Entry No. 8 — the San Antonio file — filed under: soak
Camp Hot Wells (at Hot Wells Historic Park)
A 1900s Victorian bathhouse resort that piped in 104-degree sulfur water from the Edwards Aquifer, hosted Charlie Chaplin and Teddy Roosevelt, then burned twice and sat as riverside ruins for decades — Bexar County stabilized the ruins into a public park in 2019, and Camp Hot Wells now runs mineral soaking tubs and foot baths right inside the reinforced brick arches, since the original artesian well itself was capped in 2013.
The story
Around the turn of the 20th century, a lucky drill hit 104-degree sulfurous water piping up from the Edwards Aquifer, turning this South Side riverbank into an opulent Victorian health spa. Charlie Chaplin, Teddy Roosevelt, and wealthy travelers flocked here to sweat out their ailments in therapeutic sulfur baths. Then came the fires. The hotel burned down twice, eventually abandoning the riverside to decades of weeds, graffiti, and charred brick skeletons.
In 2013, officials capped the original artesian well, and Bexar County stepped in to stabilize the remaining brick arches into a public historic park in 2019. But the land didn't stay a dead monument. Camp Hot Wells set up shop right inside the reinforced ruins, installing outdoor mineral soaking tubs and foot baths where gilded-age elites once lounged. It is one of the stranger architectural resurrections in Texas: a functional spa embedded in a burnt-out resort frame.
What it's like
You arrive via Hot Wells Way or off the Mission Reach trail to find raw, stabilized brick arches standing quietly along the San Antonio River. Order a drink from the on-site bar, then settle into private cedar soaking tubs tucked directly into the historic masonry or dip your feet into a communal bath. It feels deliciously clandestine—sipping wine inside a 120-year-old ruin while trail cyclists pass by just beyond the brickwork.
The move: Wander the ruins at golden hour along the Mission Reach trail, then book side-by-side soaking tubs at Camp Hot Wells with a glass of wine from their bar before it closes at 10 or 11pm.
- 📍 South Side / Mission Reach
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoor or outdoor
Where: 5423 Hot Wells Way, San Antonio, TX 78214
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Hot Wells Hotel Ruins — Walk directly from your soaking tub into the surrounding county park grounds to inspect the rest of the stabilized 19th-century brickwork up close.
- Volundr Forge — Trade hot mineral baths for glowing forge fires by booking a blade-smithing workshop with 'Forged in Fire' champions just a mile up the road.
- Papa Jim's Botanica — Head five minutes northwest to browse 6,500 square feet of folk magic, spell kits, and herbal remedies.
- Confluence Park — Follow the Mission Reach trail north to cool off under a massive, biomimetic concrete canopy built right along the river confluence.
Good to know
Is the water still coming from the original hot spring?
No. The original artesian well piped from the Edwards Aquifer was capped in 2013, but Camp Hot Wells runs dedicated mineral soaking tubs and foot baths within the stabilized ruin grounds.
Can you buy drinks on-site?
Yes, Camp Hot Wells operates an on-site bar serving wine and beer that you can bring to your soaking tub or sip while wandering the ruin park.
How do you access the site?
It sits at 5423 Hot Wells Way on San Antonio's South Side, directly adjacent to the Mission Reach section of the San Antonio River Walk.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · bexar.org · Wikipedia · edwardsaquifer.net · sweptawaytoday.com
last checked: 2026-07-20