Hot Springs: Nature's Indulgence

I have decided that hot springs and wineries (or distilleries, I suppose) make great focal points for travel. Inexpensive sensory indulgence.

I had a bit of a cross section of hot springs on this Oregon trip. The first one I went to was part of a hippie-ish campsite outside of Ashland. It had a thermal swimming pool as well as a hotter soaking pool; however, I spent most of the afternoon wandering around town, and didn't get back until the evening and the end of family hours. Which meant that everyone was soaking nude. I didn't feel like hanging out and chit-chatting naked with young dreaded strangers, so I forked up a little extra and got a private room. It was basically a bathroom with hot water through the tap, except the tapwater smelled vaguely sulfurous. But soaked and read and enjoyed myself. These 20-something dreaded hippies irritate me. I am not a good person. ;-)

The second hot springs was located near the North Umpqua River, a little north of Crater Lake, and a 40 minute hike in through the woods. It was absolutely gorgeous. I got there late in the day, and there was one other person there. Another nude. But more than one pool, so we both had our privacy. There is a main pool hollowed out to be a little deeper, and sheltered by a lean-to, and then a series of three pools out in the open on the far side of the clearing. All the pools look out into a little ravine over the river. The guy that was there was in the lean-to, so I picked out the middle of the three other pools. He left not too long after I got here, and donated a remaining Coors Light to my soaking experience. I couldn't pass it up... A nice enough guy, somewhere in his late 50s, who had been here with a girlfriend or two back in the 70s. He left me a note on my windshield, back at the trailhead, inviting me and my "friends" to his campsite for a camp-cooked meal and some coffee, tea, beer, or liquor. Wigs a single female traveler out a bit, but was a... sweet?... offer, and didn't see him again.

But an awesome hot springs. I understand it gets a bit crowded, but not when I was there.



The last hot springs I went to was on the Washington side of the Columbia River, not too far from Cascade Locks. It was a turn-of-the-century pioneering style bathhouse. Reminded me of the place in Hot Springs, Arkansas, although with much rougher edges. It, too, was relatively quiet, being in the middle of a weekday, and quite pleasant. Had an almost painfully hot soak for about 30-45 minutes, and then was taken out and wrapped in sheets and towels and steamed on a hospital bed for another 45 minutes. Shower, and then good to go.