Borax Lake (Hot Lake) Look only

Borax Lake (Hot Lake) reads 97°F at the source (NCEI, historical reading). Managed by The Nature Conservancy — Borax Lake Preserve (checked 2026-08-19).

Cool Warm Hot Boiling-class 97°F

97°F / 36°C

Warm range at the source — bath-warm

Reading from the NCEI Thermal Springs List (historical reading, 1981 compilation). Source temperature — lower pools usually run cooler.

Water temperatures change with flow and season — test before entering, and never submerge your head in warm natural water. CDC guidance on Naegleria fowleri.

The rule here

This is a thermal feature to see, not a place to get in the water. The Nature Conservancy — Borax Lake Preserve puts it this way:

“Do not enter or otherwise disturb the lake or adjacent hot springs.”

— The Nature Conservancy — Borax Lake Preserve, checked 2026-08-19

Worth knowing: The Conservancy has stewarded the preserve since 1983 and taken ownership in 1993, managing it with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the BLM and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Only foot traffic is allowed beyond the gate, and the Conservancy warns the water carries naturally occurring arsenic, lead and borax that are toxic to people.

Nearby springs

Identity, coordinates, and temperature quoted from the NCEI Thermal Springs List (historical reading, 1981 compilation).