Hot Springs With a View

Hike to Umpqua Hot Springs in Southern Oregon

Hike to Umpqua Hot Springs in Southern Oregon

Okay, so people love a good hot spring. And Umpqua Hot Springs is a marquee attraction. What makes it so good? Well, you’re perched on a terraced mineral deposit above the flowing beauty of the North Umpqua River.

There are a few pools to choose from, with varying degrees of heat. You have to hike up to them for a quarter of a mile (15 minutes). Put on proper shoes for the short but steep hike up to the springs. You’ll cross a bridge and ascend a lean, rocky trail until you reach the pools.

Sink in and soak it all up, listening to the rushing river and the breeze rustling through trees. Pool hop if you’re so inclined. Some like it hot.

TIP: Go early or late day to avoid the mid-afternoon crush, and make it weekday if possible. Also, some prefer their birthday suit to bathing suits, so you may get some full moons not forecasted on Farmers Almanac.

Check out the Best Southern Oregon Road Trips

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: In the episode "Road Trip to Spectacular: National Park, Hot Springs & Hikes" the Weekend Sherpa team discuss their adventures in Southern Oregon and visiting Umpqua Hot Springs.

Check the website for the area status of Umpqua Hot Springs. Here's a map to the trailhead.

2020 Travel: Here’s more information on Southern Oregon’s health guidelines and updates.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

    View
  2. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

    View
  3. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

    View
  4. Hike to New Lights

    For an enlightening late-day hike, catch the San Francisco skyline at sunset from high atop Ring Mountain in Tiburon. This 2-mile (round-trip) hike to Turtle Rock is a perfect late afternoon wander.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Redding Ironman Whiskeytown lake
    Sponsored

    New Year, New Goal: IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California

    2026 is off and running! And swimming. And biking. Don't get left behind! Commit to one of the upcoming year’s most exciting endurance events—IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California in Redding.

    View
  2. Woman swimming in Carson Hotsprings natural thermal pool

    Hot Springs, Naturally

    Thermal spring waters are famous for their curative, relaxing elements, and Reno Tahoe is filled with them! Sink into these amazing thermal respites for a wellness super soak.

    View
  3. O Enchanted Night!

    Prepare to be mesmerized! Holiday-season nights in Descanso Gardens are a magical interplay of lights and natural beauty that dazzle as you stroll through the Enchanted Forest of L

    View
  4. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

    View