Are There Hot SpringsAre there hot springs in Missouri?
No. No natural hot springs reach the surface in Missouri. Excelsior Springs, north-east of Kansas City, grew up on mineral springs found in the late 1800s; its Art Deco Hall of Waters once bottled four kinds of mineral water, and The Elms Hotel & Spa has a grotto with a hot tub, saunas and a cold plunge.
The nearest water that comes out hot is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 190 miles from Springfield and 330 miles from both St. Louis and Kansas City in a straight line.
How close are hot springs to St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield?
Southern Missouri is close to Arkansas: from Springfield, Hot Springs is under 200 miles away.
| From | Nearest hot springs (straight line) | Next nearest |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | Hot Springs, Arkansas330 miles | Hot Springs, North Carolina, 450 milesBath County, Virginia, 560 miles |
| Kansas City | Hot Springs, Arkansas330 miles | Hot Springs, South Dakota, 550 milesCañon City, Colorado, 570 miles |
| Springfield | Hot Springs, Arkansas190 miles | Hot Springs, North Carolina, 590 milesSan Antonio, Texas, 620 miles |
St. Louis and Kansas City are the same distance from Hot Springs, Arkansas. Kansas City's next options are the Black Hills and Colorado; St. Louis looks east to the Appalachians.
Excelsior Springs and the Hall of Waters
Mineral springs were found in the valley at Excelsior Springs in the late 1800s, and the town grew up around them, becoming known for its healing waters and health resorts. Four distinct types of mineral water were found under the downtown, and in the early 1900s the town was one of the region's leading health destinations.
The Hall of Waters was built in the 1930s near the site of the first spring, as a bottling plant and distribution point for the town's waters. The Art Deco building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and today it houses a visitor center and exhibits on local history.
The Elms, built in 1912, gained national fame as a health resort. Its 28,000-square-foot spa includes The Grotto, a hydrotherapy area with a dry sauna, a hot tub, a cold plunge, a steam shower and an aromatherapy bar.
Missouri at a glance
Missouri's spring water was mineral water at ordinary temperature; for heat, the Ozarks are close to Hot Springs, Arkansas.
- We list
- 4 places
- Nearest hot springs
- Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 190 miles from Springfield
- Spa grotto
- The Elms Hotel & Spa
- Natural hot springs
- None
- Mineral water town
- Excelsior Springs
Spas and springs in Missouri
A historic spa hotel and the Hall of Waters in Excelsior Springs, and two Ozark lodges with hot tubs near Branson.
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Spa hotel
The Elms Hotel & Spa
Excelsior SpringsA 1912 hotel with a grotto modeled on a Roman bath: hot tub, saunas, steam shower and cold plunge.
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Spring history
Hall of Waters
Excelsior SpringsThe Art Deco mineral water hall built in the 1930s, now a visitor center and museum.
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Lodge
The Ozarker Lodge
BransonA boutique lodge with outdoor creekside hot soaking tubs and a pool.
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Resort spa
Big Cedar Lodge
RidgedaleA wilderness resort on Table Rock Lake with a spa, hot tubs and an indoor pool.
Where they are in Missouri: map
All 4 places on this page, with pin shapes showing the type. Open the larger map to zoom in.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Before you go
A few tips.
- Start at the Hall of WatersThe visitor center's exhibits explain the springs before you tour the town.
- Do the grotto in roundsAlternate hot tub, sauna and cold plunge with rests in between.
- Skip a cloudy tubCloudy water or a strong chemical smell are warning signs; afterwards, shower with soap as the CDC advises.
Seasons, costs and access in Missouri
When to visit
The Elms and Big Cedar have indoor facilities for any season; creekside tubs at The Ozarker are best on cool evenings.
Costs
The Hall of Waters is the town's visitor center. Spa and lodge facilities are for guests or spa clients.
Getting around
Excelsior Springs is 30 minutes north-east of downtown Kansas City. Branson and Ridgedale are in the Ozarks near the Arkansas line.
Questions about soaking in Missouri
What is the Hall of Waters?
An Art Deco hall built in Excelsior Springs in the 1930s to bottle and distribute its mineral water, now a visitor center and museum.
Does Missouri have a Roman-style bath?
The Elms Hotel & Spa's grotto is modelled on a Roman bath, with a hot tub, saunas, a steam shower and a cold plunge.
Are there hot springs near Branson?
The nearest is Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 190 miles from Springfield in a straight line and closer still from Branson.
Are there hot springs near Kansas City?
The nearest is Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 330 miles away in a straight line, then Hot Springs, South Dakota, about 550 miles away.
Is the mineral water in Excelsior Springs warm?
No. The town's four mineral waters are cool; The Elms heats water for its grotto.
Pictures of places to soak in Missouri
Photos of The Elms Hotel & Spa and Hall of Waters, 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
We last checked this page on , using the sources below.
- Visit Missouri: Things to do in Excelsior Springs (springs, Hall of Waters, The Elms)
- NPS: Hall of Waters (National Register) (listed 1983)
- Visit Missouri: Couples activities (Ozarker Lodge creekside tubs)
- Visit Missouri: Big Cedar Lodge (hot tub, indoor pool)
- NOAA: Thermal Springs List for the United States
- CDC: Preventing hot tub rash
Other states with hot springs
Continue to another state.