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Every Hot Spring

Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs

Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs is a primitive, undeveloped hot spring near Blue River in Oregon. Water at the source is recorded at 111°F (44°C). Records place it on public land. Fees and entry: $12 per person per 2 hours (ages 12 and older). Clothing-optional soaking is common there.

111°F44°C recorded at the source
Hot: most people last only minutes at the source. Look for mixing pools.

Terwilliger Hot Springs, also called Cougar Hot Springs, is a set of four rock-walled soaking pools stepping down a ravine in the Willamette National Forest east of Eugene, reached by a quarter-mile hike on the Rider Creek Trail from Forest Road 19 above Cougar Reservoir. Pools range from 85 to 112 degrees F; it is clothing optional, day use only, with a per-person fee and no alcohol.

Facts

Coordinates
44.0830, -122.2330 (Google Maps, OSM)
Source temperature
111°F (44°C)
Access
Public land
Type
Primitive (undeveloped)
Fee
$12 per person per 2 hours (ages 12 and older)
Clothing optional
Yes, commonly
Nearest town
Blue River
State
Oregon
Data sources
NOAA NCEI, Official sources (linked below). See sources

Map

Larger marker is Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs; smaller markers are other springs within 50 miles.

Quick answers

Can you soak at Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs?
Records place Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs on public land. That is not a guarantee of current access: closures, fire restrictions and road conditions change, so check with the land manager before you go.
How hot is Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs?
The hottest recorded reading at the source is 111°F (44°C). That is the outlet temperature, not a pool temperature; water cools as it flows away from the source.
Is Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs free?
Fees and entry: $12 per person per 2 hours (ages 12 and older). Fees change, so confirm before you go.
Is Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs clothing optional?
Sources describe clothing-optional soaking as common at Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs. Follow any posted rules.
Where is Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs?
Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs is near Blue River in Oregon, at coordinates 44.0830, -122.2330.
What other hot springs are near Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs?
The closest listed springs, in straight-line distance, are Terwilliger Hot Springs, under 1 mi; Foley Hot Springs, 8 mi; and Belknap Hot Springs, 12 mi.

Before you go

  • Temperatures are measured at the source and can be far hotter than any soaking pool. Test with a hand before stepping in.
  • Access, fees, and road conditions change. Verify with the land manager or owner; "public" here reflects survey records, not a current right of entry.
  • Water in natural springs is untreated. Keep your head above water and avoid soaking with open wounds. Some springs carry Naegleria fowleri risk.
  • Pack out everything, including soap residue. Many springs have been closed because of trash and overcrowding.

Sources

Dataset last rebuilt October 11, 2026. Not yet checked on site by a person. Access, fee, clothing and closure details appear only when a source below states them. How this data is built.

Checked against

  1. USDA Forest Servicefs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/recreation/terwilliger-cougar-ho…
  2. Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terwilliger_Hot_Springs
  3. Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cougar_Reservoir

Merged from

  1. NOAA NCEI Thermal Springs List (archived 2025): survey location and source temperature, public domain