Umpqua Hot Springs

Lane County, Oregon · Near Oakridge
43.2940°N, 122.3670°W · 2,608 ft
117°F 38°F air · Good soaking weather 2,608 ft Open Short Walk US Forest Service Camping nearby (2.5 mi)

Umpqua Hot Springs is a group of hot springs above the North Umpqua River in the Umpqua National Forest. Hot mineral water comes out of several sources and forms a series of pools that people soak in. The source temperature on file is hot, above what most people would sit in without letting it cool. Access is open. Oakridge, the nearest town listed, is about thirty miles off.

Location

Forest Road 3401 is the nearest road, and the springs are a few hundred feet from it on foot. The elevation is around twenty-six hundred feet on the wet side of the Cascades, with over fifty inches of precipitation a year and deep winter snow, well over a hundred inches. The land is Forest Service, designated National Forest.

Winter months are flagged as best on file, which given the snowfall means checking road conditions before you go. Toketee Group Site is the nearest camping listed, about two and a half miles away. The water is hot enough to test before getting in. No fee is on record. OpenStreetMap tags it as a hot spring.

History of Umpqua Hot Springs

Wikipedia describes the Umpqua Hot Springs as a group of geothermal springs along the North Umpqua River at about 2,640 feet, where hot mineral water emerges from several sources to form cascading pools. Eight pools are available for soaking, the larger with a solid rock bottom and the smaller with coarse sand bottoms.

Terrain

USGS hasn't flown a detailed laser scan here yet, so this view comes from aerial photos and older elevation data.

Aerial view of the ground around Umpqua Hot Springs

The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Setting
Canyon floor
Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
Highest ground nearby
652 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the south
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from north to south, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
101 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 48% 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
37°
Jan
37°
Feb
40°
Mar
45°
Apr
53°
May
60°
Jun
68°
Jul
70°
Aug
62°
Sep
52°
Oct
42°
Nov
36°
Dec
Annual Precip: 51.5 in Annual Snow: 171.6 in
Best Time to Visit
December Air 36°F · Water 117°F · +81° contrast
January Air 37°F · Water 117°F · +80° contrast
February Air 37°F · Water 117°F · +80° contrast
December offers 33°F more contrast than August
Current Conditions
38°F
SE 0.0 mph 100% Good soaking weather
Today 72° Low 43° Mostly Sunny 7% precip
Spring is +45° warmer
Wednesday 74° Low 44° Mostly Sunny 6% precip
Spring is +43° warmer
Thursday 77° Low 45° Sunny 13% precip
Spring is +40° warmer
Friday 82° Low 46° Sunny
Spring is +35° warmer
Saturday 85° Low 48° Sunny
Spring is +32° warmer
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Toketee Group Site 2.5 mi away

Overview The North Umpqua Wild and Scenic River pauses at Toketee reservoir providing a secure home for a wide variety of wildlife. Here beaver and otter make their homes. Visitors are sometimes treated to seeing and hearing the beaver's tail slaps. Great blue heron and kingfishers are joined in fall and winter by ducks, geese, and bald eagles.Recreation Many people enjoy some of the state’s best German Brown trout fishing. Due to ongoing dam repair Toketee Lake is 2-3 feet lower than the...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
117°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 117°F (47°C)
Avg Air Temp 50°F
Above Ambient +67°F
Great soaking conditions September
Access
Open
Road Access Short Walk
Nearest Road Forest Road 3401
Distance to Road 454 ft
Bath Type Hot spring
Land
Ownership Federal
Agency US Forest Service
Designation National Forest
Unit Umpqua National Forest
Manager US Forest Service
Protection 3 - Protected, subject to extractive use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Umpqua Hot Springs?
Umpqua Hot Springs has a water temperature of 117°F (47°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.
Where is Umpqua Hot Springs located?
Umpqua Hot Springs is located in Lane County, Oregon at 2,608 feet elevation, near Oakridge. Coordinates: 43.2940°N, 122.3670°W.
How do I get to Umpqua Hot Springs?
Umpqua Hot Springs has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Forest Road 3401 (454 ft from the road).
Is Umpqua Hot Springs free to visit?
Umpqua Hot Springs has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.
Can I camp near Umpqua Hot Springs?
Yes, Toketee Group Site is located nearby (2.5 miles away).
Is it safe to soak at Umpqua Hot Springs?
With care. At 117°F Umpqua Hot Springs is hot enough to need short sessions, fifteen to twenty minutes, and plenty of water. Enter slowly and get out if you feel light-headed.