Wall Creek Warm Springs (Meditation Pool)
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
The 'Meditation Pool' — a ~95-106F oval creekside soaking pool in old-growth Willamette NF forest ~10 mi from Oakridge — is CURRENTLY CLOSED: the Warm Springs Trailhead (its primary access) is inside the Cedar Creek Fire emergency closure, Forest Order 06-18-10-26-04, in effect through Dec 31, 2026 unless rescinded sooner.
Field notes — checked September 2026
- Hazard: ACTIVE FIRE-AREA CLOSURE — entry prohibited through Dec 31, 2026 (order 06-18-10-26-04)
- Hazard: Post-fire: falling burned trees, landslides, flash floods, debris flows
- Hazard: Unmaintained forest road — snow/ice in winter
- Hazard: No facilities; silt bottom
- CLOSED as of 2026: Forest Order 06-18-10-26-04 (effective Mar 22-Dec 31, 2026) closes the Cedar Creek Fire burn area including the Warm Springs Trailhead — the trail's primary access; the closure also covers listed roads/trails plus 100 ft on each side. Check Willamette NF alerts for rescission before going
- Normal (pre-closure) details: oval pool ~10x12 ft, ~3 ft deep, ~95F at the pool (source bubbles up ~103-106F), silt/organic bottom, day-use only, no overnight parking or camping
- Flat ~0.3-0.5 mi walk from the FR 1934 roadside trailhead; ~9 mi up Salmon Creek Rd (FR 24) from Oakridge then 0.5 mi on gravel FR 1934
- Fee conflict in sources: HotWaterSlaughter says a Northwest Forest Pass is required at the trailhead; Hot Springs Guides says no pass/fee — verify when it reopens
- Even when open, the burn area carries post-fire hazards: fire-killed trees, landslides, flash floods, debris flows; FR 1934 unmaintained for snow/ice in winter
Stop on Oregon Cascades Hot Springs — see all stops, ordered south to north.
Current status
The 'Meditation Pool' — a ~95-106F oval creekside soaking pool in old-growth Willamette NF forest ~10 mi from Oakridge — is CURRENTLY CLOSED: the Warm Springs Trailhead (its primary access) is inside the Cedar Creek Fire emergency closure, Forest Order 06-18-10-26-04, in effect through Dec 31, 2026 unless rescinded sooner.
Checked September 2026 · verified against an official source · 6 sources ↓
About this spring
The beloved 'Meditation Pool' on Wall Creek in Willamette NF ~10 mi NE of Oakridge — a single oval soaking pool. CURRENTLY CLOSED: the Warm Springs Trailhead is under a USFS emergency closure order (post-2022 Cedar Creek Fire hazard trees, landslide and flash-flood risk); Salmon Creek Rd is gated and monitored. CLOSED by USFS emergency order — fines and camera monitoring. Verify status with Middle Fork Ranger District before visiting.
Wall Creek Warm Springs — often called Wall Creek Meditation Pool — is a quiet geothermal basin hidden in the Willamette National Forest, roughly 45 miles southeast of Oakridge in Lane County. A gravel forest road ends at the Wall Creek trailhead; the spring lies a quarter-mile down the path beside the creek, where a rock-and-gravel basin holds water around 95°F. The pool is 5-6 feet across, shallow enough to sit in, and insulated by the creek that slides past its rim — the closest running water is cold, which lets bathers control their soak by leaning into or away from the stream. Volunteers from the Worker-Owned Breitenbush Community used to maintain the pool in the 1970s-80s; today it's left mostly alone. The setting is forested and quiet, with lupine in June and huckleberries in August. Best conditions run May through October; snow closes Forest Road 19 most winters.
Directions & trailhead access
Access is restricted; do not use historical directions to plan a visit.
Oregon geothermal context
Oregon splits cleanly in two: Cascade volcanic springs like the Umpqua corridor pools west of the crest, and high-desert basin springs like the Alvord area east of it. Western sites sit in dense wet forest prone to fire closures and winter road washouts; eastern ones are remote sagebrush tubs under enormous skies. Both ends reward checking land-manager alerts before driving out.
What a primitive site means here
Primitive springs have no facilities: no changing rooms, no trash service, often no maintained road to the pool. Expect natural rock or gravel bottoms, water temperature that varies by spot and season, and other visitors who may treat the site informally. Pack out everything you bring, test the water before entering, and leave the pool cleaner than you found it.
Fact sheet
| Source temp (historical) | 100°F |
|---|---|
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | USFS Willamette NF — Warm Springs Trail #3582 (trailhead closed notice) |
Wall Creek Warm Springs (Meditation Pool) FAQ
Is Wall Creek Warm Springs (Meditation Pool) open right now?
The 'Meditation Pool' — a ~95-106F oval creekside soaking pool in old-growth Willamette NF forest ~10 mi from Oakridge — is CURRENTLY CLOSED: the Warm Springs Trailhead (its primary access) is inside the Cedar Creek Fire emergency closure, Forest Order 06-18-10-26-04, in effect through Dec 31, 2026 unless rescinded sooner. (Status verified against an official source, last checked September 2026.)
Can I soak at Wall Creek Warm Springs (Meditation Pool)?
The 'Meditation Pool' — a ~95-106F oval creekside soaking pool in old-growth Willamette NF forest ~10 mi from Oakridge — is CURRENTLY CLOSED: the Warm Springs Trailhead (its primary access) is inside the Cedar Creek Fire emergency closure, Forest Order 06-18-10-26-04, in effect through Dec 31, 2026 unless rescinded sooner.
Where can I check access to Wall Creek Warm Springs (Meditation Pool)?
Check USFS Willamette NF — Warm Springs Trail #3582 (trailhead closed notice): https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/recreation/trails/warm-springs-trail-3582
Sources & references
- USFS Willamette NF — Warm Springs Trail #3582 (trailhead closed notice) — official · 2026-09
- USFS Willamette NF — Cedar Creek Fire Closure Order 06-18-10-26-04 (Mar 22-Dec 31, 2026) — official · 2026-03
- Hot Springs Guides — Wall Creek Hot Springs (Meditation Pool) — community · 2026-09
- HotWaterSlaughter — Wall Creek Meditation Pool (NW Forest Pass claim) — community · 2026-09
- AllTrails — Wall Creek 3582 Meditation Pool Warm Springs Trail — community · 2026-09
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction