September 3, 2008
Day 7: To East Fork BLM campground
I slept until 8:30 and didn't leave the motel until 10:45. The morning was foggy and not as cold as I expected. The fog finally cleared at about 10. Suddenly I could see the mountains and the temperature climbed. I looked around the town a bit, then wandered 1/4 mile to Snake Pit hot spring. The temperature was 102F. Perfect, with a great view of the Sawtooth mountains.
Today I go downstream all day along the Salmon river. A couple miles downstream is the village of North Stanley. I stopped for lunch at a restaurant on the bank of the Salmon river with a great view of the mountains.
A couple miles past the restaurant is Boat Box hot spring. I stopped to look but the water in the tub was 131F and there was no bucket to add cold water from the river. No way to soak any time soon. It's BYOB-bring your own bucket. Later the wood tub was replaced by a giant metal cauldron.
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4 miles downstream from the Boat Box I crossed the river to see Mormon Bend hot spring. The pools are very shallow, hot on top and cold at the bottom. Not a very appealing soak, so I crossed the river back to the road.
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A couple more miles downstream I turned left onto the gravel road alongside Basin Creek. 500 feet up the road is Basin Creek hot spring. I had a short soak but had to wave my arms and legs often to mix the scalding top layer with the cool lower layer.
Less than half a mile downstream from Basin Creek I stumbled onto Cove hot spring which is not listed in my guidebook. The pool was 98F. I soaked for a few minutes. The pool is small and the source has a small flow.
4 miles downstream from Cove hot spring is the well-marked Sunbeam hot spring. It has a big sign and parking lot. It has an old stone bath house built in the 1930's by the CCC. No hot water there now. The hot pools are next to the river. The source is on the other side of the highway. The hot water flows under the highway in a culvert. The scalding hot water needs to mix with river water to be soakable. I soaked for a few minutes. The 6th hot spring I visited today. Large flow keeps it clean and clear.
It was late afternoon when I left Sunbeam hot spring. I had pedaled less than 20 miles so far today.
Fortunately I'm traveling downstream with a tailwind and the sun on my back. The ride was fast and glorious for 25 miles to East Fork BLM campground at the confluence of the East fork and Main fork of the Salmon river. The landscape is steadily more arid as I go downstream.
It was a rare treat to camp on lush irrigated grass. The campground has flush toilets. Deluxe! No showers, of course. Unfortunately the campsite is very close to the highway and the highway has a very noisy cattle guard nearby.
Today was mostly sunny with a high temperature of 70F. The scenery was great because the highway stays close to the Salmon river. At first the hillsides are pine forested but by the end of the day the hillsides are barren. It's a rare treat to go downstream with a tailwind all day. Today's average speed is much higher than previous days. It was a great day.
Distance: 44.8 miles (71.6 km), 1 mile on gravel
Climbing: 870 feet (265 m)
Average speed: 12.6 mph (20.2 km/h)
Maximum speed: 33 mph (53 km/h)
Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 279 miles (449 km)
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