Umpqua Hot Springs

Umpqua Hot Springs is a group of siliceous geothermal springs along the North Umpqua River in Douglas County, Oregon, at 2,640 feet (800 meters) elevation in the Umpqua National Forest within the Cascade Range, where volcanic activity associated with the High Cascades volcanic arc has produced a series of naturally flowing hot spring pools cascading down a travertine-encrusted rock outcrop above the rushing river, accessible via a short trail through old-growth Douglas fir and western red cedar forest. The springs are managed by the US Forest Service as a primitive recreation site with minimal development, requiring a forest road drive and short hike to access, which has preserved the wild hot spring atmosphere that makes Umpqua one of the Oregon Cascades' most cherished natural bathing destinations among hikers, backpackers, and Pacific Northwest outdoor enthusiasts. The siliceous mineral character of the waters — enriched in silica from circulation through the volcanic rocks of the Cascades — and their position above the river gorge amid cathedral-sized old-growth trees give Umpqua Hot Springs an atmosphere of primal natural grandeur.