Cove Warm Spring Pool

What to expect

The Cove Warm Spring Pool is a community swimming pool, not a soaking spring. It is a large concrete pool, about 60 by 65 feet, at 907 Water Street on the south side of Cove, a farm town of about 680 people on the eastern edge of the Grande Ronde Valley. Geothermal mineral springs feed it directly at roughly 110 gallons a minute, enough to replace the water several times a day, and they keep it near 86°F30°C through the season.

That temperature is the thing to understand before you go. It is warm for an outdoor pool, especially on a cool mountain morning, and it never gets the bracing chill of a river. But it is not hot. If you are picturing a 104°F40°C soak, this is the wrong place. If you want a long swim in soft, warm water at the foot of the Wallowa Mountains, it is a good one.

Guides describe the water as clear and unchlorinated, because the constant spring flow does the work. The grounds are simple and green: a grove of shade trees, lawn, picnic tables, a playground and a creek running past. Guides also mention a snack bar, restrooms and changing rooms. The pool has been in use for more than 75 years and has the look of a classic small-town plunge.

The spring and the numbers

Published figures for this pool do not all agree, so it helps to know where they come from. The town’s own page gives the pool as 60 by 65 feet, filled at about 110 gallons a minute at a near-constant 86°F30°C. Wikipedia lists a flow of about 300 gallons a minute and a size of 15 by 15 feet, which another guide explains as the size of the spring opening rather than the pool. Every source agrees on the temperature. We use the town’s figures here because they come from the people closest to the pool.

Getting there

Cove is about 16 miles east of La Grande, across the flat floor of the Grande Ronde Valley.

• From La Grande and I-84: Take Oregon Route 237 east through Island City and across the valley to Cove. The drive is about 20 minutes on paved two-lane road.
• From Union: Follow OR-237 north for about 7 miles to Cove.

The pool is on Water Street at the south end of town. Parking is next to the grounds. Cove has a small market with fuel and a couple of places to eat, so you do not have to bring everything from La Grande.

When to go

The pool opens for summer only, from around Memorial Day in late May through Labor Day in early September. It is closed the rest of the year.

July and August are the obvious months. Valley afternoons get hot, and a warm, shady pool is the best place in Cove to spend them. Weekends and school holidays draw local families, so come on a weekday if you want space to swim laps.

Early June can be cool and showery in the valley, which is when the 86°F30°C water feels warmest. Mosquitoes and other bugs can be busy in early summer near the creek.

Daily hours are not published on the town website. The pool posts updates on its Facebook page (CoveSwimmingPool), or you can call ahead.

Rules and etiquette

The pool does not publish a full rulebook online, so treat it like any public swimming pool:

• Pay admission when you arrive. Payment options are not posted online, so carry some cash as well as a card.
• Wear a swimsuit. This is a family pool, not a clothing-optional spring.
• Shower before you swim if showers are provided, and keep soap and shampoo out of the water.
• No glass on the pool deck.
• Pick up your trash in the picnic area.
• Groups should book ahead by calling (541) 568-4890.

Where to stay nearby

• La Grande, about 16 miles west, has most of the area’s motels, restaurants and supermarkets, and is the usual base.
• Union, about 7 miles south, is a small town with basic services.
• Cove itself is very small. Ask locally about rooms or camping before relying on it.
• Wallowa-Whitman National Forest campgrounds lie in the mountains east of Cove. Moss Springs Trailhead, about 7 miles east of town, is a common starting point for the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Check the forest’s site for current campground openings and fire restrictions.

The valley also has two commercial hot springs if you want hotter water: Hot Lake Springs and Grande Hot Springs RV Resort, both in the valley near La Grande. Check their hours and prices directly.

Safety notes

• Supervision: ask whether lifeguards are on duty, and never leave small children alone at the edge.
• Sun: valley afternoons are hot and the deck has little shade outside the trees. Bring sunscreen and water.
• Unchlorinated water: the high spring flow keeps the pool fresh, but stay out if you have an open cut or an upset stomach, and avoid swallowing the water.
• Weather: summer thunderstorms build over the Wallowas. Get out of the pool if you hear thunder.

Nearby stops worth adding

Cove is surrounded by orchards, mostly sweet cherries and peaches, on about 500 acres of hillside above town. In early summer, look for fruit stands. The Eagle Cap Wilderness, Oregon’s largest wilderness area, starts in the mountains just east of town, and trails from Moss Springs lead into it. On the way back to La Grande, the drive across the Grande Ronde Valley gives wide views of the Blue Mountains to the west and the Wallowas behind you.