Location: Hagerman, Idaho
Distance: 3 Miles Paddling Out and Back on the Snake River
Difficulty: Moderate Time: 2 Hours
Season: Spring, Summer and Fall
Foot Traffic: Moderate to Heavy
Date Visited: Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Overview
Blue Heart Springs is an absolutely stunning natural spring water cover on the Snake River, located in close proximity to the phenomenal Thousand Springs State Park. The vibrantly blue waters are crystal clear and beyond description.
Swimming is allowed here but the water temperatures usually hover in the high 50’s. There is also tons of wildlife here, including snakes, porcupines and weasels. Additionally, Blue Heart Springs is the 13th largest freshwater spring in North America.
There are only a few options for visiting Blue Heart Springs. Most choose to kayak or stand up paddle board from the Banbury Hot Springs launching dock. Boats are also allowed but engines must be cut off when entering. The kayak trip is around 1.5 miles each way along the Snake River. Kayaks may be rented at the Banbury Hot Springs but they do often sell out. I would highly recommend bringing along your own kayak like we did. The Intex Explorer K2 is a great option and we take ours with us everywhere we go.
The best bet for visiting is to visit early on a weekday. However, the best lighting is in the afternoon when the sun lights the water up, making the blue color really pop. Weekends and peak hours can create a logjam inside the tiny cove and give way to an overly crowded scene. This area is spectacular and the clear, cold waters are a sight to behold.
Route Description and Scout’s Story
Blue Heart Springs was not something that I had originally had on my list of things to do while visiting Idaho. As storms were due to roll into the town of Stanley, we paused our hiking adventures and I decided we would move on toward the town of Hagerman. I had stumbled upon Blue Heart Springs the week prior and figured we could fit the kayak trip in along with some time in Thousand Island Springs State Park
My wife, our 3 month old daughter, Scout, and myself had now been on the road for a little over a month. After camping near Stanley for the previous week, we decided this would be a good night to get a motel and holed up for the night in Hagerman before heading to Banbury Hot Springs early in the morning. We had a great night, got cleaned up and awoke early to make the drive towards Banbury Hot Springs.
Launching our Kayak on the Snake River
We arrived around 8 AM and I quickly began inflating our kayak. I was super eager to set out on the Snake River and was beyond excited to reach the Blue Heart Springs. As I readied the kayak, my wife took baby Scout and put her in her bathing suit before dipping her feet in the Snake River to get her ready for our adventure.
Finally, we were ready and pushed off heading north up the Snake River. Mom and Scout rode in the front as I did the brunt of the paddling. The kayaking was calm and relaxing with absolutely no one else in sight. Eventually we saw a reddish/brown cliff side with a rockfall. This was what we were now aiming for, knowing Blue Heart Springs was beneath it. A tiny bend in the river occured and just before it a slight opening into a cove appeared. We turned to the right and into the cove and were greeted but a mucky mess of seaweed that was entangling our kayaks fin. We pushed through and then the brightest blue waters I had ever seen greeted us.
Reaching Blue Heart Springs
I was in absolute awe at the sight of Blue Heart Springs. The waters were crystal clear and the setting was just magical.
It was still early, with the kayak having took us only about 30 minutes, and we were the only ones at the spring. Scout was now fast asleep due to the rocking of the kayak.
I decided to pull up the rocky shoreline and exit to explore a little bit. Before I could exit my wife pointed out two different animals. First she saw a Weasel and then to my amazement, we spotted a porcupine along the rocks. I got out of the kayak and sat on the rocks with the absolute biggest smile on my face. I was so grateful to be here and to be sharing this moment with my wife and daughter. Blue Heart Springs felt like a truly special place.
About an hour went by before we encountered our first visitors. We decided it was time to go and were excited to let the other group enjoy the springs in peace too. The kayak trip back was a little tougher and took us a tad longer. We reached the launch area at Banbury Springs and again sat and dipped our feet in the water. What a magical morning and special place.
Getting to Blue Heart Springs Kayak Launch
Banbury Hot Springs – Blue Heart Springs Kayak Trip
Notes, Questions and Thoughts
Is this a fee area?
- No, there is no fee to kayak to Blue Heart Springs.
Are dogs allowed at Blue Heart Springs?
- Yes, dogs are allowed at Blue Heart Springs. Please pick up and properly dispose of all animal waste.
Please recreate responsibly. Respect hikers and all visitors and wildlife. Help make everyone’s experience better by keeping the nature experience as authentic as possible. Leave no trace and pack out everything that you pack in. Please remember that we are visitors and stewards of these special places. Help keep these places as wild as possible while not diminishing the outdoor experience of others.
