Are There Hot SpringsAre there hot springs in Kansas?
No. Kansas has no hot springs of its own. Its best-known spring, Waconda Springs near Cawker City, was a salty mineral spring on a limestone mound, and it ran as a health spa from 1907 to 1964 before it was flooded by Waconda Lake.
The nearest water that comes out hot is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 320 miles from Wichita in a straight line, where you can bathe in thermal water in the national park's bathhouses.
The nearest hot springs to Wichita and Kansas City
Arkansas is closest from both ends of the state; western Kansas is nearer to Colorado than these figures suggest.
| From | Nearest hot springs (straight line) | Next nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Wichita | Hot Springs, Arkansas320 miles | Florence, Colorado, 420 milesLas Vegas, New Mexico, 460 miles |
| Kansas City | Hot Springs, Arkansas330 miles | Hot Springs, South Dakota, 550 milesCañon City, Colorado, 560 miles |
From Wichita, Colorado's hot springs around Florence and Cañon City are about 100 miles farther than Arkansas. From Kansas City, South Dakota's Black Hills come second.
Waconda Springs: from sacred spring to reservoir
Waconda Springs rose in a pool on top of a limestone mound beside the Solomon River in north-central Kansas, and it was a sacred place for Native people long before settlers arrived. Zebulon Pike recorded it during his 1806 expedition.
After Mitchell County was formed, the Cawker City Mineral Company bought the spring in 1870 to harvest salt from its water. That failed, and a bottling company took over. A resort was built in 1904, the same year its mineral water won an award at the St. Louis World's Fair, and in 1907 Dr. G. F. Abraham turned it into a health spa where patients bathed in and drank the water. In 1908 a hired diver went down the well and found no bottom, but brought up trinkets taken to be old offerings.
The Abraham family closed the spa in 1964, when federal flood control work called for a reservoir on the site. The buildings were bulldozed and the well sealed in 1968, and the spring now lies under Waconda Lake. The Waconda Visitor & Education Center at Glen Elder State Park tells the story and has a replica of the spring on a hilltop.
Kansas springs and spas
The visitor center that tells Waconda Springs' story, and two spas in Hays and the Flint Hills.
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Spring history
Waconda Visitor & Education Center
Glen ElderThe story of sacred Waconda Springs and its spa, with a hilltop replica of the spring.
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Destination spa
Rock Haven Spa
HaysA secluded spa where visits begin with traditional bathing rituals.
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Day spa
Mason Wells Day Spa
ManhattanA luxury day spa in the Flint Hills with massage and sauna sessions.
Kansas springs and spas on a map
Where each of the 3 places in Kansas is. Pin shapes show the type; open the larger map for more detail.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Planning a soak in Kansas
Seasons
The visitor center opened in 2018; check Glen Elder State Park's hours before you drive out. The spas are indoors and open all year.
Entry fees
Kansas state parks need a vehicle permit. Spa services are paid and booked ahead.
Access and travel
Glen Elder State Park is in Mitchell County, near Cawker City in north-central Kansas. Hays is on I-70 in the west, and Manhattan is in the Flint Hills.
Kansas FAQ
What happened to Waconda Springs?
It was flooded. The spa closed in 1964 for a flood-control reservoir; the buildings were cleared and the well sealed in 1968, and the spring is now under Waconda Lake.
Was Waconda Springs a hot spring?
No. It was a salty mineral spring on top of a limestone mound, used for drinking and bathing at ordinary temperature.
Can you see Waconda Springs today?
Not the spring itself. The Waconda Visitor & Education Center at Glen Elder State Park has exhibits and a hilltop replica.
Are there hot springs near Wichita?
Not in Kansas. The nearest is Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 320 miles away in a straight line, followed by Florence, Colorado, about 420 miles away.
Are there hot springs near Kansas City?
The nearest is Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 330 miles away in a straight line. Hot Springs, South Dakota, is about 550 miles away.
Rules and good manners
Before you set out.
- Plan the driveGlen Elder State Park is far from the interstates; fuel up and check opening hours first.
- Book spa time aheadRock Haven and Mason Wells work by appointment.
- Keep hot tubs at 104°F or belowThat is the CPSC's safe limit for any hot tub or spa pool.
How we checked this page
Reviewed on against the sources below.
- Kansas Historical Society: Waconda Springs (Pike, spa 1907-1964, sealed 1968)
- Travel Kansas: Waconda Visitor & Education Center (exhibits, replica)
- Travel Kansas: Rock Haven Spa (bathing rituals)
- Travel Kansas: Mason Wells Day Spa (sauna)
- NPS: Hot Springs National Park geology
- CPSC: Hot tub temperatures
Hot springs elsewhere in the United States
Other states where we list hot springs.