It's home to some of the most stunning natural hot springs in America, and for thousands of years, before European settlers arrived in what is now southern Bannock County, the indigenous Shoshone and Bannock people used the piping hot water flowing out of the travertine bedrock above the Portneuf River to soak and bathe. The tribes believed the mineral-rich waters have healing powers, and, regardless of territorial disputes over hunting and fishing grounds, the hot springs were always designated as "neutral ground." Today, a world-class soaking pool and an Olympic-sized swimming pool complete with waterslides and diving boards make Lava an anytime destination.

When the snow flies and ice tickles the edges of the Portneuf River, many tourists opt for warmer destinations. Though the Lava Hot Springs Resort's Olympic swimming pool and all of its waterpark trappings are closed during the winter months, winter is the best time of the year for many visitors. The resort's beautifully developed hot spring pools, located at the east end of town near the origin of the springs themselves, offer guests the chance to sample the steaming hot baths that range from a scalding 112 degrees to a very comfortable 102. For many, a driving snowstorm spent soaking in 104-degree water is about as heavenly as it gets. Lava Hot Springs' pools are definitely among the best hot springs in Idaho.

With several hotels to choose from in town — and many offer private hot-springs tubs and pools of their own — visitors can easily turn a day trip into a weekend. Add in colorful, small-town Western nightlife and the chance to soak under the stars in sub-zero weather, and a winter weekend in Lava can be an ideal escape. But it's not all about just relaxing. Every February, the town presents its annual Fire and Ice Winter Festival, which offers fireworks, a polar plunge in the river, and the annual "running of the bulls," where scantily clad bathers run from the west end of town to the east end ... ending, of course, at the resort's stunning soaking pool complex.

Once Memorial Day weekend arrives, the resort opens its massive outdoor swimming pool and its towering waterslides. On any given day, motorists driving by the town on U.S. Highway 30 will be tempted to pull over and take part in some great family fun. Featuring food fenders and lots of grassy space for beach towels and camp chairs, the pool and diving complex is the center of activity. But more adventurous summertime water lovers can also rent tubes for rides down the Portneuf River right through town. It's not usual to drive down Main Street and see dozens of bathing suit-clad floaters walking back up upstream for a second run of the river. And unlike the hot springs, the Portneuf stays cool year-round, offering a great way to beat summer's heat.

For those who might like a break from the watersports, Lava is located near several public access roads into the nearby Caribou National Forest. Hikers, anglers, and off-road riders have lots of choices on these beautiful public lands. For history buffs, the old ghost town of Chesterfield is about 30 minutes north of town and sits along the old Oregon Trail. It's been lovingly restored and is open to visitors during the summer months. But the heart of Lava is its water, and for hot-springs aficionados, this wonderful little town is an amazing destination. For more unique U.S. getaways, check out the best mountain destinations in the country for non-skiers.