Alvord Hot Springs
Encyclopedia
Alvord Hot Springs is a geothermal spring
located near the southeastern corner of the state of Oregon
in the United States
.
into which the spring flows and eventually evaporates. To the west of the springs lies Steens Mountain
, a north-south running fault with a peak of 9773 feet (2979 m) above sea level.
, yet not enough to dissuade visitors from soaking in the small, man-made rectangular concrete soaking pool which is 3 feet (1 m) deep and either 25 by 50 feet (7.5 x 15 m)
or 10 by 20 (3 x 6 m).
The soaking pool has a covered, as well as an open portion, the covered portion being rustic in its corrugated sheet metal and wood construction.
Maintenance is volunteered by local residents and all visitors are encouraged to help keep the springs clean.
Hydrothermal vent
A hydrothermal vent is a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated water issues. Hydrothermal vents are commonly found near volcanically active places, areas where tectonic plates are moving apart, ocean basins, and hotspots. Hydrothermal vents exist because the earth is both...
located near the southeastern corner of the state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Geography
The spring lies at 4080 ft (1244 m) elevation on the western edge of the Alvord DesertAlvord Desert
The Alvord Desert is a desert located in Harney County, in southeastern Oregon in the western United States. It is roughly southeast of Steens Mountain. The Alvord Desert is a dry lake bed and averages of rain a year. Two mountain ranges separate it from the Pacific Ocean—the Coast Range, and...
into which the spring flows and eventually evaporates. To the west of the springs lies Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain
Steens Mountain is a large fault-block mountain in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in Harney County, it stretches some and rises from an elevation of about above the Alvord Desert to its peak at...
, a north-south running fault with a peak of 9773 feet (2979 m) above sea level.
Soaking pools
The source averages 174 °F (79 °C), but a system of pipes cools and regulates the flow of incoming water so that the pool temperature is maintained about 112 °F (44 °C). The spring smells somewhat of sulfurSulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
, yet not enough to dissuade visitors from soaking in the small, man-made rectangular concrete soaking pool which is 3 feet (1 m) deep and either 25 by 50 feet (7.5 x 15 m)
or 10 by 20 (3 x 6 m).
The soaking pool has a covered, as well as an open portion, the covered portion being rustic in its corrugated sheet metal and wood construction.
Public access
Use of the hot springs is free and open to the public year round, though they are on private property.Maintenance is volunteered by local residents and all visitors are encouraged to help keep the springs clean.