Hot springs in Oregon

Oregon has 41 hot springs, including 19 free primitive soaks and 22 paid resorts, more hot springs inside National Forest wilderness than any other US state, with soaks scattered across the Cascades, the Alvord Desert, and the Umpqua and Willamette watersheds. Oregon is the only state where you can soak in a boardwalk pool ringed by old-growth Douglas fir on the west side of the Cascades and, on the same trip, dip in a wooden tub in a stark alkali playa on the east side. Springs cluster in four regions: the western Cascades (Cougar/Terwilliger, Bagby, Breitenbush, McCredie, Umpqua), the central Cascades (Belknap, Kah-Nee-Ta), the high desert / Alvord (Alvord, Borax, Willow Creek, Summer Lake), and the Wallowa/Blue Mountains (Lehman, Cove). Flagship sites include Umpqua Hot Springs, Bagby, Cougar/Terwilliger, Breitenbush, and Alvord Hot Springs. Oregon's thermal activity is driven by Cascade volcanism (Umpqua, Bagby) and by Basin & Range faulting in the eastern high desert. Surface temperatures range 95-170°F. Land ownership is heavy US Forest Service (Willamette, Umpqua, Deschutes, Mt. Hood) with private inholdings. Access varies from drive-up (Alvord, Belknap) to short forest hikes (Umpqua ~0.3 mi, Bagby ~1.5 mi). Best season is late spring through fall for Cascade sites while Alvord is best in shoulder seasons. Gateway airports are Portland, Eugene, Redmond, and Boise. Clothing-optional is common at wild sites (Bagby, Umpqua, Cougar). Reviewed and updated August 2026.