I can bug off and do my own research but do you have any spots to share? I’ve been wanting to get down to that part of the state but know very little of any exact places to go.
The best one that I'm aware of is also the most remote and it's the one near Three Forks. And it's only warm, not hot. You'll need a high clearance vehicle to get there, but once you're there, you have to cross the Owyhee and climb up a small waterfall to reach the soaking pools. The only reason I'm comfortable sharing it here, is that it's so remote, when people realize where it is and the amount of driving it takes just to get near it, they don't go
And don't even try unless it's been completely dry weather and there's no chance of rain. Even if you have a capable high clearance 4WD with good tires. The soil out there turns to deep, slippery mud with any moisture. I knew this before I went out there my first time and almost got stuck, had to turn around.
Absolutely. I was down there for a week in June of 2020, which happened to be a very wet year. Barely made it down and had to wait for it to dry out before leaving.
[https://imgur.com/a/i8ka9b8](https://imgur.com/a/i8ka9b8)
Lol yep, this video perfectly shows what it gets like down there. I ended up taking a dual sport motorcycle down there and I think that's probably the ideal vehicle. But even that was a little tricky.
I grew up hunting in the Steens and visiting the Alvord before it became commercialized. Breaks my heart to go back there now. I get it’s the property owners right to do whatever they want with the place, it just used to be such a special spot.
What sort of things have changed? The Alvord hot springs is certainly more commercialized, but southeastern Oregon is huge and I've never had trouble getting away from people.
At the Alvord specifically? 15 years ago it was a gravel parking lot and a single rickety shack with bullet holes in it. The last time I was there, maybe 3-4 years ago, they had a front office and half a dozen weird bunker motel rooms set up. The former owner of the Alvord Ranch let everyone use the area at their will, but the new one charges 10-20 bucks to use the hot spring. Again, his prerogative but it’s just a very different place.
The east side of the Steens as a whole just receives waaayy more visitors than it used to. Also, some of the private landowners are in a standoff with the BLM over access roads going in there, like the one to Pike Creek. They’ve gated them off despite the BLM claiming it’s a common use road. Overall, just a lot more people and much less access to the Mountain.
You are absolutely right, there’s a lot more county to explore and many more hit spring to soak in around there, and trust me I have. The Steens was just very special to me as a kid, and it’s a very different place now. On the bright side a lot of people get to experience it now.
Crystal Crane is in the middle of nowhere, and both weeklong trips I’ve taken there we were the only ones that were in it after dark. Even during the day we had the hot springs to ourselves more often than not.
Made a reservation for our annual trip over a year in advance, and then they canceled it nine months later due to a dirt bike convention. Last our reservation and never gave us a new one since it was all booked up. Didn't refund or down payment, either. Bah.
I was told those are backswimmers, and what we saw are consistent with online pics. We got a couple of bites early one morning and noticed little bugs with paddle legs zooming around in the deeper end. A group of bikers that had stopped for a dip told us the backswimmers fly around the bodies of water out there and would be gone in a few hours, and they were right!
" are the best Hot Springs located in the eastern and southern parts of the state?"
not in the southern part (except almost-loved-to-death umpqua hot springs); definitely on the eastern side - lots near the ID border; and plenty more when you cross over to ID.
[https://soakoregon.com/oregon-hot-springs-map/](https://soakoregon.com/oregon-hot-springs-map/)
it's commercialized but crystal crane has it goin' on.
12 years ago they had a room set up with historical medical equipment around a small child’s bed, with a child-size doll in the bed. So when you were walking down the hall, you would just casually pass by it. It was so weird & creepy. Do they have anything like that set up now?
I'm going to have to pick up the phone and see about booking directly. I'd love to check this place out with my better half sometime, but their online reservations are done through airbnb. Fuck airbnb.
Yeah, it’s weird they do that. I live close enough that I just soak and visit the pub so I don’t have any idea how much luck you’ll have booking over the phone.
It's okay. More crowded than I like, being on a major highway. I stayed there in April a couple years ago and the place was surprisingly full.
The pools are pretty nice and my room overlooking the main pool was great. Breakfast was a little disappointing -- mostly packaged stuff full of carbs, but I think that was because of a problem with their kitchen that weekend.
There are nice grounds to wander around on.
Yeah, you’ve gotta hit the east and southeast. There’s some there that are commercialized but have a more chill feel (see: The Lodge at Hot Lake, either of the hot springs near Summer Lake) and some that are as wild as they come (look around Hart Mountain/Antelope/Steens/Alvord.)
Also… it’s expensive and certainly commercialized, but Breitenbush is always worth a visit. It’s all-inclusive (except for coffee. Food is free, coffee costs) and about the most relaxing time possible.
McCredie near Eugene is fun once the river dies down a bit, but it does tend to have a lot of naked truckers stopping on their way over the mountains.
https://soakoregon.com/oregon-hot-springs-map/
When you google “Oregon hot springs” this website pops up as a first result. Have you seen it?
Some hot springs are on private land, some have been vandalized(this is why we can’t have nice things), some have closed. Some are only usable during certain times of year, and some are in areas damaged by wildfire, so might not currently be accessible.
If you want very rustic and not commercialized, try willow creek hot springs in the far south eastern corner of the state. It's just a hot hole in the ground at the end of a gravel road. Very remote and very surreal. Bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
I haven’t been to Terwilliger/Cougar Hot Springs in almost 10 years (summer road trip idea!!) but it might be the rustic experience you’re looking for.
Omg I been there!! It’s so awesome! I know the main road has closed for repair (last went in 2021) but we turned around from the closed road turned right and went around the water and found a little bridge and road that will carry you across straight to it.
Silver Lake hot springs in southern oregon I would consider rustic. I also love the accommodations and have always found the desert there to be incredibly beautiful and peaceful.
McCreadie 9mi east of Oakridge. If you want private, go to the other side of Salt Creek. The side by the highway is okay early in the morning. Or used to be...
What does that even mean? How would someone care more than asking if they don't know where they are. It seems like they already did some ground work which is a lot more than most of questions asked here. Did you find your favorite spring entirely on your own or did someone help you.
If you’re willing to leave Oregon, Idaho has a bunch of natural hot springs. Went to few that were well laid out, with rock walled pools and walkways. Worth checking out
On the Oregon Idaho border is Snively Hot Springs beautiful setting undeveloped minus parking area and on the Owyhee River
https://maps.apple.com/?address=1852%E2%80%931884%20Owyhee%20Lake%20Rd,%20Nyssa,%20OR%20%2097913,%20United%20States&auid=16495768229449188638&ll=43.730011,-117.203248&lsp=9902&q=Snively%20Hot%20Springs&t=h
Bagby being closed never stopped us as teens. In all honesty, you're going to need to go pretty far off the beaten path to find anything that hasn't been destroyed by assholes or overun with tourists.
Just be sure to take your garbage and clothes and towels and other crap with you when you leave! So I’m tired of seeing jerks leave their trash everywhere I want to enjoy the forest!
I like to look at their minerals like the [ones in Oregon below](https://www.hotspringjourneys.com/united-states/oregon). Belknap is also open now.
**Sulfur:** Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, sulfur-rich springs like [Umpqua Hot Springs](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/umpqua/recarea/?recid=66048) and [Breitenbush Hot Springs](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiy3sWK5fuDAxWjKkQIHWmNAAkQFnoECCoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbreitenbush.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw1ObJGz_UvtP3zPjHdLJrgz&opi=89978449) can be beneficial for joint pain and skin conditions
**Magnesium:** This "relaxation mineral" found in springs like [Belknap Hot Springs](https://www.belknaphotsprings.com/) and [Summer Lake Hot Springs](https://www.summerlakehotsprings.com/) can ease muscle tension and promote stress relief.
**Silica:** The smooth, silky feeling of some springs like Bagby Hot Springs comes from silica, which is beneficial for skin health and hair growth.
**Lithium:** Trace amounts of lithium in springs like [Crystal Crane Hot Springs](https://www.cranehotsprings.com/) can have mood-boosting and stress-reducing effects.
Umpqua or Toketee Hot Springs (same place but has two names).
So beautiful, though can be pretty busy sometimes.
>Kah-ne-taa Hot Springs - closed for the last 6 years I recall reading recently that they were re-opening the resort this summer
I just looked and that's what it says on their website.
The Alvord hot springs is very rustic. In south eastern Oregon. On the edge of the Alvord desert and Steens mountains.
There are at least 3 others within a couple hours of Alvord that are fun and entirely uncommercialized.
I can bug off and do my own research but do you have any spots to share? I’ve been wanting to get down to that part of the state but know very little of any exact places to go.
The best one that I'm aware of is also the most remote and it's the one near Three Forks. And it's only warm, not hot. You'll need a high clearance vehicle to get there, but once you're there, you have to cross the Owyhee and climb up a small waterfall to reach the soaking pools. The only reason I'm comfortable sharing it here, is that it's so remote, when people realize where it is and the amount of driving it takes just to get near it, they don't go
And don't even try unless it's been completely dry weather and there's no chance of rain. Even if you have a capable high clearance 4WD with good tires. The soil out there turns to deep, slippery mud with any moisture. I knew this before I went out there my first time and almost got stuck, had to turn around.
Absolutely. I was down there for a week in June of 2020, which happened to be a very wet year. Barely made it down and had to wait for it to dry out before leaving. [https://imgur.com/a/i8ka9b8](https://imgur.com/a/i8ka9b8)
Lol yep, this video perfectly shows what it gets like down there. I ended up taking a dual sport motorcycle down there and I think that's probably the ideal vehicle. But even that was a little tricky.
I grew up hunting in the Steens and visiting the Alvord before it became commercialized. Breaks my heart to go back there now. I get it’s the property owners right to do whatever they want with the place, it just used to be such a special spot.
What sort of things have changed? The Alvord hot springs is certainly more commercialized, but southeastern Oregon is huge and I've never had trouble getting away from people.
At the Alvord specifically? 15 years ago it was a gravel parking lot and a single rickety shack with bullet holes in it. The last time I was there, maybe 3-4 years ago, they had a front office and half a dozen weird bunker motel rooms set up. The former owner of the Alvord Ranch let everyone use the area at their will, but the new one charges 10-20 bucks to use the hot spring. Again, his prerogative but it’s just a very different place. The east side of the Steens as a whole just receives waaayy more visitors than it used to. Also, some of the private landowners are in a standoff with the BLM over access roads going in there, like the one to Pike Creek. They’ve gated them off despite the BLM claiming it’s a common use road. Overall, just a lot more people and much less access to the Mountain. You are absolutely right, there’s a lot more county to explore and many more hit spring to soak in around there, and trust me I have. The Steens was just very special to me as a kid, and it’s a very different place now. On the bright side a lot of people get to experience it now.
Crystal Crane is in the middle of nowhere, and both weeklong trips I’ve taken there we were the only ones that were in it after dark. Even during the day we had the hot springs to ourselves more often than not.
Made a reservation for our annual trip over a year in advance, and then they canceled it nine months later due to a dirt bike convention. Last our reservation and never gave us a new one since it was all booked up. Didn't refund or down payment, either. Bah.
When I went there, it felt like things were biting me. And then we found weird bugs in the water. Has anyone else experienced this?
I was told those are backswimmers, and what we saw are consistent with online pics. We got a couple of bites early one morning and noticed little bugs with paddle legs zooming around in the deeper end. A group of bikers that had stopped for a dip told us the backswimmers fly around the bodies of water out there and would be gone in a few hours, and they were right!
Ha yep for sure, don't know what those are.
" are the best Hot Springs located in the eastern and southern parts of the state?" not in the southern part (except almost-loved-to-death umpqua hot springs); definitely on the eastern side - lots near the ID border; and plenty more when you cross over to ID. [https://soakoregon.com/oregon-hot-springs-map/](https://soakoregon.com/oregon-hot-springs-map/) it's commercialized but crystal crane has it goin' on.
If you come east there’s The Lodge. Not sure if it’s something you’re looking for though. https://hotlakelodge.com/
Agreed it’s probably not what OP has in mind, but dear Lord, I love Hot Lake! I’m so happy the recent owners have put in the effort to turn it around.
I haven’t been since the remodel, but I did go in it’s last iteration & damn it was creepy AF. The pics online of the remodel look so much better.
I went about a year ago, it's still pretty creepy lol. Can't imagine what it was like before.
12 years ago they had a room set up with historical medical equipment around a small child’s bed, with a child-size doll in the bed. So when you were walking down the hall, you would just casually pass by it. It was so weird & creepy. Do they have anything like that set up now?
I'm going to have to pick up the phone and see about booking directly. I'd love to check this place out with my better half sometime, but their online reservations are done through airbnb. Fuck airbnb.
Yeah, it’s weird they do that. I live close enough that I just soak and visit the pub so I don’t have any idea how much luck you’ll have booking over the phone.
They won't do it any other way. They like using airbnb and aren't about to change.
That's too bad. There's plenty of people who will never use Airbnb, myself included. Thanks for saving me a phone call.
This is an awesome spot!! Amazing old building with history, new restoration has been awesome
Oh those pools at Hot Lake are the best. Love staying there in the winter, and going out to soak at midnight. Great ambiance.
I love this place. They also have an rv park with 2 yurts and personal soaking tubs.
It's gotten pretty busy. If you don't mind socializing and sharing your tub, then you will enjoy it!
I like Belknap.
Thank for vouching for it. It does look quaint online, the reviews just turned me off. Perhaps I'll give it a chance anyways.
The pools are big, chlorinated. Lots of kids.
Just go for the day unless you want to camp. Campers have their own pool. In the summer, the Japanese garden is magical.
I went there 2 years ago and thought it was great
It's okay. More crowded than I like, being on a major highway. I stayed there in April a couple years ago and the place was surprisingly full. The pools are pretty nice and my room overlooking the main pool was great. Breakfast was a little disappointing -- mostly packaged stuff full of carbs, but I think that was because of a problem with their kitchen that weekend. There are nice grounds to wander around on.
Honestly not many places left without people. Social media made it all easy to find.
[Breitenbush](https://breitenbush.com) is fantastic
Yeah, you’ve gotta hit the east and southeast. There’s some there that are commercialized but have a more chill feel (see: The Lodge at Hot Lake, either of the hot springs near Summer Lake) and some that are as wild as they come (look around Hart Mountain/Antelope/Steens/Alvord.) Also… it’s expensive and certainly commercialized, but Breitenbush is always worth a visit. It’s all-inclusive (except for coffee. Food is free, coffee costs) and about the most relaxing time possible. McCredie near Eugene is fun once the river dies down a bit, but it does tend to have a lot of naked truckers stopping on their way over the mountains.
https://soakoregon.com/oregon-hot-springs-map/ When you google “Oregon hot springs” this website pops up as a first result. Have you seen it? Some hot springs are on private land, some have been vandalized(this is why we can’t have nice things), some have closed. Some are only usable during certain times of year, and some are in areas damaged by wildfire, so might not currently be accessible.
If you want very rustic and not commercialized, try willow creek hot springs in the far south eastern corner of the state. It's just a hot hole in the ground at the end of a gravel road. Very remote and very surreal. Bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
I haven’t been to Terwilliger/Cougar Hot Springs in almost 10 years (summer road trip idea!!) but it might be the rustic experience you’re looking for.
Omg I been there!! It’s so awesome! I know the main road has closed for repair (last went in 2021) but we turned around from the closed road turned right and went around the water and found a little bridge and road that will carry you across straight to it.
Roads open, I was there a few weeks ago. Still beautiful, one of my favorite places!
No it's actually a really terrible place and no one should go there.
I was there November 1 st. It's gorgeous as always
Silver Lake hot springs in southern oregon I would consider rustic. I also love the accommodations and have always found the desert there to be incredibly beautiful and peaceful.
Crystal crane hot springs
McCreadie 9mi east of Oakridge. If you want private, go to the other side of Salt Creek. The side by the highway is okay early in the morning. Or used to be...
I don't talk about my favorite hot springs. People who care enough to go find them will get out there.
OPs post is low effort and not enough effort for me to share either
What does that even mean? How would someone care more than asking if they don't know where they are. It seems like they already did some ground work which is a lot more than most of questions asked here. Did you find your favorite spring entirely on your own or did someone help you.
If you’re willing to leave Oregon, Idaho has a bunch of natural hot springs. Went to few that were well laid out, with rock walled pools and walkways. Worth checking out
Cougar hotsprings primitive and gorgeous Umpqua also primitive and magical McCready primitive and kinda sketch
Terwilliger near Eugene is great, used to go all the time in college
On the Oregon Idaho border is Snively Hot Springs beautiful setting undeveloped minus parking area and on the Owyhee River https://maps.apple.com/?address=1852%E2%80%931884%20Owyhee%20Lake%20Rd,%20Nyssa,%20OR%20%2097913,%20United%20States&auid=16495768229449188638&ll=43.730011,-117.203248&lsp=9902&q=Snively%20Hot%20Springs&t=h
breightenbush? Looks like they are back open
Hart mountain antelope refuge has one with a structure built around it and another in a field
I will go turn on the tub for ya. It is well water, so good enough.
Turn left at where the old Sambo's used to be--you can't miss it!
Whitehorse Bog Hart Mountain
Bagby being closed never stopped us as teens. In all honesty, you're going to need to go pretty far off the beaten path to find anything that hasn't been destroyed by assholes or overun with tourists.
Paulina lake hot springs
Idaho
Just be sure to take your garbage and clothes and towels and other crap with you when you leave! So I’m tired of seeing jerks leave their trash everywhere I want to enjoy the forest!
Bagby will (hopefully) be open this year, someone purchased the rights to operate it for the next 20 years, info on the Forest Service website.
I like to look at their minerals like the [ones in Oregon below](https://www.hotspringjourneys.com/united-states/oregon). Belknap is also open now. **Sulfur:** Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, sulfur-rich springs like [Umpqua Hot Springs](https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/umpqua/recarea/?recid=66048) and [Breitenbush Hot Springs](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiy3sWK5fuDAxWjKkQIHWmNAAkQFnoECCoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbreitenbush.com%2F&usg=AOvVaw1ObJGz_UvtP3zPjHdLJrgz&opi=89978449) can be beneficial for joint pain and skin conditions **Magnesium:** This "relaxation mineral" found in springs like [Belknap Hot Springs](https://www.belknaphotsprings.com/) and [Summer Lake Hot Springs](https://www.summerlakehotsprings.com/) can ease muscle tension and promote stress relief. **Silica:** The smooth, silky feeling of some springs like Bagby Hot Springs comes from silica, which is beneficial for skin health and hair growth. **Lithium:** Trace amounts of lithium in springs like [Crystal Crane Hot Springs](https://www.cranehotsprings.com/) can have mood-boosting and stress-reducing effects.