Zach Urness

Statesman Journal

Due to what officials called extreme degradation at Umpqua Hot Springs, the Forest Service said April 20 that it was shutting down camping at the popular destination east of Roseburg.

The site is now day-use only, with overnight stays forbidden at the hot springs, surrounding area and along Forest Service Road 3401.

Officials said they’ve faced increasing problems at Umpqua Hot Springs, including fighting, domestic violence, illegal drug use and people cutting down trees for illegal campfires.

Large amounts of human waste led Forest Service officials to close the hot springs last autumn due to dangerously high levels of the bacterium E. coli. The site reopened in February.

Umpqua Hot Springs shut down by high levels of E. coli

"Last summer, between the crowds and the damage to the site, things just got completely out of hand," said Jimmy Tyree, Diamond Lake District Ranger for Umpqua National Forest in a phone interview. "There's literally no vegetation, the stream banks have become eroded and the amount of human waste was just totally out of hand.

"This is a unique spot enjoyed by a lot of people, and this is a way to allow the place to recover while still continuing access."

Effective April 19 this change will remain in place for three years to allow for disturbed areas to return to their natural state. Parking also is limited to the hot springs trailhead and prohibited along Forest Service Road 3401.

Violators could face a prison sentence of up to six months and a fine of up to $5,000.

Tyree said that while Umpqua Hot Springs has always been popular, the number of people visiting exploded the past two years.

"We reached a point that there were cars lined up and down the road for miles," Tyree said. "Use has gone up exponentially. By eliminating parking alongside the road, we’re allowing for emergency vehicles to safely drive through.”

Tyree noted that there are numerous campsites nearby — Toketee Lake Campground is just 4 miles away — and that officials would encourage people to use those sites. He also said the Forest Service would reassess how the strategy works in the coming months and years to determine whether other measures are needed.

For the moment, though, he said moving the site to day-use should allow people to enjoy the hot springs while hopefully taking some pressure off the area."

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Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for eight years. He is the author of the book “Hiking Southern Oregon” and can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Zach Urness or @ZachsORoutdoors on Twitter.