Bagby Hot Springs

The Bagby Hot Springs are natural hot springs in the Mount Hood National Forest, about 67 mi southeast of Portland, Oregon, United States and about 98 mi east of Salem, Oregon. The springs are within the Cascade Mountains in a heavily forested area at elevation 2280 ft (695 m). They are just outside the boundary of Bull of the Woods Wilderness area.

History
Bagby Hot Springs were used by Native Americans for hundreds of years. The springs are named after Bob Bagby, a prospector and hunter who found the site in 1880.

The United States Forest Service built a small guard station next to the hot springs in 1913. The Bagby Guard Station was used to house Forest Service fire patrol crews during summer fire season. In 1974, the Forest Service built a new guard station. The original cabin was closed but was left standing. In 2006, the original guard cabin was renovated. Today, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but not open to the public.

A bathhouse was constructed at the hot springs in the 1920s. A fire took place in 1979 and burned the original wooden structures to the ground. It was caused by bathers leaving unattended candles in the old wooden structure. It had become a popular spot for vandals and all-night drinking parties. The Friends of Bagby, a group of local volunteers rebuilt the structures. The volunteer group Friends of Bagby (FOB) formed in 1981 to rebuild the bathhouses. Between 1983 and 1986, the Forest Service and FOB joined forces to build three new bathhouses at Bagby. A conflict among the leadership of FOB led to a rift within the group in the late 1990s, and the Forest Service terminated its contract with the group in summer 2001. In 2011/2012 Bagby was handed over to a concessionaire to run/operate, hence the $5 per person soaking fee. The facilities are scheduled to reopen sometime in 2023.

Hot springs
Three major springs and several minor outlets make up Bagby Hot Springs. The largest spring flows 24 gallons (91 liters) per minute at 138 degrees Fahrenheit (59 degrees Celsius). The two secondary springs produce 15 gallons (57 liters) per minute at 136 °F (58 °C) and 3 gallons (11 liters) per minute at 120 °F (49 °C). Water from the Bagby springs is rich with minerals. Chemical analysis oshows the following elements are present: silica 80 parts per million, sodium 51 parts per million, sulfate 45 parts per million, carbonate 36 parts per million, chloride 13 parts per million, calcium 3.4 parts per million, hydroxide 1 parts per million, potassium 1 parts per million, fluoride 0.8 parts per million, magnesium 0.1 parts per million, arsenic 0.01 parts per million, lithium 0.026 parts per million, strontium 0.014 parts per million, and nickel 0.004 parts per million.

Facilities
Prior to the closure, Bagby Hot Springs were open 8AM to 10PM daily with a $5 per person fee to soak. Visitors could buy a bracelet with cash in the parking lot or pay with cash or credit/debit card in the store at the Ripplebrook Ranger Station. Camping is not permitted at the hot springs or along the trail to Bagby. Alcohol is prohibited at the site. Nudity is allowed only in the private baths, not in the open areas around the bathhouses. Local law enforcement officers periodically visit Bagby to ensure a positive atmosphere at the springs. The waiting time for a soaking tub varies depends on the number of people visiting the springs at a given time. Summer weekends and holidays can be quite busy. There are three bath houses at the site. The main bathhouse has five cedar log tubs each in a private room. The lower bathhouse has three small two-person Japanese-style yellow pine soaking tubs and a large round tub on an open deck. The upper bathhouse is about 100 yards from the other two. It has one large round tub on an open deck.

Access
There is no road to Bagby Hot Springs, so visitors must hike a 1.5 mi trail from a Forest Service parking area. It is a relatively easy hike, with only a 200 ft gain in elevation. The trail is maintained by the Forest Service and volunteers from the Northwest Forest Conservancy.