Where families experience family.
Pool Closure:
The Pool is closed Now until May 3 for refurbishment and painting!
Road Condition:
Currently, April 19, wheeled vehicles can make it to the “Y”. From about 1/2 mile to the Trail Creek Summit, over the summit and down into The Plunge, we are still accessible by tracked-vehicles only.
Visit Silver Creek Plunge
Since 1957, Silver Creek Plunge has been providing a family-friendly camping experience that offers a geothermal swimming pool, fishing, hiking, and amazing star-gazing beneath the Idaho mountain sky. We are 2 hours north of Boise and 25 miles north of Crouch. We sit nestled on 13 acres of forested land surrounded by the beautiful Boise National Forest with Silver Creek running through the heart of the campground. We can’t wait to have you join us!
Current Hours
Friday - Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday - Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday - Thursday: CLOSED
How to get here
From Hwy 55 or Hwy 21, take the Banks-Lowman Rd toward Crouch/Garden Valley.
Take Middle Fork Rd toward Crouch and follow Middle Fork Rd through Crouch. About 5 miles outside of Crouch the pavement ends and becomes dirt/gravel as you enter the Boise National Forest. From this point, you are 15 miles from Silver Creek Plunge!
After about 8 miles the road will “Y”. Take the slight right toward Silver Creek Campground (this is Forest Service Road 671)
After another 7 miles, turn right into the Silver Creek Campground, cross over the bridge and follow the signs to Silver Creek Plunge Office, Pool, Check-In.
Our History.
Believe it or not, Silver Creek Plunge actually began as a silver mine in the late 1890’s (by best guess). M.F. Eby (picture at right) who was a pioneer resident of Boise with interest in horticulture and mining, staked claims for Silver Creek Mine and Deadwood Silver Mine. We don’t have any record of the Silver Creek Mine producing silver but he did strike hot water! (Fun fact, the “hot pool” in the plunge today is the old entrance to the mine!)
In the 1920’s M.F. Eby sold the claim to E.H. Heller. (Below Left: Picture of E.H. Heller soaking in hot pool at mine entrance, July 22, 1926; photo taken by his son Leland) Silver Creek passed to E.H. Heller’s son, Leland “Lee” Heller, who sold it to Mert Lyons in 1956. It was Mert and his friend Floyd Suttle who built the Silver Creek Plunge that we know today and that opened in 1957. (Fun facts: the center section of the cabin above the pool is the cabin Mert built; Cabin #7 located by our solar field is the cabin Floyd built.)
Since 1957, Silver Creek Plunge has several owners. Who can forget the tall-tale, gun-toting Buford? Followed by the Area family and Stephens family? As of May 2022, Silver Creek Plunge is owned and operated by the Penn Family of Boise. The Penn’s have family roots that go back to the 1860’s in Idaho and Eastern Oregon (you can read more about our history in the Store at Silver Creek Plunge). We look forward to continuing the legacy of Silver Creek Plunge!
Left: E.H. Heller in 1926 / Center: Waner family in 1941 / Right: Construction of current Plunge in 1956.
Our geothermal pool.
Our pool holds 186,000 of geothermal water. The water enters the pool from the rocks between 100-104 degrees and exits the pool at 97 degrees, the average temp is 100. The water flow rate is almost 540 gallons per minute which means that nearly every 6 hours, the entire volume of water is changed. The result is sparkling clear, naturally heated water!
No Reservations needed to enjoy our pool! We look forward to seeing you here!
Pool pricing (Summer)
Children under 2: free
Children 2–12: $10
Adults 13–59: $12
Seniors 60+: $8
Evening Swim (2 hours before close): $8
3-Day Pass (minimum 3 day swim required; Adults: $8; Children: $7; Seniors: $5)
The original mine shaft entrance in our pool
A Silver Creek Plunge tradition, Saturday Night Coin Toss!
Stay.
Lodging is CLOSED for the Winter.. Please click on Winter at the Plunge above for winter operating details!
We are now taking reservations for our 2024 Summer Season. Call us at 208.739-3400 to reserve your stay!
If soaking in The Plunge for a day isn’t enough, we offer a variety of lodging options, each with its own rustic charm. It would be helpful to view the accommodations as “camping indoors” which means you don’t have to haul your trailer up the mountain but can still enjoy the mountain experience!
To reserve a Cabin or A-frame, call us at 208.739.3400
No reservations are required for our tent sites. All tent sites are first-come-first-served.
Check-In Time: 3 pm
Check-Out Time: 11 am
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A-frame
We have 6 A-frames and they were all built in the late 1950’s by our original owners. These A-frames sleep 4 and come equipped with either two full-beds or a full-bed and a full-futon , gas oven and stove, cold running water, and its own outdoor fire-pit, picnic table and access to a common outhouse.
Cost: $79 per night
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Family Cabins
We have 6 Family cabins which were originally the Darling Motel in Caldwell but were purchased and transported to Silver Creek Plunge in the 1980’s! These cabins are 2-room cabins and sleep 6. Each comes equipped with 2 full beds in the bedroom and 1 sleeper sofa in the front room. Each cabin also comes equipped with a propane oven and stove, cold running water, refrigerator, propane heater, and an outdoor fire-pit, picnic table, and its own private outhouse.
Cost: $109 per night
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Deluxe Family Units
We have 3 Deluxe Units. 1 is our Founder’s Cabin (Cabin 7) and the other 2 are located above our Store. Each Unit can potentially sleep 8.
Cabin 7 has 2 full beds, a bunk-bed, and a queen sofa sleeper.
Our 2 Units above the store have 2 full beds and 1 sleeper sofa (queen air mattress is available upon request)
Each Deluxe Unit has an indoor toilet, hot-and-cold running water, propane oven and stove, a refrigerator, and a propane heater, along with their own designated fire-pit.
Cost: $139 per night
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Tent/RV Spots
Our Tent/RV sites are first-come-first-served and are currently unmarked. You will know it’s a tent site by looking for a fire-pit/picnic table combination. Come, stake your spot, check-in at the office and you’ll be good to go!
Cost: $15 per night
We also are Camp Hosts for Boise National Forest’s Silver Creek Campground. This campground sits on the west side of Silver Creek and has 53 campsites and 2 group sites. These are all walking distance to The Plunge. To make reservations for Silver Creek Campground Boise National Forest, click the link here!
FAQs
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The road is passable to the “Y” but tracked vehicles will be required from the “Y” to The Plunge.
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Pack as if you are camping because you are! So be sure to bring:
a) All your own bedding and linens
b) All your own cooking utensils
c) Swimming suit
d) Light jacket. You’re in the mountains so the evenings do cool off!
e) bug spray
f) Flashlight
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1) Quiet Time is from 11pm to 9am. No generators or loud activities are allowed during Quiet Time.
2) Pets are welcome but all animals must be leased and restrained at all times.
3) Campfires must not be left unattended at any time. All campfires must be fully extinguished before departing (please “drown your campfires”); there will be a $200 fine for campfires left hot, smoldering, or burning.
4) Fire pits are for your camping experience so please DO NOT place, burn, or leave trash in your fire pit. Any trash left or burned will result in a $50 fine.
5) There is NO garbage service available. You must pack garbage out with you.
6) NO SHOOTING of any type of weapon is allowed in the campground.
7) Chainsaws are NOT to be run in the campgrounds for any reason.
8) Speed Limit is 5mph for ALL vehicles throughout the campground.
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Pool is comfortably warm but not hot which makes for a fun day of swimming and floating. It’s geothermal which means the earth is generating the heat. It’s a flow-through, skim-pool so the water is never recycled. What comes in from the rocks is exiting out toward the stream so it’s always fresh.
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We have a small solar field which generates our power but our power is limited. Only our Deluxe Cabin/Units have wall outlets for your convenience but electric skillets, hair-dryers and curling irons drain our power fast so please leave those devices at home and come enjoy the mountains!
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We do not provide linens. There are cover sheets on the mattresses for protection but that is it.
You will need to bring your own linens or sleeping bags (I prefer sleeping bag!)
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Currently, we are taking reservations by phone only. If you’d like to make a reservation, please call 208.739.3400
All tent/RV sites are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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If you are more than 14 days before the first day of your reservation, there will be no charge to your card.
If you cancel within 2 weeks (14 days of your reservation), you will be charged 50% of whole reservation.
If you cancel within 1 Week (7 days of your reservation), you will be charged 75% of whole reservation
If you cancel within 24 hours of your reservation, you will be charged the full rate of your reservation.
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Nope. We have no showers on the premise but feel free to enjoy the pool and the creek!
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The water in the cabin faucets and in the spickets around the campground are all potable.
Even though our pool water is clean and clear, please do not drink the pool water.
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Nope. Please carry out everything you’ve carried in. There will be a charge of $50 per bag if garbage is left at your campsite or cabin.
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Nope. We are not checking for vaccinations nor are we currently enforcing social distancing. We trust you will choose to do the right thing.
