Lava Hot Springs celebrates grand opening of newly renovated hottest pool
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LAVA HOT SPRINGS — It was a beautiful day of celebration on Thursday at the Lava Hot Springs World Famous Hot Springs as local officials and visitors gathered to mark the grand opening of the facility’s newly renovated hottest pool after 10 months of being closed.
The celebration began with members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes offering a blessing of the sacred geothermal waters, followed by a ribbon-cutting that officially opened the renovated pool to the public.
Eager visitors waited nearby for their chance to be among the first to experience the redesigned pool, which features new landscaping, greenery and waterfalls that create a more tranquil setting.
To celebrate the new pool, visitors were offered free admission to the hot pools from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tyson Koester, executive director of the Lava Hot Springs Foundation, praised the many people who helped bring the project to completion since planning began in 2023.
“People think this project just started 10 months ago, but we’ve been working on it since 2023,” Koester said. “We had a team in place with the knowledge to make this last in Idaho for generations to come.”
Despite the project’s magnitude and the large crane that became a familiar sight during construction, Koester said that overall, the hot pools were closed for just 28 days during the renovation. A mild winter also helped keep construction on schedule.
RELATED: Lava Hot Springs hot pools temporarily closed for renovations
Bannock County Commissioner Jeff Hough attended the ceremony and spoke about the significance of Lava Hot Springs to both the county and the state.
“Being here today is an emotional moment for me,” Hough said. “This is something for Idaho to brag about. This is a world-class project, and we’ve got the world’s attention.”
Hough said the project also brought its share of unexpected discoveries. During construction, crews encountered water throughout the north side of the property, including six springs.
“This is where the water starts and flows from,” Hough said. “We lost track of all the surprises.”
Hough also presented Koester with a Bannock County “Challenge Coin,” an honor reserved for people who have helped make the county a better place.
The geothermal pool, which averages about 112 degrees, underwent extensive renovations designed to improve accessibility, safety and the overall experience for visitors.
Improvements include an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible ramp, a swim-up sun deck with loungers, new seating, and significant infrastructure upgrades. Benches now encircle much of the pool and are positioned at varying water depths, giving guests different options for soaking.
The sun deck allows visitors to swim up to the lounge chairs, which are surrounded by shallow water. The pool’s previous concrete bottom was replaced with a pebble surface, while improved stair access and a gradual-entry ramp make it easier and safer for visitors to enter the water.
The project became necessary after the aging pool began experiencing structural problems. Portions had begun to sink, the stairs and benches were separating, and years of weather exposure and use had caused the concrete to chip and deteriorate.
The renovation also gave the entire place a fresh look, with new landscaping and water features surrounding the geothermal pool while preserving the natural hot water that has drawn generations of visitors to Lava Hot Springs.
Next up: A cold plunge
With the hottest pool renovation complete, the Lava Hot Springs Foundation is already looking ahead to its next project.
Koester said construction crews will turn their attention to a cold plunge area planned for the northwest corner of the facility.
The cold plunge is expected to accommodate approximately 10 to 12 people at a time, allowing visitors to alternate between the geothermal hot pools and cold water.
Earlier Foundation documents estimated the project at approximately $480,000, with completion anticipated this winter.
For more information about the geothermal pool project, follow: Lava Hot Springs – World Famous Hot Springs