One Of The West's Most Historic Hot Springs Lodges Is An Oregon Gem With An Eerie Once-Abandoned History

Not only is Oregon hauntingly beautiful, but plenty of its beautiful places are haunted. From the spirit-infested Shanghai Tunnels in Portland, one of the best spooky cities for a Halloween vacation, to the most photographed lighthouse on the Oregon Coast that harbors a Victorian-era ghost, the Pacific Northwest state is home to an array of bone-chilling destinations. You can even spend the night in some of them — if you dare.

Set against a rural backdrop just outside La Grande in Eastern Oregon, The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs is bubbling with history, relaxing pools, and haunted happenings. Dating back to 1906, the Colonial Revival brick edifice has lived many lives. Its storied past makes it a hotbed of paranormal activity and lore, while its scenic surroundings and soaking pools with warm, rejuvenating water make for a spirit-soothing getaway. If you have a predilection for historic locations haunted by natural and supernatural beauty, you can soak it all in at The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs.

Nestled at the base of majestic bluffs, The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs greets guests with an ominous yet elegant air, standing quiet watch over the property's main natural attraction, a steaming, 8-acre pond next to the Hot Lake Reservoir. Long before any structure stood on the land, Native Americans used the geothermal spring water for medicinal purposes. At the turn of the century, the healing properties of the springs inspired the construction of a grandiose hotel. Adopting the name "Hot Lake Sanatorium" in 1917, the hotel transformed into a popular healing resort destination, complete with a hospital on the third floor. After being partially destroyed by fire in 1934, the hotel shuttered, and the building slowly fell into disrepair in the decades that followed.

Following a long series of restoration projects started in 2003 — which are still ongoing at the time of this writing — the historic hotel is open for overnight stays, boasting rooms that combine historic charm with modern comforts. Take your pick between modest one-room suites with clawfoot tubs, large double rooms with private living rooms, or idyllic two-room suites with commanding mountain views. Whichever accommodations you choose, you'll have free rein to wander the hotel's hallowed halls, adorned with historic decor, taxidermy animals, and a small museum of medical antiquities from the building's past life, located on the third floor.

During your stay, you may encounter a ghost or two. Visitors have reported a number of eerie happenings in the hotel, from unexplained screams in the night and disturbing smells coming from the former hospital rooms to mysterious blood on the walls and moving chairs. Phantom figures are also believed to haunt the area, including the spirit of a former hotel gardener who took his own life. In fact, the ghost of Robert E. Lee's wife — who was a regular guest at the hotel — is said to serenade visitors with ghostly piano music from the third floor.

If the ghost stories chill you to the bone, warm up in one of the five soaking pools surrounding the Hot Lake Reservoir. With cozy temperatures kept between 100 and 106 degrees Fahrenheit, the stone-lined pools are perfect for a restorative retreat situated in a quiet, scenic setting for uninterrupted serenity. When you're in need of refreshments, you needn't wander far. The Thermal Pub and Eatery inside The Lodge offers tasty wraps, fresh salads, and hearty entrées, as well as wines and beers crafted locally in Oregon. After dinner, you can catch a flick at the hotel's movie theater, which screens hand-curated classics and modern films from Thursday to Sunday. If you're craving more outdoor adventures, take a day trip (about a 45-minute drive south) to Baker City, an underappreciated little Oregon city surrounded in mountains and canyons. You can visit another haunted hotspot there, the Geiser Grand Hotel, which is supposedly frequented by a ghostly apparition named the Lady in Blue.