Bagby Hot Springs

A year later Eddy and I are again seeking hot water.  Luckily for us, like Montana, Oregon has its own supply of geothermal goodness.  Welcome to Bagby Hotsprings, a well known soak tucked in the Mt. Hood National Forest a 70-mile drive southeast of Portland.   The hike-in takes you on a 1.5 mile stroll through
loamy greenness,

and svelt trees,

over a couple of bridges,

to this:

a bathhouse.  The main structures houses 5 private rooms and an open deck area with more tubs.  Each tub, in dugout canoe fashion, is carved from a single cedar log fitted with wooden plug to allow water to drain out after each use.  Hot spring water is supplied via an ingeniously simple system of gravity fed troughs stoppered with sticks.

Near the railing in the photo below, you can see the a tub of icey spring water scooped buckets at a time to cool the piping 125-135 degree water. 

Up further on the trail is another bathhouse with just one large tub and deck.

We lucked out and had this beauty all to ourselves.

We earned it.
Our last visit began as a whimsical post-midnight spree with hopes to catch Bagby asleep but we sadly we arrived find it overrun by drunken hillbillies – it sucked. 

So this time 'round we relished the privacy and soaked happily.  Merry Spring!