Much like Idaho, Oregon is well known for it’s spectacular hot springs and they are scattered across the entire state. These natural springs are in the most beautiful settings and more often than not completely free of charge. How lucky are people who live in Oregon?

Whilst we had ambitions to get to the more remote springs, many were hours off our route so we’ve listed in detail the five we visited and we’ll give you a few more suggestions at the bottom if you are road tripping the area.

1: Cougar (Terwilliger)
2: Umpqua
3: Paulina Lake
4: Snively
5: Belknap
6: Bagby
7: Alvord
8: Deer Creek (Bigelow)

The 8 Best Hot Springs in Oregon

Magical Hot Springs in Oregon Map

Below you can see our customised map showing you the locations of all the best hot springs in Oregon. You can access a Google Maps version of this by clicking this link.

1. Cougar (Terwilliger) Hot Springs

Area: Willamette National Forest
Heat: From very hot to cool
Size: Several pools from quite large to very small
Cost: $7

Cougar is one of Oregon’s most famous hot springs and we have to agree that it’s a beauty. The series of pools are surrounded by thick forest and it feels like you’ve found a secret paradise (or it would if it wasn’t so busy!). There are three main pools which get progressively smaller and cooler the further from the first pool you get.

The first and main pool is the only one which we’d actually describe as hot, the middle one is warm and the third is tepid. We visited as soon as the springs officially opened for the day but we weren’t the only ones there.

The top pool was already full so we opted for the middle one which we got to ourselves for a full hour which was amazing. I actually really liked the temperature because I don’t like my water super hot but if you do you will definitely need to use the top pool and it’s unlikely you will get it to yourself.

Best oregon hot springs - Cougar (terwilliger)

It’s also good to be aware that clothing is optional at these springs and we were actually the only ones in bathing suits! We didn’t mind as we just chilled in our own private pool but I think I would have felt weird to get into the top pool as the only one with a swim suit!

To access the pools requires a short 1/4 mile walk through the forest on a well maintained path. It’s pretty flat the whole way until you get to the staircase which leads down to the pools. There’s a small open air changing area if you need.

Cougar hot springs are officially maintained so there is an entrance fee of $7 per person and strict opening hours of sunrise to sunset. The nice thing about these pools are that they are cleaned weekly and that made them one of the few springs around Oregon that weren’t littered with trash (sad but true).

The pools close for cleaning every Thursday between 8am and midday so if you want to visit when it’s at its cleanest you’ll want to head there on a Thursday afternoon.

Cougar (Terwilliger Hot Springs) in Oregon

If you want to avoid the crowds we’d advise going at sunrise. During our visit in fall this was 8am which is probably why there were still quite a few people around, in months with an earlier sunrise you stand a better chance of getting it to yourself. By around 9.30am when we visited (on a weekday) it was positively heaving and there were no parking spaces left.

How to get to Cougar Hot Springs

The closest city to Cougar is Bend and that’s still a 1 hour 45 minute drive away! The hot springs are at the end of a dirt road that runs along the Cougar Reservoir.

There’s a pay booth that is at the start of the short path to the hot springs.

If you are looking to make a day of it, you can also visit Bagby and Belknap Springs and explore Proxy Falls, one of the best waterfalls in Oregon.

2. Umpqua Hot Springs

Area: Umpqua
Heat: From scorching to very cool
Size: Many small pools
Cost: Free

Up there with Cougar as the one of the most popular hot springs in Oregon, Umpqua’s multitude of blue pools and dense forest setting have become a popular Oregon photography spot. It’s a beautiful spot and there are plenty of pools to choose from scattered along the cliff side, almost all are small so if it’s busy it’s going to feel crowded.

The first pool you come to is the hottest and the further down the cliff side you walk the cooler they get. My fave was the pool to the left of the hottest pool which was very warm but not scorching hot (I sound like Goldilocks!). The pools further down were too cool on a chilly morning in fall. if you’re visiting in summer they would probably be perfect.

As with Cougar, clothing is optional and it was about a 50:50 split. We don’t mind the whole clothing optional thing but I mention it because some people don’t and some people who had kids were not too keen.

The pools are accessed via a 0.6 mile walking trail which has one pretty steep section which I personally wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing in flip flops, particularly after rain as the mud got quite slippery. Other than that it’s a fairly easy uphill walk.

We visited at sunrise, because again, we know how busy it gets. We shared the pools with one other person for around 40 minutes before a few people turned up. By 10am it was a constant stream of people and we were happy to have enjoyed the peace and serenity of the early morning and left.

The springs are free to visit and sadly despite the fact this natural treasure doesn’t cost a cent people leave trash, we even saw discarded underwear. It’s so sad. Please take all your trash with you and leave this beautiful spot unspoilt for everyone to enjoy.

How to get to Umpqua Hot Springs

The nearest town to Umpqua is Roseburg and it’s a 1 hour 20 minute drive. Alternatively you can drive from Bend which is a 2 hour 20 minute drive.

3. Paulina Lake Hot Springs

Area: Bend
Heat: From warm to cool
Size: Several very small pools
Cost: Free

Now Paulina hot springs might not be for everyone but I absolutely loved them! They are very different to all the others springs on this list in that they are much more rustic.

Set on the edge of a lake, the water varies from warm to actually very cool and the pools are scattered in a row along the beach with the water hemmed in by planks of wood.

The pools are also not very deep so in cold weather you’re going to get chilly. Having said all of this personally speaking I thought they were great.

We were the only ones there and I sat for over an hour in my own pool watching the sunset set and staring at the glorious snow capped mountain straight ahead of me. We watched Bald Eagles swooping around in the distance and honestly the whole thing was pretty magical.

The hot springs are accessed via a 1.3 mile (one way) hiking trail which weaves its way along the lake shore and through the forest. It’s almost entirely flat and easy but does have some rocks and trees roots to step over.

Paulina Hot Springs - Best Hot Springs in Oregon

The springs are free and despite visiting in the late afternoon rather than sunrise these are the only pools we got to ourselves.

How to get to Paulina Lake Hot Springs

The walk to Paulina Lake Hot Springs starts from the furthest end of Little Crater Campground. The walk is along the shoreline of the lake and then through the forest, and is flat. Just keep an eye out for the campground which leads back to the shore and the location of the hot springs.

4. Snively Hot Springs

Area: Border of Idaho
Heat: A pool with both hot and cold sections
Size: One large pool
Cost: Free

Ah Snively, we loved these hot springs set just off the road side but which felt as wild as any of the others! The pool is really big and just a few steps from the car park but completely shielded from view. The backdrop of the towering red cliffs is the prettiest of any of the springs on this list. It’s truly unique.

There are shallow and deep sections and hot and cold sections so you can move around to find your ideal spot. We visited smack bang in the middle of the day and shared the huge pool with just one other person. There was a lot of steam at these springs, more than any other we visited in Oregon and I think it made it feel even more atmospheric.

The hot springs are free of charge but again suffered from a bit of a trash problem.

How to get to Snively Hot Springs

Snively’s a long way away from any city in Oregon (5.5 hours away from Bend!) and is a very short distance from Idaho. We’d recommend visiting if you are road tripping from Boisie to Bend or Portland.

5. Belknap Hot Springs

Area: Willamette National Forest
Heat: Hot
Size: One very large pool
Cost: $8 per hour or $15 per day

Belknap are the only springs on this list which are resort style but they are really popular so we wanted to include them. The pool looks like a swimming pool, it’s huge but is full of steaming hot spring water. It’s attached to a hotel but non guests can also use them.

The pool looks out onto a roaring river backed by forest and it’s a really pretty spot. If you prefer something more sanitised then this is definitely the one for you. If you fancy a chill out day there are lots of sun loungers around the pool.

If you are a guest at the hotel there is also an upper pool you can use which is not open to non guests.

The springs cost $8 for an hour or less or $15 per person per day and you can hire a towel for $2 if you need. Bathing suits are required.

How to get to Belknap Hot Springs

Belknap is really close to Cougar and Bigelow, which makes a fun day of hot spring hopping! The nearest city is Bend which is 1 hour 20 from Belknap.

The ones that got away - other amazing Oregon Hot Springs

6. Bagby Hot Springs

I’m not going to lie I wanted to visit Bagby as soon as I saw a picture of the whiskey barrel tub! It reminded me of a place we visited in Sapa, Vietnam where you bathed in a barrel and I wanted to recreate the memory! Next time!

Bagby is divided into three sections, the private deck which has five log baths (it sounds strange but it’s true!), the public deck with three more log baths and one whiskey barrel tub and the upper deck with one ginormous whiskey barrel tub.

To access the springs you need to walk for 1.5 miles along an easy hiking trail. Note that often the tubs are not full so allow extra time to fill them up.

The day use fee is $5 per person.

7. Alvord Hot Springs

Of the three that got away Alvord was the one I wanted to visit the most. This hot spring is in the desert, backed by mountains and the views look amazing. It’s quite far from anywhere which is why we ended up missing it this time.

If you can, the best option is to camp onsite and get the chance to experience a sunrise or sunset, or even a starry night soak! There are two pools, one open air and one under cover and are now run as a private venture (they used to be public but vandalism led them to close).

The day use fee is $8 per person. Camping is $30 for two people and $15 extra for each additional person or you can stay in the bunkhouse for $60 per two people.

8. Deer Creek (Bigelow) Hot Springs

Deer Creek Hot Springs are situated on the bank of the Mackenzie River and the single pool is nestled into an area of ferns. It’s tiny so you have to hope to get it to yourself but if you succeed it sounds like a truly magical place. The pool is free and clothing is optional. It’s actually really near to Belknap Springs and I had it on my list but then forgot at the time and remembered when we had already driven back to Bend. Fail!

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