Crane Hot Springs in eastern Oregon is without a doubt one of the best commercial hot springs in the state and beyond.
The large soaking pool, overnight accommodation options, and picturesque setting have earned this well-managed operation many return customers (including ourselves).
We love visiting Crane Hot Springs (also known as Crystal Crane Hot Springs), and we are excited to help you plan your visit.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about visiting Crane, including how to get there, the best times to visit, and how to stay overnight.
We’ll also include our tips for leveling up your experience, such as what to pack, nearby adventures, and helpful planning resources.
Crane Hot Springs Overview
Crane Hot Springs is a privately owned, commercial hot spring resort located near Burns in eastern Oregon that offers an amazing soaking experience.
The land has a long history of management over the years across various owners who took a shot at creating a hot spring resort.
Fortunately, the current owners ensure a consistently well-managed operation that provides a unique, memorable, and accessible soaking experience.
There are a variety of ways to enjoy the hot water including public and private soaking, day-use only access, and several overnight accommodation options.
The soaking experience at Crane is top-notch. The large, uncovered outdoor soaking pond is huge and kept at an ideal temperature. In addition, there is an extra hot tub we call the “lobster pot”.
To top it all off, there are heated bathrooms (even the floors are heated) which make changing before and after soaking super comfortable.
Crane is certainly one of the best hot springs near Bend Oregon. That is, if you consider 2.5 hours “nearby”.
Now that you’re convinced, let’s get prepared to visit this incredible Oregon hot spring!
How to Get to Crane Hot Springs
Crane Hot Springs is located 25 miles south-east of Burns in eastern Oregon.
The relatively remote location usually means long drive times and most people come from either Bend to the west or from Boise to the east.
Both options require you to drive through Burns, which is a good spot to grab some supplies including groceries and gas.
From Burns, head east onto Highway 78, and you’ll arrive at Crane in under 30 minutes.
The table below shows typical drive times to Crane Hot Springs from several cities.
| Starting Point | Typical Drive Time | Distance |
| Burns, OR | 25 min | 25 miles (40 km) |
| Bend, OR | 2 hrs, 30 min | 160 miles (260 km) |
| Boise, ID | 3 hrs | 185 miles (300 km) |
| Portland, OR | 5 hrs, 30 min | 310 miles (500 km) |
| Reno, NV | 5 hrs, 20 min | 360 miles (580 km) |
Don’t let the long drive deter you. We promise the effort and expense are well worth it as soon as you get into that amazing hot spring water.
Crane Hot Springs Map
The map of Crane Hot Springs below shows the main parts of the property. Thankfully, everything is pretty close together, so it’s easy to get your bearings.
Arriving at Crane Hot Springs
You can’t miss the large sign off of the main road. After the turn you’ll drive up a short hill and see the main office where you’ll check in.
There is a small parking lot where you can park for day use and while you check in. The soaking pool, restrooms, and changing rooms are just a short walk from the parking lot and main lobby.
Soaking Pools at Crane Hot Springs
Without a doubt, the soaking experience at Crane Hot Springs is among the best in Oregon, especially for commercial hot springs.
There are two public pools, day-use private soaking tubs, and private soaking tubs available in specific accommodation options.
Public Soaking Pools
The massive outdoor soaking pond is truly a wonder, allowing loads of space for people to spread out.
Call us picky, but we love that it feels like you’re in a natural pond and not a stale concrete rectangle.
The pond has a gravel bottom and graded sides, but also has some concrete seating and ramps complete with hand railings.
The water temperature is perfect for sustained soaking, with hotter pockets that can be found near the inputs.
Right next to the main pool, the much smaller lobster tub is a fantastic option if you like to turn up the heat.
Outside of the soaking pools, there are picnic tables as well as hooks for towels and clothes.
Private Soaking Tubs – Day Use
If you’re looking for a more private experience, consider renting one of their five private soaking tubs by the hour.
The private tubs are all in one building in their own rooms, and you are able to control the temperature exactly to your liking!
Accommodation Specific Private Soaking Tubs
Many of the accommodation options at Crane come with the added bonus of a private soaking tub. We talk more about the accommodation options below.
Accessibility
As far as hot springs go, Crane is about as accessible as it gets. There are two mildly graded ramps with hand railings for getting into the pool.
However, the concrete surfaces do get slippery, so be extra careful. In fact, it is sometimes easier to get in via the gravel bank on the opposite site.
Crane also has an amazing ADA accessible suite with a large private soaking tub.
Amenities at Crane
We love the wild vibes of natural hot springs, but also, we have to admit commercial hot springs have a ton of convenient amenities.
Thankfully, the owners of Crane are doing it right and creating an awesome commercial soaking experience.
Perhaps the best amenity is the amazing water, which is consistently the ideal temperature range and very clean.
Second, the heated bathrooms and changing rooms are next level comfortable. Even the floors are heated!
We love the 24-hour soaking access which makes the whole experience feel more natural and less restricted.
An added bonus is the camp kitchen, which makes cooking and cleaning dishes super convenient if you’re camping.
Finally, there are some nice walking trails onsite that are perfect to stretch the legs after a long soak.
Spending the Night at Crane Hot Springs
Speaking of camping, that is just one of the many ways you can overnight at Crane.
By the way, spending the night is our preferred way of experiencing Crane, because you get potential sunset, sunrise, and stargazing opportunities.
Overflow Gravel and Field Camping
The most affordable way to overnight at Crane is to stay in the overflow gravel lot or open field. Both are a short walk from the soaking pools, but the gravel is closer.
For many, the gravel lot is preferable to the field because the field can be muddy and the gravel lot has individual campfire pits.
With all camping you have access to the heated restrooms, 24-hour soaking, and the camp kitchen.
Dry Camping
If you want a picnic table and proper campsite to call your own you can upgrade to dry camping, which also comes with a fire pit.
The dry campsites are a shorter walk to the soaking pools than the open field, but about the same as the gravel lot.
RV Sites
For full electrical, water, and sewer hookups you can enjoy the RV sites, which are 100 feet long and pull through.
Plus, each RV site has a picnic table and fire pit.
Suites, Cabins, and Teepees
Does camping sound like a hassle? Check out the awesome Crane Hot Spring lodging options.
Enjoy the comfort of themed guest rooms and mini cabins which are perfect for two people.
In addition, there are some larger cabins with multiple rooms as well as some teepees and even a sheep herder’s wagon!
Again, many (but not all) of these accommodation options come with private soaking tubs which is a huge plus.
When to Visit Crane Hot Springs
Crane Hot Springs is open year-round, but we think fall to spring is best as the temperatures are cooler, contrastingly excellently with the hot water.
During winter the temperature is mostly between 25 and 50 degrees F, with some warmer sunny days and colder nights as well.
That said, nights can be chilly even in summer, with lows in the 40s and 50s.
For us, cold and clear conditions are ideal for relaxation and stargazing, but a winter snow storm can also be magical.
Of course, weekdays will be generally less crowded than weekends, but remember the soaking pool is so large it rarely feels crowded.
There can be some noisy kids playing during the day, but it gets mellow late at night and is totally calm in the early morning.
Check out our planning resources section below for some helpful tools.
Pets at Crane Hot Springs
Technically, they say you’re not supposed to leave pets in your vehicle, but we’ve never had a problem with our dog.
Dogs are allowed in some of the lodging options for a small fee, but not all.
We’ve had good experiences camping with our dog and even had her off leash for a bit without issues, but there were relatively few people.
Stocking Up on Supplies
The town of Burns is the move to get gas and food. There are several gas stations on Highway 20 south of the 78 junction and there’s also one gas station right at the junction.
For food there’s a Safeway and Grocery Outlet and a handful of restaurants.
Adventures Nearby
There are tons of awesome nearby adventures you can add on to your Crane visit.
Crane and Burns are about right in the middle of Boise and Bend, surrounded by those remote eastern Oregon landscapes we all love.
To the south, the striking Steens Mountain topography and contrastingly flat Alford Desert offer epic recreation options including some more hot springs.
To the east, the entire Owhyee River area is stunningly rugged with incredible remote sections we still want to explore.
North of Crane is the Malheur National Forest and John Day. Consider checking out the iconic Painted Hills at John Day Fossil Beds.
To the south west, you can soak at Hart Mountain Hot Springs in the incredible Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge.
Of course, Bend and the Cascade Mountains are to the west, with all the fun central Oregon adventures available.
More Planning Resources
When planning our adventures, we typically use the following helpful websites to get a clear picture of weather, road closures and conditions, wildfires, and air quality.
First, check out the official Crane website where you can see up to date information and browse accommodation options.
For weather, check out this NOAA weather forecast for Crane Hot Springs.
For road closures and conditions, don’t miss ODOT’s Trip Check, at least for the major highways. You can always contact the refuge directly to ask about local road closures.
For wildfires and air quality, we love Watch Duty. While not as much of an issue in winter, smoky air can kill the vibe of any adventure, and wildfires can of course be dangerous.
More Hot Springs in Oregon
There are so many amazing hot springs in Oregon. In fact, of all the Oregon hot springs we have soaked in, Crane Hot Springs ranks among the best of the best.
We can also recommend Umpqua Hot Springs, Summer Lake Hot Springs, Crane Hot Springs, McCredie Hot Springs, and Cougar Hot Springs, all located in Oregon.
Check out our article about the best hot springs near Bend Oregon if you’re in the area.
Conclusion
We hope you feel informed and inspired to visit Crane Hot Springs in eastern Oregon.
This is truly one of our favorite hot springs in Oregon and we want others to experience it for themselves!
When you visit, do your part to leave no trace. Let’s all help conserve this beautiful area.
Check out all our favorite adventures in Oregon, as well as some epic central Oregon adventures in our backyard.
