Fisher Hot Springs

Lake County, Oregon · Near Lakeview
42.2970°N, 119.7760°W · 4,586 ft
154°F 34°F air · Good soaking weather 4,586 ft Open Short Walk Bureau of Land Management Camping nearby (19.5 mi)
Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution

At 154°F, the source water at Fisher Hot Springs is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

Aerial view of the ground around Fisher Hot Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Fisher Hot Springs
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Fisher Hot Springs in Lake County is BLM ground about thirty miles from Lakeview, and the public is allowed in. The catch is temperature. The water emerges scalding, far past anything skin can take, so this is a spring to look at. Nothing on file describes any cooler pool.

Location

A short walk of a few hundred feet separates it from the nearest road, which goes unnamed here. The BLM's Lakeview Field Office manages the ground. Elevation is high desert, around forty-six hundred feet, with snowfall totaling near four feet a winter and little rain otherwise. OpenStreetMap lists it under the same name.

Winter, December into February, comes up as the best season. For camping, the closest listed option is Drake Peak Lookout, a little under twenty miles out. Access is open, and the water will still burn you, so keep back from the source and keep dogs and kids away from it. No fee is recorded, and no photo.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Fisher Hot Springs.

Setting
Hillside
The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the southeast.
Highest ground nearby
442 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
75 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 10% of the springs on this site.

Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
30°
Jan
32°
Feb
37°
Mar
45°
Apr
55°
May
65°
Jun
75°
Jul
74°
Aug
65°
Sep
51°
Oct
38°
Nov
29°
Dec
Annual Precip: 13.8 in Annual Snow: 47.7 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 29°F · Water 154°F · +126° contrast
January Air 30°F · Water 154°F · +124° contrast
February Air 32°F · Water 154°F · +123° contrast
December offers 47°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
34°F
Clear N 20.9 mph 79% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 77° Low 44° Sunny 2% precip
Spring is +77° warmer
Wednesday 70° Low 47° Slight Chance Light Rain then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms 15% precip
Spring is +84° warmer
Thursday 70° Low 47° Chance Light Rain 35% precip
Spring is +84° warmer
Friday 76° Low 47° Sunny 5% precip
Spring is +78° warmer
Saturday 79° Low 48° Sunny
Spring is +75° warmer
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Drake Peak Lookout 19.5 mi away

Overview Located on the crest of the Warner Mountain Range at an elevation of 8,222 feet, Drake Peak Lookout hugs the wind-swept land surrounding it, offering unparalleled views into Oregon, California and Nevada. The lookout was built in 1948 and has served as a fire detection site for the surrounding area. Historically, Forest Service personnel lived long seasons in the cabin, scanning the region for lightning, flames, curls of smoke or any other indicator of possible forest fires. At one...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
154°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 154°F (68°C)
Avg Air Temp 50°F
Above Ambient +104°F
Great soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 410 ft
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency Bureau of Land Management
Designation PUB
Unit Lakeview District Lakeview Field Office
Manager Bureau of Land Management
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Fisher Hot Springs?
Fisher Hot Springs has a water temperature of 154°F (68°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is Fisher Hot Springs located?
Fisher Hot Springs is located in Lake County, Oregon at 4,586 feet elevation, near Lakeview. Coordinates: 42.2970°N, 119.7760°W.
How do I get to Fisher Hot Springs?
Fisher Hot Springs has Short Walk road access (410 ft from the road).
Is Fisher Hot Springs free to visit?
Fisher Hot Springs has Open access. It is managed by Bureau of Land Management.
Can I camp near Fisher Hot Springs?
Yes, Drake Peak Lookout is located nearby (19.5 miles away).
Is it safe to soak at Fisher Hot Springs?
No, not at the source. The water at Fisher Hot Springs reaches 154°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.