Surrounded by the Sawtooth mountain range, amidst peaceful meadows and wilderness, sits the Mountain Village Lodge in Stanley, Idaho. This 61-room lodge is located along the Salmon River and is home to a variety of unique amenities including a very special man-made mineral hot spring. The pool has been built into a rustic wooden barn and is set with ceiling-to-floor doors that open out to the tranquil and expansive mountain scenery of central Idaho. It offers the perfect combination of nature and rustic comfort, and since the pool is reservation only, there is a guarantee of solitude as you take in the snow-capped, jagged peaks of the Sawtooth mountains.

If you are a guest at the resort, you can reserve the pool for free, but non-guests can also reserve the spring for a small fee. I recommend getting a spot in the morning so you can gaze at the mountains while drinking your coffee, but it is also quite beautiful around sunset. The bottom of the pool is sandy and the water is about chest-deep. It is kept naturally sanitary due to the minerals, heat (103 – 106 degrees Fahrenheit), and the flowing water that is piped in through the building. Keep in mind, the hot spring has become rather popular thanks to social media, so make sure to book it as soon as you can.

Where to Stay

Obviously, the ideal place to stay is the Mountain Village Lodge, but since you can reserve the pool without being a guest, and since there are many more natural springs to enjoy in the area, you can stay anywhere in Stanley. There is a lot of great camping nearby, especially around Redfish Lake, and there are tons of great cabin rentals in the mountains or along the lakes or rivers like this one or this one.

What to Expect

Mountain Village Lodge is located in Lower Stanley, off of ID-75. It is right along the Salmon River and is 14 – 16 minutes from Redfish Lake or Stanley Lake, making it an ideal location to enjoy the many outdoor activities Stanley has to offer. The pool itself can be reserved for 1 hour intervals and will seat up to 8 people. It is set away from the main lodge, in an outbuilding along the river, which is about a 5-10 minute walk. If you are not a guest at the hotel, there is a fee of $25 per hour booking which includes towels and use of the changing room.