Bagby Hot Springs Status: Is It Open? (2026 Update)
Bagby Hot Springs — Oregon's most famous forest soak — is closed again. The August 2026 Austin Fire triggered a precautionary U.S. Forest Service closure that currently runs through December 31, 2026.
No — Bagby Hot Springs is closed as of September 2026. U.S. Forest Service closure orders 06-06-05-26-14 and 06-06-05-26-16 shut the springs and their access roads through December 31, 2026 (unless rescinded earlier) as a precaution during the Austin Fire. The most recent reopening was May 1, 2024.
Current Status at a Glance
Bagby Hot Springs sits in Mt. Hood National Forest and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, with day-to-day operation under concession by the nonprofit Bagby Preservation Inc. The closure is precautionary fire management, not a flood or structural failure. Confirm the latest on the USFS Bagby Hot Springs page and Bagby Preservation's updates feed.
| Managing agency | U.S. Forest Service — Mt. Hood National Forest; operated under concession by Bagby Preservation Inc. |
| Springs status | Closed — precautionary Austin Fire closure effective August 12–13, 2026 |
| Closure orders | USFS orders 06-06-05-26-14 and 06-06-05-26-16 — through December 31, 2026 unless rescinded |
| Road access | As of ~Sept 17, 2026: Hwy 224 and Forest Road 57 are open; FR 63, FR 70, and parts of FR 46 remain closed |
| Evacuations | Lifted as of ~September 17, 2026 |
| Fee (when open) | $5/person wristband — cash or card at the trailhead or Ripplebrook Store; no passes; no reservations |
| Next milestone | Orders expire Dec 31, 2026; Bagby Preservation also has a Bathhouse #2 rebuild planned for ~2026 |
For coordinates, fees, and soak notes, see our full directory record for Bagby Hot Springs.
Bagby's Open-Closed Timeline Since 2020
Search results for Bagby are confusing because the springs have cycled between open and closed five times in six years. Here is the full sequence, per Eugene Weekly's 2025 feature and Statesman Journal coverage:
- March 2020: Bagby closes — first for COVID-19, then kept shut amid vandalism damage.
- 2020–2021: The Riverside Fire (2020) and Bull Complex Fire (2021) burn through the surrounding forest, extending the closure.
- ~2023: Nonprofit Bagby Preservation Inc. takes over the site as the Forest Service concessionaire and begins restoration work.
- May 1, 2024: Bagby reopens to the public — the first sustained open season since 2019.
- August–September 2024: A short closure during the Sandstone Fire; the springs reopen afterward.
- November 2025: Bagby is open 24/7 year-round, with yurts and cabins being added and a Bathhouse #2 rebuild planned for ~2026.
- August 12–13, 2026: The Austin Fire triggers a precautionary closure under USFS orders 06-06-05-26-14 and 06-06-05-26-16.
- September 2026: Evacuations lift and Hwy 224 / FR 57 reopen, but FR 63, FR 70, and parts of FR 46 stay closed — and the springs remain closed through December 31, 2026 unless the orders are rescinded.
Austin Fire vs. Austin Hot Springs: Don't Confuse Them
Two different things share the "Austin" name in this story, and both are closed:
- The Austin Fire is the 2026 wildfire that prompted Bagby's precautionary closure. It is the reason the springs are off-limits right now.
- Austin Hot Springs is a separate property on the Clackamas River — private conservation land owned by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, permanently closed to the public and physically decommissioned. The Austin Fire burned over that property too. Read why Austin Hot Springs is closed for good.
- Austin, Texas has no natural hot springs — if you searched for soaking in Texas, this is not the place.
Can You Visit Bagby Right Now?
No — the trail, the bathhouse, and the tubs are all inside the closure area, and entering a closed area is a federal violation. FR 63 and FR 70 (the usual approaches) remain gated. Wait for the Forest Service to rescind or let the orders expire on December 31, 2026.
What to expect when it reopens
- Dogs on leash — allowed on the trail when the springs are open.
- Nudity — clothing is officially banned in the bathhouse, and clothing-free soaking is customary throughout.
- Entering during the closure — illegal under the forest orders; the closure area covers the trail, bathhouse, and tubs.
- Driving FR 63 / FR 70 — both remain closed along with parts of FR 46 as of mid-September 2026.
Open Hot Springs to Soak Instead
Bagby is off the table through at least the end of 2026. These Oregon springs are open and verified in our directory:
Browse every verified soaking spot in the state on our Oregon hot springs directory.
Where to Stay Near Bagby Hot Springs
Estacada is the gateway town — it sits on Highway 224 at the mouth of the Clackamas River corridor, is home to the Ripplebrook Store (where wristbands are sold when the springs are open), and puts you closest to the trailhead for a dawn start when Bagby reopens.
Search Estacada, OR LodgingGet Status Alerts for Bagby Hot Springs
Orders rescinded early, roads reopened, or the December 31 expiry — we'll email you when Bagby's status changes.
Bagby Hot Springs FAQ
Is Bagby Hot Springs open right now?
No. Bagby Hot Springs has been closed since August 12–13, 2026, under U.S. Forest Service closure orders 06-06-05-26-14 and 06-06-05-26-16 — a precautionary closure tied to the Austin Fire. The orders currently run through December 31, 2026, unless rescinded earlier.
When did Bagby Hot Springs last reopen?
The most recent reopening was May 1, 2024, after roughly four years of closures (COVID-19 and vandalism in 2020, then the Riverside Fire and Bull Complex Fire). It stayed open — interrupted briefly by the Sandstone Fire in August–September 2024 — until the Austin Fire closure in August 2026.
How much does it cost to soak at Bagby Hot Springs?
When open, entry is a $5-per-person wristband, payable by cash or card at the trailhead or at the Ripplebrook Store. There are no passes accepted and no reservations — it is first-come, first-served, and weekend waits can exceed an hour.
Did the Austin Fire burn Bagby Hot Springs?
The Bagby closure is precautionary — the Austin Fire prompted the Forest Service to shut the area before fire reached it. The same Austin Fire also burned over the separate Austin Hot Springs property on the Clackamas River, which is a different (and permanently closed) site.
Is Bagby Hot Springs clothing optional?
When open, clothing is officially banned in the bathhouse — nudity is the rule, not the exception. Dogs are allowed on leash, and soak etiquette asks visitors to limit sessions to 30–40 minutes when others are waiting.
What is the hike to Bagby Hot Springs like?
From the trailhead it is an easy ~1.5-mile walk each way through old-growth forest to the communal bathhouse and lower-deck tubs. The source water emerges around 138°F and is tempered in the tubs. The trail is closed along with the springs until the fire orders lift.
Last verified: September 20, 2026
Sources
- U.S. Forest Service — Bagby Hot Springs, Mt. Hood NF (official status & closure orders)
- Bagby Preservation Inc. — Bagby Updates (concessionaire news feed)
- Eugene Weekly — "Back to Bagby" (Nov 6, 2025) (reopening history, yurts & cabins)
- Statesman Journal (May 2024 reopening & Austin Fire coverage)
- Oregon Hikers — Bagby Hot Springs field guide (trail & tub details)
Fire closures can lift early or be extended. Check the USFS Mt. Hood alerts page before driving to the trailhead.