Posted by Di Minardi Last updated Nov 6, The Breitenbush hot spring is a clothing optional spring and lodge about two hours outside of Portland. Most of them involve paying a set fee for a sauna and hot tub soak, massages, acupuncture, yoga, or all of the above, and the Breitenbush hot spring is no different.
The retreat center has a large lodge with hiking trails in the scenic Mount Hood National Forest, multiple hot springs, massages, yoga classes, and a meditation sanctuary. There are also cabins if you want to stay overnight at the Breitenbush campground. I opted for lunch only served from 1 — 2 pm but they also have breakfast and dinner daily. The actual reservation process is pretty old school. Breitenbush really prides itself for being off the grid, so they have no wifi or cell service and getting there can be a little tricky.
The drive is two hours from Portland and the retreat sits just outside the tiny town of Detroit, Oregon. The most popular activity at Breitenbush is definitely soaking in the clothing optional hot springs. They have four man-made spiral pools on one side of the lodge and three natural pools on the other with varying heat levels.
The last one is the hottest and also requires absolute silence. I enjoyed soaking in the springs for a couple of hours during my trip, especially when a family of five deer came and ate in the field right in front of us. The views from all of the springs are beautiful, but the last and silent pool was definitely my favorite. I kind of felt like I was back in school lining up and hitting the buffet, but honestly, the all-vegetarian food was really good. The menu is ever changing but I thoroughly enjoyed the falafel sandwich, salad, and basil lemonade.
Around I decided I was done, hit the showers, and packed up to leave — only to realize heading out at 4 pm was a huge mistake. I reached Portland just in time for that rush hour traffic, so I recommend timing your departure either earlier or later to make sure you miss it. I like wifi and meat, I suck at yoga, and I get bored in quiet places. It was kind of relaxing, but by the afternoon the pools were starting to get cloudy ew and I was definitely ready to go after only four hours at the lodge.
