Mountainous landscapes and towering volcanoes are some of the Willamette Valley’s most distinctive natural features. And the same forces that created those jagged peaks and sweeping landscapes are responsible for another of the Willamette Valley’s most sought-after attractions: hot springs. The mineral-rich springs, fed by volcanic and geothermal activity below the Earth’s surface, offer a relaxing respite from the modern world, often in the heart of old-growth forests or along bubbling rivers. So whether you’re looking for a natural hot spring or something a bit more developed, here are five hot springs throughout the Willamette Valley and Cascades Range—and what makes each so special.
Note: You’ll want to keep a few rules and common courtesies in mind before throwing on your swimsuit (or stripping down altogether). First, don’t drink alcohol while you soak; doing so can cause and exacerbate dehydration and dizziness. (And along those lines, don’t bring glass bottles around the water, either.) Be sure to pack out whatever you bring in, so the next group of soakers can enjoy the same experience.
The eponymous pools are just some of the many attractions you’ll enjoy at Breitenbush Hot Springs. The retreat center boasts several soaking tubs and hot springs; a steam sauna; yoga, meditation, and other wellness offerings; massage (for an added fee); overnight stays in the lodge; and more.
The hot spring pools and steam sauna are clothing optional, but clothing is required elsewhere on the property. And keep in mind that reservations are always required.
Discovered in 1880 by local hunter Bob Bagby, the hot springs are perhaps the most popular in all of Oregon today. Three springs and numerous seeps flow through the area, and water temperature ranges from 120°F to 138°F. To reach Bagby Hot Springs, visitors must hike about 1.6 miles through a forest of old-growth cedar and Douglas fir (the mostly-flat trail gradually gains about 200 feet of elevation along the way). Once there, soakers can relax in a pair of open-air, wooden structures—surrounded by towering fir trees and soundtracked by the bubbling springs—that host tubs for individual and group soaks.
The soaking opportunities at Belknap Hot Springs aren’t exactly hot springs as you would imagine—they’re spring-fed pools of hot mineral water—but the experience nevertheless offers a serene and relaxing getaway from the modern world.
Belknap Hot Springs sits on the McKenzie River and offers two pools, along with several acres of gardens, for rest and rejuvenation. One of the pools is reserved exclusively for overnight guests—guests can stay overnight in a lodge, cabin, or on-site RV spots—while the other is available for daytime soaks. And if you need a break from the pool, Belknap Hot Springs offers several poolside lounge chairs, as well as several gardens for a relaxing stroll. Note that bathing suits are required at all times, and pets are not permitted in or around the pools.
You’ll feel like you’re in another world long before you’ve dipped your toe in the waters at Terwilliger Hot Springs (also known as Cougar Hot Springs). The quarter-mile trail that leads to the clothing-optional hot springs is surrounded by old-growth forest, and the pools themselves are flanked by ferns and fir trees. Six soaking pools are laid out in a step ladder-like pattern; the pools are fed by a spring above the topmost pool, so you’ll enjoy progressively cooler water as the pools descend—from 112°F in the uppermost pool to 85°F in the lowest pool. Keep in mind that the pools are clothing optional—but that nudity is not allowed within eyesight of nearby Forest Road 19 (Aufderheide Drive). Soakers should also know that the hot springs are closed between 8 a.m. and noon every Thursday for cleaning, and that the area closes daily from sunset to sunrise. The pools are open year-round, but Forest Road 19 is not maintained in the winter, and the road may be covered in snow and ice.
Note that the Terwilliger Hot Springs reopened in June 2019, following a 2018 wildfire, and the trail leading to the hot springs sustained fire damage. Stay on the trail at all times, and watch for falling trees, rockslides, and other hazards along the trail.
It’s easy to see why developers once built a resort near McCredie Hot Springs. Bordering Salt Creek in the heart of the Cascades Range, the hot springs sit in a lush forest not far from OR-58.
Visitors arrive at the hot springs next to Salt Creek after a half-mile, mostly flat hike. Some of the pools can be too hot for comfort—temperatures range from 98°F to 114°F—but the creek’s chilly water feeds some of the pools, cooling them down and creating a more comfortable soaking experience. The pools range from 3 feet across to 35 feet across, and the deepest pool is 2 feet deep. Clothing is optional.
But keep in mind that accessing the more secluded southern bank requires crossing Salt Creek, which can run high and fast—especially after heavy rainfall, and in winter and spring. If the creek looks too swift for your liking, don’t chance it.
Note that the hot springs are open dawn to dusk, year-round, for day-use only. Camping is not allowed at the hot springs.
