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Cowboys and Hot Springs: Merriam Lake Hike and Goldbug Hot Springs near Challis, Idaho

7/1/2013

Our adventures out of Challis, Idaho on a 4th of July weekend: hike to Merriam Lake beneath Idaho's highest peaks, soak in Goldbug Hot Springs, and talk (at least try) to Pahsimeroi Valley cowboys.

Trip Stats:
Goldbug Hot Springs - Salmon-Challis National Forest

23 miles south of Salmon, Idaho on U.S. Highway 93. Turn east at milepost 282 and drive on a short gravel road to the trailhead parking area.
Hike in 2 miles to Gold Bug Hot Springs with 1,350 feet of elevation gain; trail is very steep as it gets near the hot springs. Trail is well-marked.
~ 6 pools of varying temperatures fed by waterfalls, dammed by boulders.
Links for more info: BryoticWorlds.com/blog Idaho Hot Springs.com

Merriam Lake - Lost River Range, Idaho - Salmon-Challis National Forest

Spectacular lake at 9,590 feet at foot of Mount Idaho at 12,065 feet (Idaho's 7th tallest).
Maps: Burnt Creek, Elkhorn Creek, and Leatherman Peak USGS quadrangles.
Distance: 4 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate with steep final ascent to lake

Driving Directions to Merriam Lake trailhead: (Recommend map for driving and verify with other sources).

We used the book, "Hiking Idaho" by Ralph Maughan and Jackie Johnson Maughan for driving directions to trailhead, and also the Idaho Road and Recreation Atlas. The drive to the trailhead is long and a high-clearance vehicle is necessary. A 4-wheel drive is recommended.
The trailhead is ~ 25 miles from U.S. Highway 93. From Mackay, drive north on U.S. 93 about 26 miles to the turnoff to the Doublespring Pass Road (May-Patterson). Turn right (northeast). Forest Road 116.
At 2.4 miles on May-Patterson Road, drive 5 miles past interpretive signs for Mt. Borah earthquake to Doublespring Pass (8,318 feet). Continue over pass and down Doublespring Creek Canyon for 3 more miles. Turn right at sign indicating Horseheaven Pass, which will be 10.5 miles from the turn-off at Hwy 93.
Drive to town of May, cross over valley to county road going up west side. This road leads to Doublespring Creek, then to Horseheaven Pass turnoff. Follow road to Horseheaven Pass (7,900 feet).
7 miles past turn-off from May-Patterson Road, keep to the right at junction. In one mile, road comes to a 4-way junction just before Mahogany Creek. Continue straight ahead, and drop down to cross Mahogany Creek. Go up creek for 0.1 mile, then turn on road to left and go up a steep, short hill. The road takes a turn around the hill and enters the broad Pahsimeroi Valley.
After 2.5 miles, pass a line shack and a corral. Just beyond, the road forks; continue to the right up the valley of the West Fork of the Pahsimeroi.
3 miles on a rocky road lead to the trailhead at 8,160 feet.

Quick Fact: Pahsimeroi is the Shoshone name for a grove of conifers miles distant from other trees: Pah (water) - sim (one) - roi (grove). (from interpretive signs in Salmon, Idaho).

One of the pools at Gold Bug Hot Springs out of Salmon, Idaho

Goldbug and Challis Hot Springs
"Hot Springs in the Pacific Northwest" is a great guide to take with us on our extended Idaho adventures. For 4 hot days in June, we camped at Challis Hot Springs Campground in Challis, Idaho with our tent trailer. One day we drove north of Challis and walked on a dusty trail to Goldbug Hot Springs, and to our delight found glorious warm waterfalls and hot pools. After a HOT and STEEP two mile hike up a scenic canyon, we came upon a paradise of old cedar trees, hot waterfalls and multiple pools of varying temperature, all dammed with rocks. Mixtures of the hot springs and cold creek water have been craftily captured into clear pools for the enjoyment of all. Lucky for us, there were only 4 other people up there, so we splashed and hopped from one pool to the next.

We have had some great soaks in beautiful Idaho hot springs. Bonneville Hot Springs near Lowman has an old-fashioned white bathtub in a wooden shack, and the hike to Weir Creek Hot Springs passes through cedar trees. Goldbug is our favorite for so many reasons. To be able to sit under waterfalls in pools with perfect temperature and look down a gorgeous, open valley is relaxation at its finest and pure heaven. Makes you downright proud to live in Idaho!

After this soak and the hot hike back to the truck, we drove to Salmon and hung out in the library for a couple of hours to cool off.

Challis Hot Springs

Challis Hot Springs Campground, where we camped, is just west of the Lost River Mountain Range, where Idaho’s tallest peaks stand at 11,000 and 12,000 feet in all their rugged glory. These hot springs lie on the Mt. Borah fault and feed into two large pools – one is at 98 degrees and the other maintained at 105 degrees. The hot springs come up through the gravel in the pool. No sulfur smell because the water percolates up through limestone. This hot springs has been operated by 4 generations of the same Irish family. It used to be a place of recreation for miners in the late 1890’s and early 1900’s.

One night we enjoyed a long conversation in the pool with the Irish owner, who is now 83 years old. He keeps the place up really well, and liked to tell us stories (continuously).

View of Salmon River from Challis Hot Springs Campground - Challis, Idaho

Stream near Challis Hot Springs

Merriam Lake Hike
One day we decided to hike up to Merriam Lake, at almost 10,000 feet. Getting to the trailhead to start the hike was an adventure in itself! You drive on Doublespring Pass, which is a good gravel road that connects 2 valleys on either side of the Lost River Mountain Range. A network of somewhat confusing 4 wheel drive roads branch off from this, and although we became temporarily bewildered (not lost), we kept heading toward the mountains. We saw some cowboys herding cattle through the sagebrush and asked them if we were heading in the right direction.

Merriam Lake, elevation 9,590 feet at the base of Mount Idaho, Idaho's 7th tallest mountain at
12, 065 feet

Merriam Lake - a long drive and short hike will get you here!

Pahsimeroi Valley, near Mt. Borah in the Lost River Range, Idaho

There were 3 generations of cowboys present, and the eldest cowboy sparingly answered our questions as he sat on top of his horse. It was so hot that we had seen one of their dogs under some willows at the creek about 1/2 mile back. Apparently, one of the cowboys told us the dog “won’t come on”. I can't recall if I've ever seen cattle grazing beneath majestic mountains before - but here we did. The cowboys mostly kept their backs turned toward us - after all, they were working. We got back on our way across the Pahsimeroi Valley.

Eventually, we found our way to Merriam Lake trailhead and hiked to it, but by then the monsoonal weather had come in and we ended up in thunder, rain, and then our truck slid almost sideways out of control down a saturated clay road on the drive back. The hike into the lake is only 2 miles. I've seen a lot of mountain lakes in my hiking career - Merriam Lake has to be one of the most outstanding. The curves of the U-shaped glaciated valley leading into the lake from Mount Idaho contrasts with the rugged limestone peaks and crags. The dark green water reflected the color of the firs around it, and the snowfields on the talus slopes still present in early July.

On the long drive back to Doublespring Pass, the cowboys were gone, and their dog must have "come on" because he wasn't wading underneath the willows in the creek when we passed over it.