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 and Narrows fires triggered a precautionary U.S. Forest Service closure that currently runs through December 31, 2026.
Bagby is reported closed under the 2026 Austin Fire and Narrows Fire emergency closure. Do not plan a soaking visit until the Forest Service confirms reopening. The stated order end date is not a guaranteed reopening date. 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orders 06-06-05-26-14 and 06-06-05-26-16 shut the springs and their access roads through December 31, 2026 (unless rescinded earlier) as a precaution during the Austin Fire.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. Confirm status via U.S. Forest Service closure updates.
Bagby is closed. See open springs nearby and where to stay ↓
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 — covering the Austin Fire and The Narrows Fire areas on the Clackamas River Ranger District — 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 and Narrows 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| Closure orders | USFS orders 06-06-05-26-14 and 06-06-05-26-16 — through December 31, 2026 unless rescinded |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.
- August 27, 2026: The Forest Service expands the emergency closure to cover both the Austin Fire and The Narrows Fire — closing portions of FR 46, FR 57, FR 63, FR 70, and OR 224 east of Fish Creek, plus Bagby Hot Springs, Bagby Campground, Lake Harriet, Timothy Lake, Ripplebrook, and campgrounds along the Clackamas River east of Carter Bridge.
- 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.
- Stale result to ignore: a USDA release titled "intermittent closures at Bagby for maintenance beginning Sept 25" still surfaces in searches — it referred to September 25 – October 6, 2025 bathhouse maintenance while the springs were open. It is not the current status.
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:
Managed retreat in the same Cascades corridor — the closest experience to Bagby's forest-tub vibe, with reservations required.
Staying the night? Detroit is the closest town with rooms.
Find stays in DetroitWe may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Willamette National Forest classic — a short hike to tiered pools, the most similar "hike-in soak" to Bagby.
Terraced hillside pools above the North Umpqua River — a paid, Forest Service–managed soak.
Free, easy-access pool near McKenzie Bridge.
Browse every verified soaking spot in the state on our Oregon hot springs directory.
Stay for a McKenzie River alternative
Bagby remains closed. McKenzie Bridge is the base for Belknap and Terwilliger on Highway 126.
McKenzie Bridge
For Belknap and the McKenzie River leg on OR-126. Use the northern approach to Cougar Reservoir in winter; mountain connecting roads can close.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Bagby Status Updates by Email
Orders rescinded early, roads reopened, or the December 31 expiry — email us and we'll reply when Bagby's status changes.
Bagby Hot Springs FAQ
Is Bagby Hot Springs open right now?
Reported closed — fire closure. Bagby is reported closed under the 2026 Austin Fire and Narrows Fire emergency closure. Do not plan a soaking visit until the Forest Service confirms reopening. The stated order end date is not a guaranteed reopening date. Source: U.S. Forest Service closure updates — https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mthood/alerts/clackamas-river-rd-fires
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 August 2026 fire closures.
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, the posted USFS/concessionaire rule (since 2012) is that swimsuits are required — public nudity is officially prohibited. In practice the communal tubs are still frequently clothing-free, but that custom can draw enforcement attention. 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 29, 2026
Sources
- U.S. Forest Service — Bagby Hot Springs, Mt. Hood NF (official status & closure orders)
- USFS newsroom — "Austin Fire emergency closure expanded" (Aug 27, 2026) (expansion to Austin + Narrows fires)
- 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.