Hot springs near Portland

Reopened as a hotel after years closed, Bonneville is the indoor, family-friendly option: mineral-fed indoor pools and hot tub, an outdoor hot tub, a kiddie pool, a sauna and a 37 F cold plunge for the brave. The indoor mineral pool and hot tub are listed at about 86 F, closer to a warm bath than a scald. Day passes come in one- and two-hour lengths, online or at the door, but they don't publish the price, so check before you go. Public pool hours are 12 to 7 p.m. daily, with adult swim 8 to 10 p.m. Under-18s stay out of the outdoor hot tub. Towels rent for $3.

The reason to come to Carson is the 1930s bathhouse: clawfoot tubs filled with mineral water pumped straight in, a 25-minute soak, then a 25-minute linen wrap. Non-guests can also buy an hourly pass to the mineral therapy pool at about 104 F, $19 for an hour or $31 for two, and the bath alone starts at $27. The spa and bathhouse open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Bring photo ID, and leave the kids with someone: under-18s aren't allowed in the soaking tub or bathhouses. Lodging and a golf course are on site if you'd like to make a night of it.

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reopened Kah-Nee-Ta in July 2024 after closing it in 2018, and it's now a family resort in the Warm Springs River canyon with seven pools, including a hot springs lazy river, a kids' pool with jets and a cold plunge. The operator puts the natural water at 92 to 104 degrees, with some pools up to 110. Day passes are timed, and the All Day Pass runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for $29 on weekdays, and the Twilight Pass from 3 p.m. costs less. Book online ahead to save 10%. Shower first, and leave the picnic at home.

A worker-owned cooperative has run this off-grid retreat in the forest above Detroit since 1989. You'll find river-rock Meadow Pools (one kept silent), four Spiral Tubs from 100 to 110 F with a cold dip, and a steam sauna built over a capped geyser. You can't just turn up. Every visit needs an advance pass, day passes run $40 on weekdays and $50 at weekends, and they often sell out weeks ahead. Clothing is optional, and the place is substance-free and fragrance-free, so skip the cologne. From November 1 to April 1 the forest road needs chains or traction tires.

Two mineral pools on the McKenzie River, a lodge and its gardens: Belknap is the easy, comfortable soak on this stretch of river. Drive up, pay, get in. The catch is the clock. Walk-ins get one hour for $12, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and full-day passes are gone. If you want a long, lazy soak, book a room, cabin or campsite instead, and the pools are yours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Swimsuits stay on, children under 5 stay out of the pools, and the glass, snacks and beer stay in the car.

Right off Highway 58, about 8 miles east of Oakridge, McCredie is the roadside soak: a short trail from the Salt Creek day-use area leads to the springs. Pay $5 per vehicle (Northwest Forest and Interagency passes work) and come in daylight, since it's day use only, sunrise to sunset, with no camping. The Forest Service doesn't describe the pools or publish temperatures. Parking holds nine cars and one RV, so a weekday morning is your friend. There's a vault toilet but no water and no trash service, so pack out what you bring. Clothing-optional use is customary.

Terwilliger burned in the 2018 fire that shares its name, and the Forest warns of loose rock, debris flows and weakened trees, so watch your footing and don't linger under damaged trees. The reward is four rock-walled pools stepping down a ravine above Cougar Reservoir, 85 F at the bottom and 112 F at the top, so you choose your heat. It's a quarter-mile walk. The fee is $12 per person for 2 hours, paid on site, with no passes accepted. It's closed 10 p.m. to sunrise and Thursday mornings for cleaning, no pets or alcohol. Parking is limited, so come early.

High in the Newberry caldera, about 25 miles south of Bend, thermal vents and hot springs warm the northeast edge of Paulina Lake. You reach them on the Paulina Lakeshore Trail from the day-use area, which charges $5 per vehicle or takes a Northwest Forest or Interagency pass. Plan it for summer, because Paulina Lake Road becomes a snow road in winter. The Forest Service doesn't say how long the walk is, how big the pools are or how hot they run, so give yourself time and carry a map. The day-use area has picnic tables and a boat launch, and no camping.