US-220 at VA-39
Warm Springs, VA 24484
U.S.A.

telephone (540) 839-7741

WEBSITE (click "Spa at The Homestead" then "Jefferson Pools")

GPS: 38.0538, -79.7806

The Jefferson Pools consists of two indoor warm pools fed by natural springs. The pools have a long history. The original bathhouse, which is now the men's bathhouse, was built in 1761 and is reported to be the oldest spa structure in the United States. Thomas Jefferson, among other notable American icons, soaked in the waters here. The women's bathhouse next door was built in 1836. Originally called the Warm Springs Pools, the name was changed to the Jefferson Pools in 1996 by The Homestead, the huge and historic resort that now owns the bathhouses. The Jefferson Pools are located 5 miles north of The Homestead's main building in Hot Springs.

Men have always "taken the waters" naked, while women have historically been more modest. These days, swimsuits are optional at both bathhouses, which remain segregated by gender. (The exception is during designated family soaking times, when swimsuits are required.) The pools are open seasonally, generally from April to October (sometimes later) from 10:00 am through 6:00 pm. Except during family hours, soaking is restricted to adults (18+), and the price is $17 per hour.