jefferson pools

I drive 3 hours each way just to have an hour in these amazing waters. I usually bring a picnic and sit in the gazebo. The staff is pleasant and quiet.. Not to be missed!

no working bathrooms not accessible to people with disabilities there's no real path I just sort of a mud trail. No parking. And on family time there's a ton of kids using it basically as a pool not relaxing at all. Water is warm but just like bathwater. One of the pools with closed while were there. So the men and women shared it was very crowded and we had to share dressing rooms where we had to put our stuff there are no lockers so leave your valuables in the car. The dressing room curtains don't completely cover the door so people can definitely peek in. The wood platform that you walk on is falling apart so just watch your feet for nails and broken pieces of wood. I'm from Virginia and this is an absolute shame to our state. As much as they charge they should take some pride and fixing it but there just milking as much as I can out of the Tourist. Skip it don't even come.

Overall mostly negative experience. Poor parking, muddy walkways covered with dirty towels, snow melt dripping on pathways, run down facilities, nominally friendly personnel, disgusting toilet facilities, no coat racks to hang your clothes on while bathing. All while being overpriced at $17.00 per person.On the positive side, somewhat relaxing though tepid water temperature.

A 200 year old barn is definitely a charm if it is maintained to keep the the old beauty preserved while providing modern days comfort. Having properly working toilets is a health issue that should be addressed. While it's completely understandable that rebuilding the barn would probably take its charm, keeping it it perfect standing conditions is a safety must. One can't enjoy a relaxed soaked while worrying if the roof might not fall over you. In Winter time, it would be great to have some heaters in the changing room so one doesn't have to rush up getting dressed in order to not get a cold after a warm soak.Please do something about these issues and this will indeed be the magical place many post about.

I cannot even believe that something like this really exists in a so called developed country as the US. I haven’t seen something that run down and disgusting in my life. The place looks like nothing has been done since they opened it 200years ago. The wood is broken, it’s dirty, they toilet didn´t work and was full of feces, it smelled all over the place, the roof was broken and it rained inside. You could see the holes in the glass roof, what looked dangerous to me, since more could fall down. And the most unbelievable thing is to charge USD$17 for it. I guess there is no functional consumer protection and safety controls in this country.

We'd consider making the 5 hour drive, one way, just to dip in this pool for an hour. Then driving all the way back home the same day. That should say it all.

If you are looking for a five star spa experience and some pampering, this is probably not the mineral soak for you. But if you want a fun experience and a lovely soak in hot springs, this is a wonderful place for a visit.As many reviews explain, the building is definitely in need of some repairs. Indeed, it appears that the women's spa has not been updated since Jefferson visited. But, for me, that is what added to the charm of the experience. I was there on Valentine's Day at the outset of a weekend snow storm. The women's pool was the only building open (serving as a co-ed pool). There were lots of couples at the pool, but it did not feel crowded. Instead, due to the relative quiet in the pool, it felt like an intimate experience, and one I would definitely go for again.

Is the building really old and in need of some love.... Yes, but take into consideration how old the building is. The water is wonderfully clear and so nice to soak in. The staff friendly and helpful. I read other reviews of people compaining about the state of the building and how only one of the buildings were open. For $17 each... Oh My Goodness, Heaven! Just really cold when you get out and it is snowing outside so you have to move quickly when you get out. ;)

I have been coming to these baths for over 20 years and it has always been a magical visit. I really don't understand why people on this tripadvisor site are disappointed in them being dilapidated and "needing a renovation." Their 200 year old, historic round barn-like structures are their charm and what makes them unique. Why would anyone want to "quiche" them up by making them look like a new, polished suburban gym?

For the fee we were disappointed by the lack of restrooms on the site and the state of disrepair that the building is in. That being said, the mineral waters are clear and warm and it was relaxing to quietly float around on pool noodles for an hour. Overall, being in the water itself was excellent but navigating the poorly maintained building was less then desirable.

We visited the women's pool when it was the only pool open. The ticket seller told us that the toilets weren't open either; the water had been shut off. She said that there were no showers because leaving the mineral water was thought to be beneficial to your skin. The physical setup of the women's pool is a that you enter through a curtained entrance into the pool area. The attendant at the entrance supplies a towel. The pool is surrounded by a wooden boardwalk. Individual curtained dressing rooms circle the boardwalk. You can see the room you chose from the pool. Everyone used noodles to float, mostly as couples. I found that I could float comfortably on my back without any floatation device. I think the mineral water supplies extra buoyancy. It's a delightful experience. The water is 99.7 degrees, and bubbles float up from the rocky bottom. When we exited, we found that our towels were wet from the extreme humidity and condensation. We'd recommend either keeping the towel in a closed plastic bag or getting the towel after soaking in the pool.

Soaking in the water is nice, but only the womens bath was open for coed use. They claimed it was because they were doing work on the mens bath, but I suspect that they just keep one open to save money on staffing on the winter. The baths clearly show lack of maintenance. I have been several times in the past year and the condition of the buildings just get worse every time. All of the hooks have fallen (rotted) off the changing room walls. Neither bathroom was functioning, which was gross and disturbing. The cheap shower curtain doors don't cover the entire door openings. They did get new pool noodles since July. They were in desperate need of replacement.

The history is impressive and the buildings look like they have been there since the dawn of this country. Just two simple wooden structures and a hot pool of water that is a must do if you are in the area. We did it on a 25 degree day and its a bit rough getting out of the water to dress but its something one can say I have been there and done that. The water does make you feel better after 30 minutes soaking.

When you pull up to the dilapidated pool buildings, you're going to wonder why anyone told you to go, but it truly is a wonderful experience. The water is breathtakingly clean, and you can see the bubbles rising up. I've only been in the women's pool, but my understanding is they are basically identical but the men's pool is a few degrees cooler. If you've been in the octagon pool at The Homestead spa and noticed the debris in the water, this is not like that at all. It is 1000% clear. Don't let the changing rooms scare you-just tell yourself it's a once in a lifetime experience.

After wanting to visit one of the old mineral baths for a number of years, I decided to include a soak at Jefferson Pools during a weekend trip to the area. I paid $17 for an hour of soak time. I came during the co-ed hours and split my time between the men's and women's facilities. Both are similar, with the men's being 6'8" deep and women's 4'10" deep.I enjoyed the soak and water, which was warm and clear. The facilities were awful, though. The buildings were unheated and lacked adequate changing areas, in part because several spaces were taped off as unsafe to enter. Peeling paint was everywhere and things like coat hooks had rotted away. I had to walk across gravel and through mud and mulch when going between buildings.I'm not sure what The Homestead is doing with the money they're making from Jefferson Pools because it definitely isn't being reinvested into the facilities. From the looks of things, it wouldn't surprise me if the buildings collapse in on themselves at some point. These historic buildings deserve a better fate than to be allowed to rot away. A full restoration and construction of appropriate sidewalk and restroom facilities is in order.