Berkeley Springs State Park

State: West Virginia. Type: state park in Morgan County, 7 acres, elevation 617 feet, established July 1, 1970. Address: 2 S. Washington St., Berkeley Springs, WV 25411. Home to the only state-run spa in the United States and the 1815 Roman Bathhouse, listed as the oldest public building in Berkeley Springs. Spring water flows at a constant 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

Berkeley Springs State Park preserves a small but historically significant mineral springs site in Morgan County that has functioned as a health resort since the 1750s, when the land belonged to Lord Fairfax. George Washington first visited the springs as a 16-year-old in March 1748, and the town that grew up around the site, originally called Bath, was formally incorporated in 1776. Five major springs converge here, producing water at a constant 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit and a flow of 750 to 2,000 gallons per minute, which serves both the park's public bathhouses and the town's municipal water supply. The centerpiece is the Roman Bathhouse, built in 1815 in the Federal style and now the oldest public building in Berkeley Springs; it replaced an earlier 1784 bathhouse built with five bathing chambers, reportedly by James Rumsey. The park itself is compact at just 7 acres and was formally established as a state park on July 1, 1970, and it remains, per its own description, the only state-run spa in the United States.

Berkeley Springs State Park is located at 2 S. Washington St., Berkeley Springs, WV 25411, in Morgan County in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. The park sits at 617 feet elevation and covers 7 acres in the heart of the small town of Berkeley Springs, originally chartered as the town of Bath in 1776.

Morgan County has a humid continental climate with cold winters and warm, humid summers typical of the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. The park's mineral springs themselves maintain a constant 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit year-round regardless of surface air temperature, a point of consistency that has drawn bathers for over two and a half centuries.

Because the park's main draw, its mineral spring water, stays a constant 74.3 degrees year-round, Berkeley Springs can be visited comfortably in any season; specific bathhouse hours and any seasonal spa scheduling should be confirmed directly with the park. The park's general operating hours were listed as 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. as of research.

The springs have functioned as a health resort since the 1750s, when the land belonged to Lord Fairfax. A 16-year-old George Washington made his first documented visit to the spa on March 18, 1748. Virginia granted the land in 1776, the same year the town of Bath (later renamed Berkeley Springs) was formally incorporated. An early bathhouse with five bathing chambers, built in 1784 and attributed to James Rumsey, was eventually replaced by the current Roman Bathhouse, constructed in 1815 in the Federal architectural style and now recognized as the oldest public building in Berkeley Springs. The park itself was officially established on July 1, 1970, and is managed by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Beginning January 1, 2019, the historic Roman Bathhouse underwent a major renovation with a roughly $1-million budget addressing accessibility, fixtures and mechanical systems.

Visitors can bathe in the mineral spring water, which flows at a constant 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit, at what the park describes as the only state-run spa in the United States. Touring the historic 1815 Roman Bathhouse, the oldest public building in town, is a key activity for those interested in the site's history. The compact 7-acre park and surrounding small town of Berkeley Springs, itself built around the springs, invite a leisurely walking visit.

The Roman Bathhouse (built 1815, Federal-style, renovated starting January 1, 2019) is the park's centerpiece and the oldest public building in Berkeley Springs. The five converging mineral springs themselves, source of the park's constant 74.3-degree water, are the underlying attraction. The small town of Berkeley Springs, built up around the springs since colonial times, offers additional historic character just outside the park's 7 acres.

Berkeley Springs sits in Morgan County in West Virginia's eastern panhandle; the park is at 2 S. Washington St. in the center of town. Most visitors arrive by car, as the town does not have a major commercial airport of its own; Washington Dulles International Airport and other Washington, D.C.-area airports are the nearest large airports, with a drive of roughly two hours depending on route and traffic (not independently verified from an official source for this report).

As of research, the park's general hours were 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Specific bathhouse/spa treatment hours were not detailed in the source fetched; confirm current spa hours and any appointment requirements directly with wvstateparks.com or the park office.

Specific bathhouse or mineral bath fees were not found in the official source content reviewed for this report; the park itself does not appear to charge a general entry fee for the grounds. Confirm current spa treatment pricing directly with the park at 304-258-2711 or via wvstateparks.com before visiting.

A visit to view the Roman Bathhouse and stroll the small park grounds can take under an hour; adding a mineral bath or spa treatment, where available, extends a visit to a couple of hours or more.

Berkeley Springs, a small town built around the park, offers a range of lodging including historic inns reflecting the town's long history as a spa destination, alongside smaller bed-and-breakfast-style properties. Specific property names were not verified from official sources for this report.

The town of Berkeley Springs has a small but established dining scene reflecting its history as a spa and tourism town, with casual and sit-down options within walking distance of the park. Specific restaurant names were not confirmed from official sources for this report.

Cacapon Resort State Park, a larger West Virginia state park, lies within the same general Morgan County area and is a common pairing for visitors to the region. The small historic town of Berkeley Springs itself, with its shops and inns built up around the springs, is worth exploring beyond the park's 7 acres.

There is no major commercial airport in Berkeley Springs itself; the nearest larger airports are in the Washington, D.C., and Hagerstown, MD areas, requiring roughly a one-to-two-hour drive depending on the specific airport and route (approximate, not independently verified for this report). A personal or rental car is the practical way to reach and explore the town.

As a compact, walkable town park with a working historic bathhouse, general common-sense precautions apply: follow any posted bathhouse safety or hygiene guidance for mineral bath use, and be mindful of wet surfaces around the spring and bathhouse areas. For any emergency, dial 911.

A swimsuit and towel if planning to use the mineral baths, and comfortable walking shoes for exploring the small park and adjoining historic town. A light jacket may be useful given the eastern panhandle's variable weather outside the constant-temperature spring water itself.

Confirm current bathhouse/spa hours and any appointment requirements ahead of a visit, since specific treatment scheduling was not detailed in the sources reviewed for this report. Pairing a stop at the park with a walk through the historic town of Berkeley Springs, and possibly a visit to nearby Cacapon Resort State Park, makes for a fuller day trip.

Dial 911 for any emergency. The park office can be reached at 304-258-2711, per its official listing.

Berkeley Springs State Park (WV State Parks) - https://wvstateparks.com/park/berkeley-springs-state-park/

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.