Hot Lake
Hot Lake reaches 122 degrees at 1,902 feet elevation on Bureau of Land Management property in Okanogan County, producing water 72.8 degrees above ambient temperature. This impressively hot thermal feature sits 169 meters from Big Iron Road near Oroville, accessible via a short walk to reach intense heat in the semi-arid country near Washington's Canadian border.
The spring occupies high-desert terrain in the Okanogan Highlands, a landscape dramatically different from western Washington's rainforests with just 23.1 inches of annual precipitation and 56.8 inches of snow. Ponderosa pine, bunchgrass, and sagebrush characterize the vegetation, with open slopes and rocky outcrops dominating the terrain. The site sits in the Okanogan River valley system near the international boundary, where summer heat and winter cold create temperature extremes uncommon in maritime western Washington.
The feature's name directly describes its most distinctive characteristic—a lake-like thermal pool reaching 122 degrees. Historical documentation is limited, though the area has been used for ranching and mining since the late 1800s when American settlers moved into the Okanogan following withdrawal of reservation boundaries. Indigenous Syilx (Okanogan) peoples knew the region's thermal features for millennia. Current BLM management maintains open public access to the site.
Visit spring through fall when Big Iron Road remains passable and the high-desert environment proves most comfortable. Summer temperatures in this semi-arid zone regularly exceed 90 degrees, making the 122-degree water uncomfortably hot for soaking. Winter brings 56.8 inches of snow and cold conditions with average annual temperature of 49.2 degrees. The short 169-meter walk remains manageable for most visitors. Lost Lake Group Unit 33.8 kilometers away provides the nearest developed camping with advance reservations required.
Is Hot Lake worth visiting?
Best for
- Hot spring soaking
- Overnight camping trips
Overview Lost Lake Group Site is located in Lost Lake Campground which is situated on the northern edge of Lost Lake on the Tonasket Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Set beneath mixed-conifer forest and surrounded by mountains, this campground offers one group site, suitable for large family and group camping excursions as well as several non-reservable single and double sites.Recreation Lost Lake Campground offers outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to hike, fis...