Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs Resort

Current status: open again

Kah-Nee-Ta is open. If you last heard about it in 2018 or 2019, you heard it had closed, and that was true: the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs shut the resort in 2018, saying it was no longer financially sustainable. The tribes then spent six years and about $13.1 million rebuilding it, and the pools reopened to day visitors in July 2024.

A planned 2023 reopening slipped after a May storm with 70 mph winds and around five inches of rain destroyed six cabanas and ruined stored supplies. The resort website still carries a few leftover banners from those delayed openings, so trust the dated schedule on the day use page rather than the headline.

As of October 2026, the resort says its pools, spa, restaurant and store open Thursday to Monday through March 2027. Lodging is open seven days a week. The spa is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

What to expect

The resort sits in a sunny bend of the Warm Springs River on the Warm Springs Reservation, in juniper and rimrock country east of the Cascades. The tribes opened it in 1962. The name honors Xnitla, a Warm Springs woman who lived and farmed here in the early 1900s.

This is a family water park built around a hot spring, not a quiet spa. Expect noise and kids on summer weekends.

The pools

The resort counts about 30 pools and tubs in total, which includes the private soaking tubs. The main ones:

• Hot spring soaking pools: The resort lists its natural outdoor hot springs pools at 92 to 104°F33 to 40°C. An accessible leisure pool sits beside two smaller pools that reach about 102°F and 104°F39°C and 40°C.
• Activity pool and lazy river: A large pool with water volleyball and basketball, ringed by a lazy river.
• Kids’ area: A zero-depth entry pool with spray features and fountains. The redevelopment plans kept the old water-spraying bear statues.
• Cold plunges next to the hot pools.
• Private riverfront soaking tubs: Twenty six-person tubs above the Warm Springs River, with their own temperature controls. They are an add-on to a day pass or stay.

Mineral water from the springs feeds four of the seven main pools. All water is treated with oxygen and ozone. The resort publishes a mineral analysis and markets the water heavily for wellness; take the health claims as marketing.

Access features include a ramp for waterproof wheelchairs and underwater benches.

Getting there

Kah-Nee-Ta’s address is 6811 Highway 8, Warm Springs. The resort is about 15 minutes by car from the community of Warm Springs on US 26.

• From Portland: Take US 26 east over the shoulder of Mount Hood and down to the Warm Springs Reservation. In the community of Warm Springs, follow the signs for Kah-Nee-Ta onto the paved road north to the resort.
• From Bend or Madras: Take US 97 north to Madras, then US 26 northwest to Warm Springs and follow the resort signs.

The road is paved all the way. Parking is included with a day pass. US 26 over the Mount Hood pass can be snowy in winter, so check TripCheck before you leave Portland.

When to go

The resort is a dry-side destination. Summers are hot and sunny, which is ideal for the river float and the activity pools but makes the hottest pools less appealing in the afternoon. Spring and fall are mild and usually the most comfortable for long soaks. Winter days are cold and bright, and the hot pools come into their own.

Weekends cost more and fill first, especially in summer. Thursday, Friday and Monday are the quieter open days. Remember the resort is closed to day visitors on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Prices and booking

Rates posted on the day use page in October 2026:

• All Day Pass (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.): $34 midweek, $39 Saturday and Sunday.
• Twilight Pass (3 p.m. to 9 p.m.): $19 midweek, $29 Saturday and Sunday.
• Limited-time offers: A 4 to 7 p.m. pool pass or a river tube float at $19 each.

Other pages on the same site show $29 for weekdays, so treat the exact figure as whatever the booking page shows on your date. Buying online in advance saves 10%, and capacity is limited.

Day passes include the wellness pools, lazy river, kids’ pools and land activities such as disc golf, pickleball, basketball, mini golf and trails. Bring your own towel or rent or buy one there. Outside food and drink are not allowed.

Rules worth knowing before you go: swimsuits are required, showers are required before entering the pools, swim diapers are required for children under 5, and there is no diving, no glass and no smoking anywhere on the property. Day guests cannot bring pets, other than service animals.

Where to stay nearby

Staying on site is the easy choice.

• Hotel: About 30 rooms designed for groups of four to 12 people.
• Tipis: Twenty tipis, a revival of a Kah-Nee-Ta tradition, near a clubhouse with a barbecue and fire pit.
• RV park: About 50 sites with utility hookups, plus extra RV parking.

Book lodging through the resort website. The resort also sells packages that combine a stay with guided walk-and-wade or drift-boat fishing trips.

Off site, Madras on US 97 has the nearest chain motels and full services.

Other things to do

The river float is the big summer draw: about 3 miles on the Warm Springs River in a tube, around two hours, with a shuttle back. It runs from early summer to the end of September, weather permitting. There are also horseback rides, guided trail walks, a spa, and the Chinook restaurant and Appaloosa bar serving fry bread dishes and tribal fare.

Safety notes

• Heat: The hottest pools are around 104°F40°C. Keep soaks short, especially on a hot day, and drink water.
• Sun: Shade is limited and the high desert sun is strong. Bring a hat and reapply sunscreen out of the pools.
• Kids: The lazy river and activity pool are busy on weekends. Keep young children within reach.
• Respect the land: The resort is on reservation land owned by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Stay on marked trails and follow tribal rules about fishing and access off the resort grounds.