• Deer Creek aka Bigelow Hot Springs is located on the Mckenzie River bank
• Features a primitive pool into the fern-lined grotto
Tucked along the banks of the scenic Mckenzie River within boundaries of the Willamette National Forest, Deer Creek Hot Springs is also known as Bigelow Hot Springs or McKenzie Hot Springs. Located 60 miles east of Eugene, Deer Creek is the neighbor to the Belknap Hot Springs Lodge & Gardens.
Deer Creek Hot Springs is a primitive small pool lined with riverside rocks on its outer edge. The 8- by 12-foot pool has coarse sand and gravel bottom and partially enclosed into a fern-lined grotto. The pool can only accommodate a few people. The hot water slowly emerges from the pool bottom, maintaining a comfortable temperature between 90°F and 100°F, depending on the time of the year. During the winter and spring months, when a river level is high, the water of the pool is chilly because it submerges and mixes with the cold river. The best time for soaking are the summer and fall seasons.
Deer Creek Hot Springs is a free day-use area. Clothing is optional. The pool is easily accessible from the parking area. The trailhead is located at the day-use sign. Park your car, take the lower trail, and follow two hundred yards downstream along the river.
Video
Deer Creek (Bigelow) Hot Springs | Facts
Location: 63 miles east of Eugene • Oregon Cascade Mountains • USA
Open: 365 days a year from sunrise to sunset
Development: Primitive
Clothing: Optional
Amenities & Services: None
Accommodations:
Olallie Campground, 1.5 miles northeast
Belknap Hot Springs Resort, 4.4 miles southeast
Hiking distance: 200 yards
Road Access: Any vehicle
Day-use: Free
Managed by: US Forest Service
Elevation: 1,700 ft (518 m)
Water T° (source): 141°F (61°C)
Water T° (pools): 85°F (29°C) to 102°F (39°C)
Water acidity level: Neutral (pH=7.8)
Springs type: Sodium Chloride
Flow rate: 2.6 gallon/min (10 l/min)
Chemical used: None
Average dissolved solids: 2,650 ppm
Cations Sodium (Na) - 540 Mg/L Calcium (Ca) - 188 Mg/L Potassium (K) - 16.6 Mg/L Boron (B) - 6.5 Mg/L Lithium (Li) - 1.1 Mg/L |
Anions Chloride (Cl) - 1,148 Mg/L Carbonate (CO3) - 144 Mg/L Sulfate (SO4) - 102 Mg/L Silica (SiO2) - 68.9 Mg/L Fluoride (F) - 1.4 Mg/L |
More Adventures
Directions to Deer Creek (Bigellow) Hot Springs
From I-5,
- Take exit 194A in Eugene
- Follow Highway 126 East for about 63 miles to Forest Road 2654, or Deer Creek Road
- Turn left, cross the bridge, and park on the right.