Hot Springs in Illinois | Are There Hot Springs

Are there hot springs in Illinois?

No. Illinois has no natural hot springs. Its springs are mineral springs at ordinary temperature: the water under Okawville still supplies a bathhouse, and Dixon Springs in the Shawnee Hills was a spa in the 1800s.

The closest springs that come out hot are in Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 410 miles from Springfield in a straight line. In Chicago, AIRE Ancient Baths offers heated thermal pools in the Roman tradition.

How far are hot springs from Illinois?

From Chicago, North Carolina and Virginia are about equally far; from central and southern Illinois, Arkansas is clearly nearest.

From	Nearest hot springs (straight line)	Next nearest
Chicago	Hot Springs, North Carolina490 miles	Bath County, Virginia, 490 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 590 miles
Springfield	Hot Springs, Arkansas410 miles	Hot Springs, North Carolina, 460 milesBath County, Virginia, 540 miles

From the Okawville area, Hot Springs, Arkansas, is a long day's drive south-west; it pairs well with a stop at the bathhouse on the way.

Illinois' spring resorts: Okawville and Dixon Springs

Okawville, a small town about 45 miles east of St. Louis, grew up as a mineral water resort after water was found under the town in 1867. Several bathhouses and hotels served visitors from St. Louis. The Original Springs Hotel and Bathhouse, built in 1892, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it still runs a mineral spa beside its hotel and restaurant.

Dixon Springs, in Pope County near the Ohio River, became a health spa in the mid-1800s. Hundreds of people came for its seven springs of mineral-enriched water, and a bathhouse offered soft water baths all year. Its topography kept summers mild, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources notes that the spa drew tourists from as far as Nashville.

The state bought Dixon Springs in 1946, and it has been a state park since. The hotel and bathhouse are gone; the park is now a place to hike among rocky bluffs, picnic and camp.

Soaking in Illinois: key facts

Illinois' mineral springs are cool; for warm water, the choice is a historic bathhouse, a Chicago thermal bath or a resort pool.

Natural hot springs: None
Former spa park: Dixon Springs State Park
Listed here: 5 places
Thermal baths: AIRE Ancient Baths, Chicago
Nearest hot springs: Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 410 miles from Springfield
Mineral bathhouse: Original Springs, Okawville (built 1892)

Where they are in Illinois: map

The map shows all 5 places we list in Illinois. Zoom in on the larger map for more detail.

Spring site Spa or bathhouse Heated pool

Spas and springs in Illinois

A bathhouse from 1892, a spa park in the Shawnee Hills, and three warm soaks from Chicago to Galena.

Thermal baths
AIRE Ancient Baths Chicago
Chicago
Candlelit thermal baths in the Roman, Greek and Ottoman tradition, in a restored historic building.
Mineral bathhouse
Original Springs Hotel and Bath House
Okawville
The oldest hotel in Okawville, with a restaurant and a natural mineral springs spa.
Hydrotherapy
Kohler Waters Spa Burr Ridge
Burr Ridge
A self-guided water circuit with a 25-foot whirlpool under a waterfall, a steam room and a sauna.
Resort pool
Chestnut Mountain Resort
Galena
An indoor pool, whirlpool and sauna on a wooded bluff above the Mississippi River.
Spring park
Dixon Springs State Park
Golconda
Site of a 19th-century spa built around seven mineral springs; now a state park in the Shawnee Hills.

Before you go

Good to know before you book.

Book thermal bath sessions aheadAIRE limits numbers in each session, so weekend slots go early.
Ask about the mineral bathsAt the Original Springs, check the bathhouse hours when you book a room.
Don't expect to bathe at Dixon SpringsThe springs are no longer used for bathing; the park is for hiking, camping and picnics.

Planning a soak in Illinois

Seasons

The spas and thermal baths are indoors and open all year. Dixon Springs is at its best from spring to fall, when the trails and picnic areas are in full use.

Entry fees

AIRE and the Kohler spa sell timed sessions or treatments; the Original Springs and Chestnut Mountain price mineral baths, pools and hot tubs with stays or treatments. Dixon Springs State Park has no entry fee for day use; camping is extra.

Access and travel

AIRE is in Chicago's West Loop and Kohler Waters Spa is in Burr Ridge, south-west of the city. Okawville is just off I-64 east of St. Louis, Dixon Springs is in the far south near Golconda, and Chestnut Mountain overlooks the Mississippi near Galena.

Common questions

Are there hot springs near Chicago?

No. The nearest are in Hot Springs, North Carolina, and Bath County, Virginia, both about 490 miles away in a straight line. In Chicago, AIRE Ancient Baths has heated thermal pools.

Is there a mineral spa in Illinois?

Yes. The Original Springs Hotel in Okawville, built in 1892, has a mineral springs spa next to its hotel and restaurant.

Was Dixon Springs a hot spring?

No. It was a 19th-century health spa built around seven mineral springs at ordinary temperature. It has been a state park since the state bought it in 1946.

Is Okawville's mineral water warm?

No. It is heated in the bathhouse for baths. Illinois has no springs on NOAA's thermal list.

What is the closest hot spring to St. Louis and Okawville?

Hot Springs, Arkansas, roughly 330 miles south-west of St. Louis in a straight line.

Pictures of places to soak in Illinois

Photos of AIRE Ancient Baths Chicago, Original Springs Hotel and Bath House and Dixon Springs State Park, all places to soak in this guide. We only use photos whose license allows reuse and credit the photographer under each one. The full credits are on our photo credits page.