MCKENZIE BRIDGE, Ore.--One of the things I love the most about traveling around the American west is the abundance of natural hot springs.
While not many are near cities, and it requires a bit of a trek to get to one if you live in a place like San Francisco, as I do, it's not necessary to go that far.
For example, during the summer, when hot weather allows for driving over the Tioga Pass and through Yosemite, it's possible to hit a string of wonderful springs near Mammoth Lakes, Calif. The best thing about them, and many others, is that they are on public land and therefore free to use.
On a road trip last summer through California, Nevada and Oregon, I managed to hit eight such springs, and so, when I embarked on my current Road Trip 2006 around the Pacific Northwest, I envisioned visiting many more. In fact, the path of the trip was engineered to culminate in a circuit through south central Idaho, where there are dozens of apparently beautiful springs.
Unfortunately, after two weeks on the road, camping most of the way and writing stories nearly every day, I was exhausted. And so, when emerging from southeastern Washington, I chose to head west, into Oregon, rather than continuing east into Idaho. That meant, I feared, no hot springs.
But the truth is Oregon has a small treasure trove of hot springs, as well. And though it meant returning to a place I had visited last summer, I decided that a couple days of wallowing in hot water in truly unbelievably beautiful natural settings was just the ticket for the penultimate experience of the journey.
Thus, I found myself here, in this tiny town in central Oregon, which has at least two stunning examples of the ultimate relaxation nature can provide.
One, Terwilliger, or Cougar, hot springs, is on the edge of a stunning reservoir and features a cascading series of stone, man-made tubs, with hot water coming out of a small cave and pouring into each succeeding tub as it flows downhill. Thus, the hotter spring is at the top, and it gets cooler as you go down. This one is popular, and in three visits last year and this year, I never encountered less than five people.
Another, Deer Creek hot spring, is a lovely little tub on the edge of the McKenzie River. I visited it three times, and each time had it all to myself.
Earlier, I had also visited a private wellness retreat, Breitenbush hot springs, as well as a public spring near Concrete, Wash. Both provided wonderful respites from the rigors of traveling.
Anyway, if you're interested in visiting these springs or others, it's worth getting ahold of a good guidebook. I recommend "Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Southwest" and its companion, "Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Northwest," both by Marjorie Gersh-Young. A bounty awaits.