Are There Hot SpringsAre there hot springs in Louisiana?
No. There are no natural hot springs anywhere in Louisiana. Its famous spring, at Abita Springs in St. Tammany Parish, gave clear, cool water that a Covington doctor called "highly medicinal" in 1867, and the town became a summer resort for New Orleans.
For water that comes out hot, the nearest is Hot Springs, Arkansas: about 140 miles from Shreveport and 360 miles from New Orleans in a straight line, with bathhouses in the national park.
The nearest hot springs to New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport
North Louisiana is unusually close to a hot spring town: from Shreveport, Hot Springs, Arkansas, is only about 140 miles away.
| From | Nearest hot springs (straight line) | Next nearest |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | Hot Springs, Arkansas360 miles | San Antonio, Texas, 510 milesHot Springs, North Carolina, 590 miles |
| Baton Rouge | Hot Springs, Arkansas300 miles | San Antonio, Texas, 440 milesHot Springs, North Carolina, 610 miles |
| Shreveport | Hot Springs, Arkansas140 miles | San Antonio, Texas, 350 milesHot Springs, North Carolina, 670 miles |
From New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Arkansas is still the nearest, with Texas second. San Antonio's hot well spa is about 440 miles from Baton Rouge.
Abita Springs: a spring resort for New Orleans
The spring at Abita Springs was known locally long before it was a resort. In 1867 Dr. T. M. D. Davidson, a Covington physician, wrote that its water was highly medicinal and would draw boarders and invalids, and by 1880 the local paper carried advertisements for boarding at the springs.
The railroad arrived on June 26, 1887, and the town took off. Hotels and restaurants catered to visitors, many from New Orleans, who came for the water and the pine woods, and in 1888 an octagonal wooden pavilion was built over the spring so people could drink from it.
The state bought the pavilion and grounds in 1948 and later passed them to the parish school board; the spring itself has since been capped and no longer flows, according to the pavilion's National Register nomination. Today the pavilion stands in a park beside the free Abita Springs Trailhead Museum, on the Tammany Trace rail trail.
Louisiana springs and spas on a map
Where each of the 3 places in Louisiana is. Pin shapes show the type; open the larger map for more detail.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Louisiana springs and spas
The spring pavilion and museum at Abita Springs, an inn beside one of its artesian springs, and a resort pool and spa in central Louisiana.
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Spring history
Abita Springs Trailhead Museum
Abita SpringsA free museum of the resort era beside the town's octagonal spring pavilion and Princess Abita statue, on the Tammany Trace.
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Inn
Abita Springs Hotel
Abita SpringsFive suites in a restored 1890s home, above a courtyard with one of the town's artesian springs.
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Resort spa
Paragon Casino Resort
MarksvilleThree pools including an indoor pool, a hot tub and a full-service spa.
Louisiana FAQ
Is Abita Springs a hot spring?
No. It was a cool artesian spring that a Covington physician called "highly medicinal" in 1867. It became a summer resort after the railroad arrived in 1887.
Can you still drink from the spring at Abita Springs?
No. The pavilion's National Register nomination records that the spring was capped and no longer flows. The pavilion and museum are open to visit.
Are there hot springs near Shreveport?
Hot Springs, Arkansas, is about 140 miles from Shreveport in a straight line, the closest of any big Louisiana city.
Are there hot springs near New Orleans?
Not in Louisiana. The nearest is Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 360 miles away, followed by San Antonio, Texas, about 510 miles away.
Was the water at Abita Springs warm?
No. It was cool artesian water, prized as healthful; Louisiana has nothing on NOAA's thermal springs list.
Planning a soak in Louisiana
Best time to visit
Abita Springs holds a Water Festival among its yearly events. The museum is indoors and the park outdoors, so any season works; Northshore summers are hot and humid.
Prices and fees
The Abita Springs Trailhead Museum is free. Spa services and hotel stays are paid.
How to get there
Abita Springs is on the Northshore, about an hour from New Orleans across Lake Pontchartrain, and the Tammany Trace trail passes through the trailhead. Marksville is in central Louisiana.
Rules and good manners
Small things that help.
- Bike in on the TraceThe Tammany Trace rail trail runs right past the museum and pavilion.
- Don't look for a spring to drink fromThe old spring is capped; the pavilion is a landmark.
- Wash after soakingHot tub rash comes from germs in poorly kept water; the CDC says to shower with soap once you get out.
Pictures of places to soak in Louisiana
Photos of Abita Springs Trailhead Museum and Abita Springs Hotel, 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.
Where our information comes from
Information here was checked on against the sources below.
- National Park Service: Abita Springs Pavilion, National Register nomination (1867 statement, railroad 1887, pavilion 1888)
- Louisiana Office of Tourism: Abita Springs Trailhead Museum (free museum)
- Louisiana Office of Tourism: Abita Springs Hotel (artesian spring courtyard)
- Louisiana Office of Tourism: Paragon Casino Resort (pools, hot tub, spa)
- NOAA: Thermal Springs List for the United States
- CDC: Preventing hot tub rash
More hot springs in the United States
Every other state with a hot springs guide.