Are There Hot SpringsAre there hot springs in Maryland?
No. Maryland has no natural hot springs, and NOAA lists no warm springs in the state either. The nearest warm springs are just over the line at Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, about 6 miles south of Hancock, where the water comes out at 74.3°F.
For water that is properly hot, the nearest is Bath County, Virginia, about 160 miles from Hagerstown and 190 miles from Baltimore in a straight line. In Maryland itself, a soak means a hot tub, such as the infinity hot tub at the Four Seasons on Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
Nearest hot springs to Baltimore and Hagerstown
Western Maryland is the closest part of the state to Virginia's Bath County, and only a short hop from the warm springs at Berkeley Springs.
| From | Nearest hot springs (straight line) | Next nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | Bath County, Virginia190 miles | Hot Springs, North Carolina, 410 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 960 miles |
| Hagerstown | Bath County, Virginia160 miles | Hot Springs, North Carolina, 380 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 910 miles |
From Baltimore, a trip that stops at Berkeley Springs on the way to Bath County takes in both: the warm springs first, then the hot ones about 140 miles farther south-west.
Maryland's spring resorts, and the warm springs next door
Maryland had mineral spring retreats of its own in the 1800s, though none was warm. Near Arbutus in Baltimore County, the Sulphur Springs Hotel ran as a hotel and medicinal spa from the early to the late 19th century; the Maryland Historical Trust records its foundations, two springs and a dam as an archaeological site.
The warm water Marylanders went to was across the Potomac. Berkeley Springs' springs flow at about 2,000 gallons a minute at a constant 74.3°F, and they were used by Native people long before George Washington visited them as a 16-year-old surveyor in 1748. Today they feed West Virginia's Berkeley Springs State Park, which heats the water for its baths.
Most of the state, including the whole Eastern Shore, sits on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, which the USGS describes as having no appreciably warm springs. The nearest true hot springs, in Bath County, Virginia, rise along faults in the folded rocks of the Appalachians.
Maryland spas on a map
Where each of the 3 places in Maryland is. Pin shapes show the type; open the larger map for more detail.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
The best spas in Maryland
A harbor-side hotel spa in Baltimore, a Chesapeake marina resort and log cabins with hot tubs in the Catoctin Mountains.
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Outdoor spa
Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore
BaltimoreThe only outdoor spa on the Inner Harbor: a Finnish rock sauna, heated reflection pool and infinity hot tub.
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Bayside inn
Inn at Herrington Harbour
Rose HavenAn eco marina resort on the Chesapeake with outdoor hot tubs and an Olympic-size pool.
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Cabins
Ole Mink Farm Recreation Resort
ThurmontLuxury log cabins in the Catoctin Mountains with hot tubs and fire pits.
Questions about soaking in Maryland
Where are the nearest warm springs to Maryland?
At Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, just across the Potomac from Hancock. The springs flow at about 74°F, and the state park heats the water for baths.
Is Berkeley Springs in Maryland?
No. It is in West Virginia, about 6 miles south of Hancock, Maryland, across the Potomac.
Are there hot springs near Baltimore?
Bath County, Virginia, about 190 miles away in a straight line, is the closest; Hot Springs, North Carolina, about 410 miles away, comes next.
Were there spring resorts in Maryland?
Yes, small ones. The Sulphur Springs Hotel near Arbutus was a 19th-century hotel and medicinal spa; it survives only as an archaeological site.
Where can I use a hot tub with a view in Baltimore?
The Four Seasons in Harbor East has an outdoor spa with an infinity hot tub, a Finnish rock sauna and a heated pool.
When to go, costs and getting there
When to go
Outdoor hot tubs are best in the cool months. Pools at the bay resorts are summer-focused.
What it costs
These are hotel amenities, so you usually need to book a room or a spa service to use them. Berkeley Springs State Park charges by the bath; see West Virginia State Parks for prices.
Getting there
Baltimore's Harbor East is downtown. Rose Haven is in southern Anne Arundel County on the Chesapeake, and Thurmont is in Frederick County near Catoctin Mountain Park. Berkeley Springs is about 6 miles south of Hancock.
Before you go
Hot tub basics.
- Keep it at 104°F or belowThe CPSC's limit for hot tubs; in a cabin tub you set yourself, start lower.
- Shower once you are outThe CDC's advice against hot tub rash: take off your swimsuit and shower with soap after soaking.
- Call ahead for Berkeley Springs bathsThe park's heated baths are popular at weekends, so book before you drive out.
Pictures of places to soak in Maryland
Photos of Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, a place 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.
How we checked this page
Reviewed on against the sources below.
- West Virginia State Parks: Berkeley Springs history (74.3°F, 2,000 gallons a minute, Washington 1748)
- Maryland Historical Trust: Sulphur Springs Hotel site (18BA390) (19th-century hotel and spa)
- Visit Maryland: Luxury places to stay (Four Seasons outdoor spa)
- Visit Maryland: Chesapeake Bay resorts (Inn at Herrington Harbour)
- Visit Maryland: Build-your-own Maryland adventure (Ole Mink Farm)
- USGS: Thermal springs in the United States (no appreciably warm springs on the Atlantic Coastal Plain)
- NOAA: Thermal Springs List for the United States
- CPSC: Hot tub temperatures
- CDC: Preventing hot tub rash
Explore hot springs in other states
Continue to another state.