EUGENE, Ore. - The Terwilliger Hot Springs near Cougar Reservoir are a great place to visit - and an open secret in Western Oregon.
To experience the Terwilliger Hot Springs, be prepared to take an adventure. With a half a mile hike into a beautiful forest, the hot springs are located within the mountains that run along the Cougar Dam road.
Yet for beauty there is a price: A small kiosk near the entrance is there to charge $6 per person. You may find yourself lucky not having to pay the fee if the ranger is not at the kiosk upon entrance, but they still expect people to leave an envelope with the enclosed amount to be dropped in the mailbox. The funds go towards preserving the hot springs and making sure they function properly.
Once one reaches the hot springs you will see a manmade wooden lodge and a descending row of five hot springs in a row.
The first two springs range from 100 degrees to 112 degrees. After that the next three pools drop in temperature as you descend down the mountain. You may run into some nudist relaxing in the springs sweating out the day's troubles. The smell of sulfur and pine trees will consume your senses.
A source of relaxation in any season, the Terwilliger Hot Springs are a great location to escape from reality and the stress of everyday life. It is the ultimate escape route to rejuvenate ones body and leave you with fond memories of the natural beauty Oregon possesses.
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