Global warming au naturel in the Northwest

Hot springs destinations in the Northwest range from rustic, backcountry spots to high-end resorts. Bonneville is one of the more lavish in the Pacific Northwest. The 12,000-square-foot spa offers 40 treatments. A three-story great room features a massive stone fireplace, plush leather couches, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a forest.

The resort's flagship experience is a mineral bath and wrap. An attendant led me and a friend into a candlelit room with claw-foot bathtubs. As the bath was drawn a faint smell of boiled eggs from the sulfur in the water filled the air. But the odor was worth it. The water felt thick and therapeutic. And after 25 minutes of soaking, I had worked up a toxin-releasing sweat. Next came the wrap. Lying on warm towels trickled with eucalyptus oil, we were each tucked into a cotton sheet and warm blanket. A cool towel was placed over our eyes to block any light and the soothing sound of violin and piano lulled me to a semi-sleep state.

In the 19th century, hot spring water was widely claimed to possess curative powers. Resorts built around springs promised relief from arthritis, kidney and liver problems, and other maladies. With the growth of modern medicine in the early 20th century, "taking the waters" began to seem old-fashioned and time-consuming. By the mid-1900s, many of the resorts were closed and abandoned.

Over the past few decades, as Americans are increasingly turning to alternative medicine, hot springs have made a comeback.

Drawing from another spring farther south, Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat and Conference Center is completely booked most weekends. "This is an easy way for us to get into nature with our child," said Czeslaw Czapla, a software engineer from Portland, Ore. His son, Roman, 2 1/2, played alongside his parents in a rock-lined soaking pool. Breitenbush is nestled in a forest with cabins or tent sites for lodging. A stay includes three tasty vegetarian meals a day and several well-being and body movement classes.