Warm Springs, OR

Warm Springs serves as the cultural and administrative heart of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in central Oregon. Set in a sunny high-desert valley along Shitike Creek and the Deschutes River, this small community is home to roughly 2,400 people. U.S. Route 26 runs directly through town, giving residents a straightforward drive over the Cascade Range or a quick fifteen-minute trip south to the larger town of Madras.

ATTRChris Light / CC BY-SA 4.0

The community is the civic center for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, which brings together the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute peoples. Local children attend the Warm Springs K-8 Academy right in town, while high school students commute to Madras. With tribal administration, community health facilities, and cultural institutions like The Museum at Warm Springs located nearby, residents have key services close at hand alongside easy access to fishing, hiking, and open canyon landscapes.