Warm Springs - Things to Do
Nestled amongst the Alleghany Mountains, Bath County, Virginia, was settled in 1745 by Irish-Scotch pioneers. Warm Springs became the county seat in 1791, and early records from the 1800s show that approximately 6,000 visitors were coming to Bath County's springs annually. Soon, this county, which was named after the English resort city of Bath, became a very popular area for tourism. Although it may be popular, don't expect to see streets full of hotels and shopping; Bath County has preserved its low-key atmosphere, staying true to its natural beauty, and making use of its stunning countryside.
Today, many historical sites and buildings remain in the county for visitors to see. The Bath County Historical Society maintains a museum dedicated to preserving Bath County's history. The museum is located next to the courthouse in Warm Springs. Inside, all of the exhibits and artifacts have been donated by local citizens and include antique furnishings, saddles, farm tools and remnants of daily life, period clothing, photographs, documents, and more. The museum is a lovely building with hardwood floors inside and gleaming white walls amongst the various exhibit rooms. You will learn much more than you might expect from a small town museum! Some of the exhibits include a kitchen nook, displaying clothing, china, furniture, and silver flatware; a vignette room, displaying historic homes in the county; and a children's room, displaying an 1830s cradle and other furniture, clothing, and a historic quilt. The Historical Society also maintains a Research Center and Library, which is a wonderful resource for historians, genealogists, and anyone interested in history.
Galleries dominate the Warm Springs and Bath County shopping experience; among the number of galleries are: The William Grover Galleries, The J. Fenton Gallery/Quilts Unlimited, and the Warm Springs Gallery. For other shopping, visitors can stop into The Mustoe House Antiques and Gallery, which is an antique itself, as the oldest standing house in Bath County. Inside, shoppers will find small English and American antiques and garden items. The Shops at the Homestead offer a wide variety of treasures, including "The Hobby Horse," fine children's furnishings and clothing; "Classic Bath," lovely toiletries and spa lines; men's clothing stores; women's clothing stores; sporting and outdoors wear stores; "The Homestead Collection," classic home décor, and more.
One of the best things about visiting Warm Springs is the wide variety of outdoor activities and opportunities to be amongst such a naturally beautiful place. Lake Moomaw, in Hot Spring, is over 2,500 acres and is nearly completely surrounded by the beautiful George Washington National Forest. There are a number of campground sites around Lake Moomaw, some with concession stores, picnic areas, electrical hook-ups, and boat ramps.
The George Washington National Forest is made up of nearly 177,000 acres of public land. The forest used to be a home to Native Americans, and later served as a passage-way for pioneers. Inside the National Forest, visitors have endless opportunities for hiking, fishing, biking, camping, and getting up close with nature. Resources state that within the monstrous forest can be found over 40 species of trees, 55 species of mammals, and 200 species of birds. Of the 900 plus miles of hiking trails, 60 are along the infamous Appalachian Trail. The George Washington National Forest is truly an amazing piece of protected land in the United States.
There are a number of other public parks in Bath County, including Douthat State Park, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. It offers excellent camping sites (even full cabins), a 50 acre lake, and lots of beautiful scenery. Warm Spring Mountain Preserve includes thirteen miles of protected mountain ridgeline which is open for scheduled, guided hikes and more.
Of course, there is the namesake for Warm Springs and Hot Springs: the naturally occurring relaxing mineral baths. Native Americans considered the area sacred and imbued with healing properties. Visitors can go to the Jefferson Pools in Warm Springs to soak in original 18th and 19th century wooden bathhouses. The pools of water naturally bubble up from within the earth. Both the spa at the Homestead Resort and the Warm Spirit Spa tap into the mineral water and build specific spa treatments around them.
Warm Springs - Things to Do
Today, many historical sites and buildings remain in the county for visitors to see. The Bath County Historical Society maintains a museum dedicated to preserving Bath County's history. The museum is located next to the courthouse in Warm Springs. Inside, all of the exhibits and artifacts have been donated by local citizens and include antique furnishings, saddles, farm tools and remnants of daily life, period clothing, photographs, documents, and more. The museum is a lovely building with hardwood floors inside and gleaming white walls amongst the various exhibit rooms. You will learn much more than you might expect from a small town museum! Some of the exhibits include a kitchen nook, displaying clothing, china, furniture, and silver flatware; a vignette room, displaying historic homes in the county; and a children's room, displaying an 1830s cradle and other furniture, clothing, and a historic quilt. The Historical Society also maintains a Research Center and Library, which is a wonderful resource for historians, genealogists, and anyone interested in history.
Galleries dominate the Warm Springs and Bath County shopping experience; among the number of galleries are: The William Grover Galleries, The J. Fenton Gallery/Quilts Unlimited, and the Warm Springs Gallery. For other shopping, visitors can stop into The Mustoe House Antiques and Gallery, which is an antique itself, as the oldest standing house in Bath County. Inside, shoppers will find small English and American antiques and garden items. The Shops at the Homestead offer a wide variety of treasures, including "The Hobby Horse," fine children's furnishings and clothing; "Classic Bath," lovely toiletries and spa lines; men's clothing stores; women's clothing stores; sporting and outdoors wear stores; "The Homestead Collection," classic home décor, and more.
One of the best things about visiting Warm Springs is the wide variety of outdoor activities and opportunities to be amongst such a naturally beautiful place. Lake Moomaw, in Hot Spring, is over 2,500 acres and is nearly completely surrounded by the beautiful George Washington National Forest. There are a number of campground sites around Lake Moomaw, some with concession stores, picnic areas, electrical hook-ups, and boat ramps.
The George Washington National Forest is made up of nearly 177,000 acres of public land. The forest used to be a home to Native Americans, and later served as a passage-way for pioneers. Inside the National Forest, visitors have endless opportunities for hiking, fishing, biking, camping, and getting up close with nature. Resources state that within the monstrous forest can be found over 40 species of trees, 55 species of mammals, and 200 species of birds. Of the 900 plus miles of hiking trails, 60 are along the infamous Appalachian Trail. The George Washington National Forest is truly an amazing piece of protected land in the United States.
There are a number of other public parks in Bath County, including Douthat State Park, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. It offers excellent camping sites (even full cabins), a 50 acre lake, and lots of beautiful scenery. Warm Spring Mountain Preserve includes thirteen miles of protected mountain ridgeline which is open for scheduled, guided hikes and more.
Of course, there is the namesake for Warm Springs and Hot Springs: the naturally occurring relaxing mineral baths. Native Americans considered the area sacred and imbued with healing properties. Visitors can go to the Jefferson Pools in Warm Springs to soak in original 18th and 19th century wooden bathhouses. The pools of water naturally bubble up from within the earth. Both the spa at the Homestead Resort and the Warm Spirit Spa tap into the mineral water and build specific spa treatments around them.
Warm Springs - Things to Do
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