Hot Springs, VA

Hot Springs is a Bath County census-designated place on U.S. Route 220, about five miles southwest of Warm Springs. The springs brought travelers into this part of the Allegheny Mountains by the eighteenth century, and the water still shapes the town’s reputation. The Omni Homestead Resort grew from that tradition—the first hotel on its site dates to 1766—and remains the area’s most recognizable institution, with its historic buildings, spa, and long-running resort program.

The landscape around Hot Springs keeps the outdoors close at hand. The Jackson River Scenic Trail follows an old railroad bed for sixteen miles beside the Jackson River, giving cyclists, walkers, and runners a flat route through Bath County’s valleys and farm country. U.S. 220 provides the main road connection, while the resort, nearby pools, local shops, and seasonal events bring visitors into the small community. Hot Springs works on two time scales at once: the springs and railroad history reach back centuries, while the trail and resort calendar give the place an active present-day routine.