Hot Springs in Massachusetts | Are There Hot Springs

Are there hot springs in Massachusetts?

No. No natural hot springs reach the surface in Massachusetts. The one warm spring on record, Sand Spring in Williamstown, comes out warm rather than hot and feeds a swimming pool that opens in summer.

The nearest water that surfaces hot is in Bath County, Virginia, about 470 miles from Springfield and 550 miles from Boston in a straight line. For a winter soak closer to home, The Porches Inn in North Adams keeps an outdoor pool and hot tub open year-round.

How far are hot springs from Boston and Springfield?

Western Massachusetts is about 80 miles closer to Virginia than Boston is.

From	Nearest hot springs (straight line)	Next nearest
Boston	Bath County, Virginia550 miles	Hot Springs, North Carolina, 770 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 1,300 miles
Springfield	Bath County, Virginia470 miles	Hot Springs, North Carolina, 700 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 1,220 miles

Both cities are a long drive from any hot spring, so most people treat Bath County as a destination in itself rather than a stop.

Sand Spring: Massachusetts' one warm spring

Sand Spring rises near the Hoosic River in Williamstown, in the far north-west corner of the state, and it is the only Massachusetts spring on NOAA's list of US thermal springs. Its water comes out in the low 70s °F all year: pleasantly warm for a swim, but far below the 100°F and more of a true hot spring.

People have bathed here for a long time, and in the 1800s and early 1900s the spring supplied an inn and bathhouse. Today it feeds the Sand Springs Pool, run by a local nonprofit, which usually opens from late June to early September. Check its season before you go; in winter there is nowhere to get into the spring water.

Any hot tub you find in the state is capped by law: Massachusetts' sanitary code for pools limits hot tubs and other special-purpose pools to 104°F.

Spas and springs in Massachusetts

A warm spring pool in Williamstown, a year-round outdoor soak in North Adams, cabin hot tubs on the Mohawk Trail and an island hotel hot tub.

Year-round pool
The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA
North Adams
A small slate-edged outdoor pool and a hot tub, both open year-round, across the river from MASS MoCA.
Cabins
Hinata Retreat
Charlemont
Adult-only cabins with private hot tubs, gas fireplaces and mountain views.
Hotel
The Nantucket Hotel
Nantucket
An island hotel with an all-season hot tub, a short shuttle from town.
Warm spring pool
Sand Springs Pool
Williamstown
A summer swimming pool fed by Sand Spring, the state's one warm spring, with water in the low 70s °F.

Massachusetts spas and springs on a map

All 4 places on this page, with pin shapes showing the type. Open the larger map to zoom in.

Spring site Inn or resort Heated pool

Before you soak in Massachusetts

Worth knowing.

Expect cool, not hotSand Spring's water is in the low 70s °F, comfortable for swimming rather than soaking.
Check the seasonSand Springs Pool is open only in summer; the inn and hotel tubs run all year.
Change out of the wet suitGet out of your swimsuit and shower after a hot tub; the CDC says it lowers the risk of hot tub rash.

Planning a soak in Massachusetts

Best time to visit

The Porches Inn's pool and hot tub and the Nantucket Hotel's hot tub are open in every season. Sand Springs Pool opens only in summer.

Prices and fees

The inn and hotel soaks are for guests: book a room or cabin. Sand Springs Pool sells day and season passes.

How to get there

Williamstown and North Adams are in the northern Berkshires, and Charlemont is east of them on the Mohawk Trail (Route 2). Nantucket is reached by ferry or plane from Cape Cod.

Questions about soaking in Massachusetts

Is there a warm spring in Massachusetts?

Yes, one: Sand Spring in Williamstown, on NOAA's list of US thermal springs. It is warm rather than hot, in the low 70s °F.

Can you swim in Sand Spring?

Yes, in summer: the spring feeds the Sand Springs Pool in Williamstown, open from late June to early September.

Where can you soak outdoors in winter in Massachusetts?

The Porches Inn in North Adams keeps its outdoor pool and hot tub open year-round.

Are there hot springs near Boston?

No. Bath County, Virginia, is the nearest, about 550 miles off as the crow flies; Hot Springs, North Carolina, is about 770 miles away.

How hot can a hot tub be in Massachusetts?

State rules cap hot tubs and other special-purpose pools at 104°F.

Pictures of places to soak in Massachusetts

Photos of The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA and The Nantucket 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.