Sunbeam Hot Springs is one of Idaho's most accessible and scenic roadside soaks — a cluster of natural, rock-walled pools right on the bank of the Salmon River in the stunning Sawtooth National Recreation Area, about 12 miles northeast of Stanley along Highway 75. Free, easy to reach, and framed by the rugged Salmon River canyon, it's a perfect place to soak away the miles on a Sawtooth road trip.

Hot mineral water emerges scalding from the hillside (160 to 180 degrees at the source) and is channeled down to mix with the cold Salmon River, filling a series of user-built rock pools and a couple of metal soaking tubs at comfortable temperatures, usually somewhere between 100 and 110 degrees. You can move rocks to fine-tune the heat, and soak with the river rushing right beside you and mountains all around.

The site also has history: a handsome stone bathhouse, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937, still stands on the hillside, preserved as a historic landmark with interpretive signs (the bathhouse itself is no longer used for soaking). A small changing room with a restroom sits nearby, and the walk down to the pools is short.

A few tips: because the springs sit right by the highway, swimsuits are recommended, and the pools are small, so be patient and courteous with other soakers, especially on busy summer days. Spring runoff can raise the Salmon River and temporarily flood the lowest pools, so summer through fall (and winter, for a snowy soak) are the most reliable. It's free, with no permit or fee. Bring a towel, mind your footing on the wet rocks, and pack out everything — Sunbeam is a quintessential Idaho riverside soak.