Umpqua Hot Springs

What to expect

Umpqua Hot Springs is one of the few natural springs in Oregon where the setting does most of the work. Water rises from a hillside about 150 feet above the North Umpqua River and has built up a pale orange travertine shelf over centuries. Volunteers and the Forest Service have shaped that shelf into a chain of small pools that spill into one another, so the hottest water is at the top and each pool below is a few degrees cooler.

The top pool is the one in most photos. It sits under a simple wooden roof and holds four to six people. It runs hottest, often around 110 to 115°F43 to 46°C, which is too hot for most people to stay in for long. The lower pools are open to the sky, usually somewhere around 100 to 104°F38 to 40°C, and look straight out over the river canyon and Douglas fir forest. On a cold, clear morning, steam drifts off the terrace and you can hear the river below.

There are no changing rooms, toilets at the pools, trash cans or drinking water. Bring what you need and carry everything back out, including food scraps.

Getting there

The springs are in the Umpqua National Forest, off Oregon Route 138 (the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway).

• From Roseburg: Drive about 58 miles east on OR-138, past Glide and Steamboat. Just past milepost 58, turn left onto Forest Road 34 (Toketee-Rigdon Road) toward Toketee Lake. Follow it about 2.2 miles, then turn right onto FR 3401 and continue about 2 miles to the signed trailhead. Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• From Bend or Crater Lake: Come in from the east on OR-138 past Diamond Lake and turn right onto FR 34 near milepost 59.

FR 3401 is a narrow gravel road with potholes. A normal car can usually make it in summer, but take it slowly. The lot holds roughly 10 vehicles. Do not park along FR 3401 itself: the Forest Service bans parking within 300 feet of the road so emergency vehicles can get through, and they ticket.

From the lot, cross the footbridge over the river and turn up the trail. It is short but steep, with roots, loose dirt and a few switchbacks that turn slick in rain or frost. Wear proper shoes, not flip-flops, and carry a headlamp if you are cutting it close to sunset.

When to go

Late spring to early fall is the easy season. The gate on FR 3401 is open, the trail is dry, and you can drive to the lot. It is also the busy season. Summer weekends regularly fill the lot by mid-morning.

Weekday mornings give you the best chance of a pool to yourself. Late afternoons are pretty but crowded, and you have to be out by sunset.

Winter is quieter and more atmospheric, with snow on the trees and steam rising, but it takes more effort. The road is usually gated from around November to April, and storms can close it earlier. With the gate closed you walk, snowshoe or ski about 2.5 miles of road each way before the trail even starts. A Sno-Park permit replaces the day pass from November 1 to April 30.

Rules and etiquette

The Forest Service tightened the rules here after years of overuse, and rangers do patrol. The rules that matter most:

• Day use only, sunrise to sunset. No camping at the springs or the trailhead, and no overnight parking.
• Pay for parking. Display a $5 day pass, a Northwest Forest Pass, or an America the Beautiful pass.
• Clothing is optional. Nudity is normal here. If that bothers you, choose a different spring.
• No glass, no soap, no shampoo in the pools. Soap and sunscreen leave a film that takes days to clear in pools this small.
• Share the pools. If you have been in the top pool for a while and people are waiting, move down a level.
• Pack out everything. That includes toilet paper. There are no facilities up at the pools.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging at the springs. The nearest options:

• Toketee Lake Campground, about 3 miles away, has around 30 sites on a reservoir and is open year-round. Sites are reservable on Recreation.gov.
• Dispersed camping is allowed in parts of the national forest away from the closure area around the springs. Check current fire restrictions before you build a fire.
• Diamond Lake, about 25 miles east, has a lodge, cabins and larger campgrounds. Roseburg, about 1.5 hours west, has the closest chain hotels and full services.

Safety notes

• Water temperature: The top pool can exceed 110°F43°C. Test it with a hand first, keep soaks short, and get out if you feel dizzy. Do not put your head under the water in any hot spring.
• Footing: Most injuries here come from the trail and the slick travertine around the pools, not the water. Walk the terrace slowly.
• Car break-ins: Remote trailheads attract thieves. Leave nothing visible in the car.
• No signal: Cell service usually drops out around Glide. Tell someone your plan and download an offline map before you leave the highway.

Nearby stops worth adding

Toketee Falls is a short drive back down FR 34. A 0.4-mile trail leads to a viewing deck over a two-tier waterfall that pours through columnar basalt. Watson Falls, a few miles east on OR-138, is one of the tallest waterfalls in southern Oregon and has a short, steep trail. Both pair well with a morning soak.