Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring)

Siskiyou County, Oregon · Near Tulelake
42.1160°N, 121.2870°W · 4,148 ft
142°F 35°F air · Good soaking weather 4,148 ft Roadside
Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution

At 142°F, the source water at Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring) 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 Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring) LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring)
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.

Oregon Hot Springs, also on file as Big Hot Spring, is a scalding source with Tulelake as its nearest town and no measurable distance between them; the record places it in Siskiyou County. The water will burn, above 140 degrees, so it is not a soaking spot as recorded. Owner and access fields are empty.

Location

Fifty yards or so off a road the record never names, which makes this roadside in the plain sense. Elevation tops four thousand feet. Moderate snow, and under twenty inches of precipitation across the year. No campground falls within range, and nobody is named as managing the land.

Winter ranks as the best season on record. Anything this hot will scald skin; do not test it with a hand. With access unrecorded and the spring so close to town, assume private ground until you learn otherwise. No fee and no camping are listed.

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 Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring).

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
19 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southwest
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from southwest to northeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
72 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 7% 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
32°
Jan
34°
Feb
39°
Mar
45°
Apr
54°
May
64°
Jun
73°
Jul
73°
Aug
64°
Sep
51°
Oct
39°
Nov
32°
Dec
Annual Precip: 18.3 in Annual Snow: 44.4 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 32°F · Water 142°F · +110° contrast
December Air 32°F · Water 142°F · +110° contrast
February Air 34°F · Water 142°F · +108° contrast
January offers 41°F more contrast than August
Current Conditions
35°F
NNW 3.6 mph 74% Good soaking weather
Today 75° Low 40° Sunny 4% precip
Spring is +67° warmer
Wednesday 70° Low 38° Mostly Sunny then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms 24% precip
Spring is +72° warmer
Thursday 70° Low 39° Chance Light Rain 28% precip
Spring is +72° warmer
Friday 75° Low 40° Sunny 1% precip
Spring is +67° warmer
Saturday 78° Low 41° Sunny
Spring is +64° warmer
Temperature
142°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 142°F (61°C)
Avg Air Temp 50°F
Above Ambient +92°F
Great soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 154 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring)?
Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring) has a water temperature of 142°F (61°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring) located?
Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring) is located in Siskiyou County, Oregon at 4,148 feet elevation, near Tulelake. Coordinates: 42.1160°N, 121.2870°W.
How do I get to Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring)?
Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring) has Roadside road access (154 ft from the road).
Is it safe to soak at Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring)?
No, not at the source. The water at Oregon Hot Springs (Big Hot Spring) reaches 142°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.