Bagby Hot Springs
Encyclopedia
The Bagby Hot Springs are natural hot spring
s located in the Mount Hood National Forest
about 67 miles (107.8 km) southeast of Portland, Oregon
, United States
and about 41 miles (66 km) east of Salem, Oregon
. The springs are within the Cascade Mountains in a heavily forested area at elevation 2280 ft (695 m). The springs are just outside the boundary of Bull of the Woods Wilderness
area.
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 it is not open to the public.
A bathhouse
was constructed at the hot springs in the 1920s. The original bathhouse burned down in 1979 when bathers left candles unattended in the old wooden structure. 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. Around the same time, there was a marked rise in crime at the springs, including car break-ins and littering.
The bathing facilities make Bagby Hot Springs a popular site.
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.
is not permitted at the hot springs or along the trail to Bagby. Also, alcohol is prohibited at the site. Nudity is allowed on the bath decks, but 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 depending upon the number of people visiting the hot springs at any 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 log tubs and a large round tub located on an open deck. The upper bathhouse is located approximately 100 yards from the other two bathhouses. It has one large round tub on an open deck.
It is approximately 40 miles (64.4 km) from Estacada, Oregon
to the Bagby trailhead. To get there from Estacada, take Highway 224 for approximately 26 miles (41.8 km) to Ripplebrook Guard Station. Then follow Forest Service Road 46 for 4 miles (6.4 km) to the junction with Forest Service Road 63. Turn right and follow Road 63 for 4 miles (6.4 km) to Forest Service Road 70. Turn right onto Road 70 and follow it for 6 miles (9.7 km) to the Bagby Trailhead. A $5 Forest Service permit is required to park at the trailhead. The access roads to the trailhead may be closed after some winter snow storms.
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
s located in the Mount Hood National Forest
Mount Hood National Forest
The Mount Hood National Forest is located east of the city of Portland, Oregon, and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of forested mountains, lakes and streams to the Olallie Scenic Area, a high lake basin under the slopes...
about 67 miles (107.8 km) southeast of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and about 41 miles (66 km) east of Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
. The springs are within the Cascade Mountains in a heavily forested area at elevation 2280 ft (695 m). The springs are just outside the boundary of Bull of the Woods Wilderness
Bull of the Woods Wilderness
The Bull of the Woods Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Mount Hood National Forest in the northwestern Cascades of Oregon, United States. It was created in 1984 and consists of including prime low-elevation old growth forest, about a dozen lakes of at least and many large creeks and...
area.
History
Bagby Hot Springs are rumored to have been a favorite site for Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
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
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
built a small guard station next to the hot springs in 1913. The Bagby Guard Station
Bagby Guard Station
Bagby Guard Station is a rustic cabin located in the Mount Hood National Forest in western Oregon, United States. It is adjacent to Bagby Hot Springs. The guard station was originally built to house fire crews assigned to patrol the surrounding National Forest...
was used to house Forest Service fire patrol crews
Wildland fire suppression
Wildfire suppression refers to the firefighting tactics used to suppress wildfires. Firefighting efforts in wildland areas requires different techniques, equipment, and training from the more familiar structure fire fighting found in populated areas...
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
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, but it is not open to the public.
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
was constructed at the hot springs in the 1920s. The original bathhouse burned down in 1979 when bathers left candles unattended in the old wooden structure. 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. Around the same time, there was a marked rise in crime at the springs, including car break-ins and littering.
The bathing facilities make Bagby Hot Springs a popular site.
Hot springs
There are three major springs and several minor outlets that 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 of the water shows the following elements are present: silica 80 parts per million, sodiumSodium
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals; its only stable isotope is 23Na. It is an abundant element that exists in numerous minerals, most commonly as sodium chloride...
51 parts per million, sulfate
Sulfate
In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate is a salt of sulfuric acid.-Chemical properties:...
45 parts per million, carbonate
Carbonate
In chemistry, a carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid, characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, . The name may also mean an ester of carbonic acid, an organic compound containing the carbonate group C2....
36 parts per million, chloride
Chloride
The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine, a halogen, picks up one electron to form an anion Cl−. The salts of hydrochloric acid HCl contain chloride ions and can also be called chlorides. The chloride ion, and its salts such as sodium chloride, are very soluble in water...
13 parts per million, calcium
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
3.4 parts per million, hydroxide
Hydroxide
Hydroxide is a diatomic anion with chemical formula OH−. It consists of an oxygen and a hydrogen atom held together by a covalent bond, and carrying a negative electric charge. It is an important but usually minor constituent of water. It functions as a base, as a ligand, a nucleophile, and a...
1 parts per million, potassium
Potassium
Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K and atomic number 19. Elemental potassium is a soft silvery-white alkali metal that oxidizes rapidly in air and is very reactive with water, generating sufficient heat to ignite the hydrogen emitted in the reaction.Potassium and sodium are...
1 parts per million, fluoride
Fluoride
Fluoride is the anion F−, the reduced form of fluorine when as an ion and when bonded to another element. Both organofluorine compounds and inorganic fluorine containing compounds are called fluorides. Fluoride, like other halides, is a monovalent ion . Its compounds often have properties that are...
0.8 parts per million, magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
0.1 parts per million, arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
0.01 parts per million, lithium
Lithium
Lithium is a soft, silver-white metal that belongs to the alkali metal group of chemical elements. It is represented by the symbol Li, and it has the atomic number 3. Under standard conditions it is the lightest metal and the least dense solid element. Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly...
0.026 parts per million, strontium
Strontium
Strontium is a chemical element with the symbol Sr and the atomic number 38. An alkaline earth metal, strontium is a soft silver-white or yellowish metallic element that is highly reactive chemically. The metal turns yellow when exposed to air. It occurs naturally in the minerals celestine and...
0.014 parts per million, and nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
0.004 parts per million.
Facilities
Bagby Hot Springs are open for 24 hour use. CampingCamping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
is not permitted at the hot springs or along the trail to Bagby. Also, alcohol is prohibited at the site. Nudity is allowed on the bath decks, but 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 depending upon the number of people visiting the hot springs at any given time. Summer weekends and holidays can be quite busy.
Cedar wood
Cedar wood comes from several different trees that grow in different parts of the world, and may have different uses.* California incense-cedar, from Calocedrus decurrens, is the primary type of wood used for making pencils...
log tubs each in a private room. The lower bathhouse has three log tubs and a large round tub located on an open deck. The upper bathhouse is located approximately 100 yards from the other two bathhouses. 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 mile trail from a Forest Service parking area to get to the site. It is a relatively easy hike with only a 200 feet gain in elevation along the way. The trail is maintained by the Forest Service and volunteers from the Northwest Forest Conservancy.It is approximately 40 miles (64.4 km) from Estacada, Oregon
Estacada, Oregon
Estacada is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, about 30 miles southeast of Portland. The population was 2,695 at the 2010 census. -History:The Estacada post office opened in February 1904 and the city was incorporated in May 1905...
to the Bagby trailhead. To get there from Estacada, take Highway 224 for approximately 26 miles (41.8 km) to Ripplebrook Guard Station. Then follow Forest Service Road 46 for 4 miles (6.4 km) to the junction with Forest Service Road 63. Turn right and follow Road 63 for 4 miles (6.4 km) to Forest Service Road 70. Turn right onto Road 70 and follow it for 6 miles (9.7 km) to the Bagby Trailhead. A $5 Forest Service permit is required to park at the trailhead. The access roads to the trailhead may be closed after some winter snow storms.
See also
- Breitenbush Hot Springs, hot springs and resort not far from Bagby
- Old Joy, a 2006 film set at Bagby
External links
- Bagby Hot Springs from Northwest Forest Conservancy
- Bagby Current Conditions from Mt. Hood National Forest, Clackamas River Ranger District