Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
on the Owyhee River is the most spectacular of all, a hundred-yard chasm in the desert spill-
ing hot water into a stream and falling down into the Owyhee. Here are just a couple of
hike-hot spring combos to get you started:
Bagby Hot Springs.
You'll follow a creek most of the way on this 1.5-mile hike through old-
growth Douglas-fir and cedar, located in the Mount Hood National Forest, 70 miles south-
east of Portland. The remote springs, although clearly marked on most maps of the Mount
Hood National Forest, has been improved by a volunteer group that calls itself the Friends
of Bagby Hot Springs. There's an open-air “bathhouse” with a round 6-foot cedar tub and
three log tubs made from hollowed-out cedar trees, as well as an enclosed private row with
five “bathhouses,” each with its own hollowed-out tree tub. All you do is remove the wooden
plug and the tubs quickly fill. You can regulate the temperature by adding buckets of cool
water. Although Native Americans used this springs for centuries, it was first “discovered”
by Robert Bagby, a miner from Amity, Oregon, in 1881. To find the trailhead, take Ore. 224
south from Estacada. You'll see a sign for Bagby, where you turn onto Forest Service Road
63. Take that road to Forest Road 70 and drive 6 miles to the trailhead parking lot. The hike
getting to the springs, although relatively easy except in the springtime when the trail can get
slippery and muddy, is one of the prettiest in northern Oregon, passing through rain forests,
past waterfalls, and next to lots of moss-covered logs. Although the Friends of Bagby accepts
donations in a collection box at the entrance, the springs are totally free. There are several
Forest Service campgrounds nearby.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Since there are no corporations advertising these remote hot springs, we'll just pass
on some comments from their fans:
•
“[Soaking in a natural hot springs] is heaven, or as close to it as you can get
on Earth. I've been to every hot springs from Mexico to Canada. They help
your electrolytes. It sort of recharges your batteries.”—“Rainy Day” James
Ahola, a street musician and artist
•
“The water is really good for your skin because of the high mineral content.
It's really cleansing, and it feels really refreshing. It takes a lot of weight off
your spine and joints.”—Molly Richardson, a frequent soaker at Doe Bay
Hot Springs on Washington's Orcas Island
