# Bigelow Hot Springs, Oregon

Bigelow Hot Springs in Oregon. 142°F (61°C). Short Walk · Public Land. Deschutes County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/oregon/bigelow-hot-springs
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Bigelow Hot Springs?

Not at the source. The water leaves the ground at 142°F, hot enough to burn skin. It's a short walk from the road. It's on US Forest Service land.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 142°F (61°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 7.6 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Total dissolved solids | 49 mg/L |
| Elevation | 2,350 ft |
| Access | Short Walk · Public Land, 400 ft from the nearest road (Deer Creek Road) |
| Land | Willamette National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Deschutes County |
| Nearest town | Sisters |
| Coordinates | 44.24100, -122.05800 |
| Best months to soak | February, December, January (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Olallie on McKenzie Highway - Willamette (OR), 1.4 mi |

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 142°F, the source water at Bigelow Hot Springs is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

## About Bigelow Hot Springs

Also called Deer Creek Hot Springs, Bigelow sits on the bank of the McKenzie River in the Willamette National Forest, Deschutes County, about twenty-five miles from Sisters. The source water is at the edge of scalding, yet the pools themselves are riverside rock rings that the McKenzie tempers, and the dissolved solids reading is very low. Forest Service land, open access.

Deer Creek Road ends within a few hundred feet. Wikipedia describes a rock ring holding a foot or two of water over coarse sand. In winter and spring the river rises, merges the pools into one, and floods them with cold water, so the soak depends on the season. Wet country, heavy snow, mid elevation. Olallie campground on the McKenzie Highway is the nearest listed, a mile and a half or so.

Wikipedia lists it as Deer Creek Hot Springs with Bigelow as the second name. OpenStreetMap has it as Bigelow Hot Spring, singular. The USGS keeps it on its list of thermal sites as well, under a number of its own.

The record favors December through February, but that is when Wikipedia says high water swamps the pools, so take the best-months line with some salt. Test the water near the inflow, since the source runs hot enough to scald. Water chemistry dates from 2004. Open access, no fee listed.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 2004-07-07 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.6 |
| Total dissolved solids | 49 mg/L |
| Calcium | 3.99 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 2.5 mg/L |
| Sodium | 3.8 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 0.55 mg/L |
| Chloride | 0.5 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Oakridge](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/oregon/oakridge), 14 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Oregon](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/oregon)
- [Belknap Springs, OR](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/oregon/belknap-springs): 160°F source, pH 7.9, Short Walk, near Sisters, Deschutes County
- [Foley Springs, OR](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/oregon/foley-springs): 178°F source, TDS 3,172 mg/L, Short Walk, near Oakridge, Lane County
- [Cougar Reservoir Hot Springs, OR](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/oregon/cougar-reservoir-hot-springs): 111°F source, Roadside, near Oakridge, Lane County
- [Wall Creek Warm Springs, OR](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/oregon/wall-creek-warm-springs): 106°F source, Short Walk, near Oakridge, Lane County
- [Breitenbush Hot Springs, OR](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/oregon/breitenbush-hot-springs): 198°F source, TDS 2,554 mg/L, Roadside, near Mill City, Linn County
- [Mccredie Springs, OR](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/oregon/mccredie-springs): 163°F source, Roadside, near Oakridge, Lane County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Bigelow Hot Springs?**
Bigelow Hot Springs has a water temperature of 142°F (61°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Bigelow Hot Springs located?**
Bigelow Hot Springs is located in Deschutes County, Oregon at 2,350 feet elevation, near Sisters. Coordinates: 44.2410°N, 122.0580°W.

**How do I get to Bigelow Hot Springs?**
Bigelow Hot Springs has Short Walk road access, with the nearest road being Deer Creek Road (400 ft from the road).

**Is Bigelow Hot Springs free to visit?**
Bigelow Hot Springs has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.

**Can I camp near Bigelow Hot Springs?**
Yes, Olallie On Mc Kenzie Highway   Willamette (Or) is located nearby (1.4 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Bigelow Hot Springs?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 7.6 (slightly alkaline). Total dissolved solids measure 49 mg/L.

**Is it safe to soak at Bigelow Hot Springs?**
No, not at the source. The water at Bigelow Hot Springs reaches 142°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deer_Creek_Hot_Springs