Hunters Hot Springs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hunter's Hot Springs |
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Old Perpetual geyser
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| Type | private park |
| Location | Lake County, Oregon, US |
| Area | 40 acres (16 ha) |
| Created | 1925 |
| Operated by | Hunter's Hot Springs Resort |
| Status | Private commercial property |
Hunter's Hot Springs are amazing natural hot springs in Lake County, Oregon. They are about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Lakeview. These springs get their heat from deep inside the Earth, which is called "geothermal" energy. The springs are named after Harry Hunter, who bought the land in 1923. The most famous part of Hunter's Hot Springs is Old Perpetual. It's Oregon's only geyser that erupts all the time! This geyser actually started when Harry Hunter was drilling wells to build a health resort.
What Are Hot Springs?
Hot springs are places where warm water comes out of the ground. The water gets heated by rocks deep inside the Earth. The Hunter's Hot Springs were first found in 1832 by trappers. They wrote in their journals that the water was super hot!
These springs are a small group of hot, alkaline (meaning they have a high pH) springs. They are located in Lake County's Goose Lake Valley. The water temperature in these springs can be very hot, from 185 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit (85 to 96 degrees Celsius). The water also has a lot of minerals, like sulfate. Because of these minerals and the heat, special groups of bacteria grow in colorful mats in the water channels. Scientists from all over the world have studied these unique bacterial mats.
Old Perpetual Geyser
The most exciting part of Hunter's Hot Springs is a geyser called Old Perpetual. A geyser is a hot spring that shoots water and steam into the air. Old Perpetual used to shoot 200-degree Fahrenheit (93-degree Celsius) water 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 meters) high every 90 seconds! Because it erupted so often and regularly, it was a very popular place for tourists to visit.
For a few years after 2009, Old Perpetual stopped erupting. This might have happened because of nearby projects that used geothermal water. However, by May 2015, it started erupting regularly again! Even today, the local Chamber of Commerce still tells everyone that Old Perpetual is a "must-see" attraction.
The Resort's History
Hunter's Hot Springs is named after Harry Hunter. He was a land developer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He visited the springs in 1919 and bought the 40-acre (16 ha) property in 1923. He wanted to build a health resort there.
When Harry Hunter started building, he wanted more hot water. So, he drilled three wells. To his surprise, all three wells erupted like geysers! Two of them stopped, but Old Perpetual kept erupting every 40 to 120 seconds, depending on how much water was in the ground.
The first resort building was finished in 1925. Over the years, more buildings were added, including a medical clinic, a restaurant, a motel, and a cocktail lounge. In the early 1990s, the outdoor pool was updated. The resort was renovated again in 2000.
Today, Hunter's Hot Springs Resort has a motel, a lounge, and a restaurant. Guests can use the 104-degree Fahrenheit (40-degree Celsius) mineral pool. The area where you can watch Old Perpetual is open to everyone.
The Name of the Springs
People in the area have always called these springs Hunter's Hot Springs. Even though the owner in 2000 tried to rename the resort "Geyser Hot Springs," the USGS (a government science agency) still officially recognizes the name as Hunter's Hot Springs.
