Molly’s tubs Idaho hot springs 2021

In recent trips to the Molly’s I’ve always ended up at the ever changing tubs. However this year to start off with they were occupied and so I sought after the original Molly with my guidebook in hand. http://Hiking Hot Springs in the Pacific Northwest: A Guide to the Area’s Best Backcountry Hot Springs https://g.co/kgs/U1Lsy2 There are four very unique hot springs in the expanse of just over half a mile. Two are easily accessible and the others require a river ford, the water this day was still to high to identify the ” Folley or the Trolley” .

I backtracked a little and sauntered 1/3 of a mile on a neglected trail thinking that the original hot spring was probably better than any of the others. Upon finding the bridge the trail took me north and up a precarious slope, which felt compatible with most spring access. I won’t deny that it was somewhat mollifying sighting the state of this dipping pool. Someone “possibly a village” had spent countless hours running hoses to pipe hot water down a intensely steep cliff to a small murky pool. The water was extremely hot and any attempt to haul cold water from the nearby stream would prove futile due to the steep climb. As I sat photographing the beautiful scene around me and pondering the man power and hours that it took to build this little soak, happily the occupants of Molly’s tubs drove away.

Retracing my steps I found myself in a very different place than I’d been five years prior, thus the ever changing tubs. Upon the first version of the guide book there were originally about four bath tubs placed here and hot spring water piped in. At my first visit the pools existed from crude pilings of rock enabling the hot water and the stream to coexist dependant on how much of each temperature the user would like to add to the bath. What I walked into was completely different and somewhat mind boggling.

The pools were way to hot and I remebered not to step in the mud as it is almost boiling and sticks scorchingly to your feet. Here there has been placed a Jacuzzi tub right next to the stream. It has a deck and buckets are available for hauling in cold water, impressive. There are also crude rock soaks available but the greatest addition is a beautiful new mortared soak. Down side, way to frigging hot and no way to practically add cool water. Up side, it’s perfectly placed and the view is amazing! Again I was mollified at how much change these springs had been through and the ingenuity.

The Molly’s are situated near McCall Idaho. From there head south toward a small town named Cascade but turn left onto the Warm lake highway before you reach the city. Drive about 23 miles and turn onto forest road 474, Stolle meadows. When the road becomes an intersection ( just past Tule lake) flip a hard right heading north. This new route ends in a vehicular circle at the tubs.