CLOSED
Approximately 60 miles outside of Portland lies Austin Hot Springs, which is located on private land and is closed to the public.
Please respect the landowner and do not visit this natural hot springs.
Additional Information
From the Johnson Creek Watershed Council on behalf of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS):
Austin Hot Springs is a sacred site for numerous Native American peoples since time immemorial, the area was recently acquired by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS) but has been overrun and degraded by trespassers who have been destroying signs, fences, leaving trash, long term camping, and leaving human feces. This is more than people not understanding leave no trace; this is active desecration. CTWS does not want people using the area, for a variety of reasons: it is sacred tribal land and was purchased for the conservation of fish and wildlife (and is legally private property); there are no services/facilities at the site; trespassers use the site to dump their garbage; the springs themselves can be quite dangerous, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 200° F (that’s close to boiling, and hot enough to scald on contact; several people have been severely burned in this spot); and it is not possible for them to monitor the site for safety.
Classic Photo: Oregon Historical Society 1920s
Yes I am curious if Austin hot springs is on forest service land or if it is privately owned? I have some clients looking to purchase a hotsprings even if it is undeveloped. A creek or a river on the property is a must. Thank you please let me know if you know of any.
There was a big clean up save the spring party in Sept 2011. the week after I had a lovely soak, with some other visitors. just be sure to pay your parking pass at the ranger station. then park on side of road and walk in. during the fall the river is low enough to walk over to see springs on the other side of river also.
Keep mixing the water with hand or feet. I found that if you sit still too long, the very hot water floats on the top and can initially be very hot. but just a swirl and then very nice . Plus you can cool it down by moving rocks to let river water in. There were 4-5 pools that you can sit or lay in. About 2 feet deep?
White rocks and green algea show you where hotest points are. test before you go all the way in and to be safe stay closer to the river side of rocks.
According to the Oregon Forest Service (Estacada Ranger Station) , the Austin hot srings are closed, and privately owned. Additionaly, if anyone is caught and escorted of the property, it comes with a $500 fine and a tresspassing charge. HAPPY SOAKING!!! 11/04/2011
If you were paying attention, google will tell you all you need to know! no the forest service doesnt own the land its private! PGE in some way shape or form owns the land in the form of a trust!
If YOU were paying attention Planted38, you’d know that J. Frank Schmidt now owns the land. PGE had it in the 60’s and 70’s, where it once had a campground. But PGE closed the campground in the late 70’s because Russian immigrants were living there full time and threatening others who attempted to camp there. PGE turned it into a day use only park for a few years. After a few lawsuits in the early 80’s for people being scalded, PGE closed the park and tore out the footbridge. They then sold the property. Schmidt bought it hoping to develop it into another Brightbush Resort type location… but failed to gain the permits and codes to do such. After being sued twice, he took measures to make access to the area difficult. It has been up for sale for at least 3 years now, but he is wanting too much for it.
I found it too hot to keep feet in. That week, news said 2 people were burned there, and it is privately owned, and not supposed to be open to the public, though many use it daily
If it is below the high water mark it is completely legal in Oregon. You can own river front property here but if the shore is below water in winter time then people can use it during summer.
I first soaked in Austin at age 7 in 1978. And once again I found myself there last weekend. The one thing I found about these springs is that if you want to enjoy them.. Be willing to put some work into them. Dig until you are about 2-3 feet deep, place all rock you dig out into the walls of the pool. Start with large rock, then smaller rocks, and then sand to keep the river out. in the end you should have only sand on the bottom and a nice warm pool. the hot water is about 2-3 inches on the top. just swirl that downward and it will heat the cooler water on the bottom. How big of a pool you want to dig is up to you…Have a great soak:)
Can someone tell me exactly where to go? I drove out there and followed the gps but just saw river. Nice drive though and bagbys were hoppin.
This is a beautiful hot spring. The pools along the southern bank of the river were shallow and some lovely folks thought it’d be a great idea to carpet the hot spring with old rugs and such. My party removed the rugs.. gross! But watch out for broken glass. If you continue east along the river about, I don’t know, 300 feet or so there’s a path down to the water and a rope strung across it to use as a ferry line. We blew up rafts and pulled ourselves across. There is a much better pool on this side, it is much deeper and at the perfect temperature. Some other lovely folks (probably the same ones with the carpet) put a broken bench and metal table into this one but it’s big enough so that you can sit away from them. There is a beautiful maple over hanging the shore here and birds abound. Gorgeous!
Hello I am thinking of going here in February. Have a thing for Aqwa. Is it do-able?
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Anyone ever visit Austin in the winter? If the road is closed how far of a hike in is it? Doable?
you can hike or ski into there in the winter but distance all depends on how far from the ranger station they plow the road. One bit of advice is set up camp before you soak. We failed that our first time and had trouble putting up our tents after soaking as it drained us of needed energy.
Made the trip here today. Road was open, just a bit of construction at mi. marker 38 had to wait 10 minutes. Unfortunately the pools were all cold from the fast flowing river. What a beautiful site of a spring right on the river though with steam bellowing. Hope to attempt again in spring.
The amounts of trash at and around this site is so sad. And whoever put carpet in a river bed is an idiot. Couldn’t reach it to pull it out but this place definitely needs a clean up.