Hot Springs in New Jersey | Are There Hot Springs

Are there hot springs in New Jersey?

No. New Jersey has no natural hot springs, and NOAA lists no warm springs in the state. Southern New Jersey lies on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, which the USGS describes as having no appreciably warm springs, and the old spring resort on Schooley's Mountain was built around a cold, iron-rich spring.

The nearest water that surfaces hot is in Bath County, Virginia, about 300 miles from Atlantic City and 350 miles from Newark in a straight line. For thermal pools at home, SoJo Spa Club in Edgewater keeps its outdoor pools open year-round, facing Manhattan.

How far are hot springs from Newark and Atlantic City?

South Jersey is about 50 miles closer to Virginia's Bath County than the north.

From	Nearest hot springs (straight line)	Next nearest
Newark	Bath County, Virginia350 miles	Hot Springs, North Carolina, 580 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 1,120 miles
Atlantic City	Bath County, Virginia300 miles	Hot Springs, North Carolina, 520 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 1,080 miles

Both are long drives; the route from New Jersey runs down through Pennsylvania or Maryland and into the Virginia mountains.

Schooley's Mountain, an early American spring resort

Long before it was a resort, the Lenape valued a spring on Schooley's Mountain in what is now Washington Township, Morris County. When the Lutheran minister Henry Muhlenberg visited in 1770, he found signs that people had been drinking and bathing there for some time, and in 1810 a New York chemist analysed the water and classed it as chalybeate, or iron-rich.

Joseph Heath built the first boarding house around 1800, and by 1855 his Heath House could take 350 guests. A rival, Belmont Hall, held 300 by 1826. When Joseph Bonaparte, the former king of Spain, stayed in July 1820, the publicity drew guests hoping to mix with nobility, and the National Register calls the area one of the state's earliest and most successful mineral spring resort communities.

The resort faded in the early 1900s: Heath House was torn down around 1907, and Belmont Hall, renamed the Dorincourt, closed around 1911. The Schooley's Mountain Historic District keeps about 70 buildings from the resort era, and the foundations of Heath House survive as an archaeological site.

New Jersey: the essentials

New Jersey's historic spring was a cold iron spring; its warm water today is in Korean-style bathhouses and casino spas.

Nearest hot springs: Bath County, Virginia, about 300 miles from Atlantic City
Historic spring resort: Schooley's Mountain, from about 1800
Natural hot springs: None
We list: 4 places
Outdoor thermal pools: SoJo Spa Club, Edgewater

New Jersey spas

A huge Korean-style bathhouse across from Manhattan, two Atlantic City casino spas and a mountain resort in Sussex County.

Bathhouse
SoJo Spa Club
Edgewater
140,000 sq ft of pools, baths and saunas; outdoor thermal pools open year-round, facing Manhattan.
Roman baths
Qua Bath & Spa at Caesars
Atlantic City
Roman baths of three pools at different temperatures, included with any spa treatment.
Resort spa
Sea Spa at Tropicana
Atlantic City
A solarium with a Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, plus a seasonal heated outdoor pool.
Resort spa
Crystal Springs Resort
Hamburg
Two spas and the Minerals Hotel indoor pools in the mountains of Sussex County.

New Jersey spas on a map

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

Spring site Spa or bathhouse Heated pool

Seasons, costs and access in New Jersey

Best time to visit

SoJo is open 365 days a year, and its outdoor pools are open in winter. Atlantic City spas run year-round; Tropicana's outdoor pool is seasonal.

Prices and fees

SoJo charges for entry; Qua's Roman baths come with any spa treatment. A room at Hotel SoJo includes the spa.

How to get there

Edgewater is just across the Hudson from Manhattan. Atlantic City is on the southern shore; Hamburg is in Sussex County in the north-west. Schooley's Mountain is in western Morris County, near Long Valley.

Questions about soaking in New Jersey

Are SoJo Spa Club's outdoor pools open in winter?

Yes. SoJo Spa Club's outdoor thermal pools and baths are open year-round.

What are the Roman baths at Qua?

Three pools of different temperatures and sizes at Caesars in Atlantic City, included with any spa treatment.

Was Schooley's Mountain a hot spring?

No. It was a cold chalybeate (iron-rich) spring that supported a fashionable resort from about 1800 into the early 1900s.

Are there hot springs near New York City and Newark?

The nearest are in Bath County, Virginia, about 350 miles from Newark in a straight line, then Hot Springs, North Carolina, about 580 miles away.

Who stayed at Schooley's Mountain?

Its best-known guest was Joseph Bonaparte, the former king of Spain, in July 1820; the publicity filled the hotels.

Before you go

Bathhouse manners.

Shower before the poolsKorean-style spas expect a full shower before you enter any bath.
Plan a long visitSoJo covers 140,000 sq ft of pools, baths and saunas; allow half a day.
Look after your skinItchy red bumps after a soak can be hot tub rash; the CDC advises showering with soap straight after.

Pictures of places to soak in New Jersey

Photos of Qua Bath & Spa at Caesars and Sea Spa at Tropicana, 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.