Of the many geothermal thermal springs along the western edge of the Cascade Range that are favorites of many a Portlander, Bagby Hot Springs may just top the list. For starters, it is one of the closest to Portland. About three hours from downtown, Bagby Hot Springs is located in the Mount Hood National Forest, at an elevation of 2280 ft., near a tributary of the Clackamas River. This site gets quite busy on the weekends, so it is best to visit during weekdays. The area around the spring is open for day use only. A fee is required.
The light to moderate hike to the springs is a little over a mile from the trailhead , through what is (or was) one of the most beautiful, heavily forested areas imaginable. Much of the area near Bagby has been closed since the September 2020 Riverside Fire burned enormous swaths of mature firs in this part of the forest. The US Forest Service announced the closure of Bagby Hot Springs after the fire and reports some of the access roads are damaged and blocked.
The trail mostly follows the windings of a crystal clear swift running creek known as Hot Springs Fork. It is a tributary of the Collawash River, which eventually finds its way to the Clackamas. The immense trees, sword ferns, and moss covered everything, make this hike absolutely delightful. The size of the trees leaves one wondering how this dense forest, so very real, can feel so unreal. We can only hope that the Riverside Fire left some of this stunningly beautiful part of the forest intact.
The three soaking areas each have (or had) wood structures, and it is not known at this time what remains. The original bathhouse was built in the 1920s and it burned down in 1979 as a result of careless visitors leaving candles burning. Another bathhouse was later built. It consists of a few separately enclosed soaking rooms, each with a large tub made from hollowed logs. A more recently built, covered wooden deck has three round cedar tubs, large enough for one or two people. A fourth, larger tub can accommodate up to five or so soakers at a time. Hot water is fed to these two lower soaking areas by pipes and can be mixed with cold water supplied from the creek to adjust the temperature. The springs water temperatures range from 120°F to 136°F.
The upper spring is the hottest. There is a wooden deck changing area at the upper spring and a large tub. Traditionally Bagby Hot Springs has been a clothing optional retreat. In recent years the Forest Service contracted out management of Bagby and volunteers still help maintain the rustic facilities. The Forest Service continued to permit nudity in the bathing areas but limited clothing optional recreation only to the bathhouses. Naked hiking, sunbathing, picnicking and other activities were not allowed. More recently the Bagby Hot Springs page on the Mount Hood National Forest website has been updated to state that nudity is not allowed. The Forest Service is currently looking into alternatives for management and renovation of Bagby Hot Springs. They have posted a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) from entities interested in this. The RFEI “invites submission of concepts that would enhance the Bagby Hot Springs and Campground while maintaining the unique historic experience of the area”.
There is an historic cabin at Bagby that was built by the Forest Service in 1913. It once housed fire patrol crews during the summer months. After building a new guard station in 1974, the cabin was closed. The cabin was renovated in 2006 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cabin is not open to the public.
