Altnow Hot Spring
Altnow Hot Spring emerges at 3,626 feet elevation near Burns with temperature designated W (warm) without specific measurement. The spring flows just 195 feet from the nearest road in Harney County's high desert country, offering roadside access to thermal water in southeastern Oregon's vast sagebrush landscape.
The spring occupies the arid basin terrain characteristic of Harney County, where annual precipitation averages only 12.3 inches with 28.4 inches of snow supporting sagebrush, juniper, and bunchgrass vegetation. The surrounding country extends in broad valleys between fault-block mountain ranges, with the North Fork of the Malheur River flowing through riparian corridors 12.4 kilometers southwest where Chukar Park Campground occupies lush riverside vegetation. Mean air temperatures reach 49.8°F in this high desert environment.
The spring's name and historical provenance remain undocumented in available records. The immediate roadside access suggests awareness by early ranchers and travelers, though specific accounts of Indigenous use or homesteader development have not been preserved in accessible sources. The thermal feature flows today without commercial development.
Visit during spring or fall when temperatures moderate; summer heat intensifies the already warm conditions, and winter brings cold snaps and occasional heavy snow. The roadside location requires no hiking, but visitors should verify current road conditions on the county and Forest Service network. Chukar Park Campground offers primitive camping 12.4 kilometers away along the North Fork of the Malheur River for those making overnight trips.
Is Altnow Hot Spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Easy day trips
- Overnight camping trips
Let the sounds of the babbling North Fork of the Malheur River lull you to sleep at one of the riverside campsites of Chukar Park Campground. This primitive facility offers 19 campsites, seven of which are situated along the shady, lush riparian vegetation. Popular as a base camp with birders, hunters and fishers as well as those venturing through along nearby highway 20, Chukar Park has campsites with partial shade and in full sun. Note that the high-standard, graded county road leading to t...