Editor’s note: This resort is now permanently closed as of September 2018.
An oasis in Central Oregon’s desert, Kah-Nee-Ta Resort & Spa has RV sites with full hook-ups and a double Olympic-sized hot springs mineral pool that you can soak in.
Kah-Nee-Ta Resort & Spa has a double Olympic-sized hot springs mineral pool. Photos via Facebook.
The resort is in a quiet, remote location, a short drive off US-26, southeast of Mount Hood on Warm Springs Indian Reservation. If you’re heading eastbound, the drive leads out of Mount Hood’s pine forest into a drier desert landscape along the Warm Springs River (a tributary of Deschutes River).
RVs at Kah-Nee-Ta Resort.
Kah-Nee-Ta’s massive hot springs pool has two water slides (140 feet and 184 feet long). It’s heated during the fall and winter (86-91 F) and cooled in the summer (88-91 F). The pool is open to the public and costs $15/person (13 and over), $10 (kids 4-12, seniors 55+), and free for kids 3 and under. However, access to the pool is included if you rent an RV space, a teepee, Lodge or Village room.
Alongside the pool, Appaloosa Lounge serves cocktails and small snacks. Their other dining options include Warm Springs Grill, which serves as both a restaurant and family entertainment area with big screen TVs, a kids arcade, and four pool tables. In the lobby, Juniper Lounge offers light snacks along with beer, wine, and espresso. A bar is also in the Village area with drinks, snacks, and ice cream. All are seasonal and closed during the fall and winter.
There’s also a poolside arcade, fitness center, sauna and steam room, and hot tub. The on-site Spa Wanapine offers massages, natural body treatments like sea salt rubs, and private mineral soaks that melt stress and soreness away.
Other activities at the resort include their 18-hole championship golf course, mini golf, tennis, basketball, and volleyball. Their two gift shops sell a variety of swimwear, clothes, snacks, and gifts like jewelry.
Aside from the resort, there’s plenty of activities in the area. You can play blackjack or slots about twenty minutes south at Indian Head Casino, see Native American artifacts at Museum at Warm Springs, or hike one of the many trails in the area (click here for a printable map). The resort is also about an hour north of Smith Rock State Park near Terrebonne, with hiking trails and rock climbing for all skill levels.
Stay in a teepee for a more unique experience.
The resort has 51 RV sites including back-ins, pull-ins, and pull-throughs. The level sites range in length from 34 feet to 73 feet and have full hook-ups (30 and 50-amp). They can accommodate all motorhomes, travel trailers, truck campers, tent trailers, and fifth wheels.
Their Upper RV Park is in a shaded setting with trees and a communal fire pit, while the Lower RV Park is set in an open grassy area. During peak season, you will want to call and reserve a site ahead of time if you have a specific area you’d like to stay.
The cost varies depending on where you’re parked and the time of year. With included access to the hot springs pool, it isn’t cheap but you get what you pay for. The average nightly rate for an RV site is about $15-25 in the fall/winter to $40-70 in the spring/summer. You can learn more about their RV sites, teepees, and rooms on their website at kahneeta.com.
See also: Top 10 RV Parks Where You Can Soak In Natural Hot Springs
According to their site, Kah-nee-ta closed its doors for good on September 5, 2018.