Old Sweet Spring

Greenbrier County, West Virginia · Near White Sulphur Springs
37.6300°N, 80.2400°W · 2,010 ft
73°F 55°F air · Good soaking weather 2,010 ft Roadside Camping nearby (2.3 mi)

Old Sweet Spring is the spring behind Sweet Springs Resort, a spa founded in 1792 in Sweet Springs, West Virginia, and on record in Greenbrier County, about twelve miles from White Sulphur Springs. Wikipedia describes a hot spring. The temperature on record is in the low seventies. The resort buildings are being renovated by a nonprofit foundation. Nothing is recorded on who owns the spring itself or who may visit.

Location
0 miles from White Sulphur Springs, WV

Jefferson Lane runs within two hundred feet. At two thousand feet, where the record shows forty-some inches of precipitation along with a couple of feet of snow. The ground belongs to a resort property under renovation, per Wikipedia, though the record itself lists no owner.

Steel Bridge Campground is a couple of miles off. Winter months are on file as best, and snow is light. Tepid water, no burn risk. Because the resort is mid-renovation, it is unclear if the spring can be visited; ask the Sweet Springs Resort Park Foundation.

History of Old Sweet Spring

Sweet Springs Resort was founded in 1792 and was once known as Old Sweet Springs, the name that survives in this record. The hotel is being restored by the nonprofit Sweet Springs Resort Park Foundation. USGS keeps a site number for the spring.

Then & Now

The brick bathing house at Old Sweet Springs, a spa that opened in 1833. A federal building survey photographed it standing in a mown lawn in 1933. By 2015 the roof was gone and the brush had moved in.

Old Sweet Spring in 1933 Old Sweet Spring in 2015
1933 2015

Drag to compare.

1933: Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress, public domain. 2015: Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress, public domain.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Old Sweet Spring.

Aerial view of the ground around Old Sweet Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Old Sweet Spring
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Setting
Gentle slope
The ground tilts gently up to the southeast.
Highest ground nearby
122 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the southeast
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
70 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 5% of the springs on this site.

Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
32°
Jan
37°
Feb
43°
Mar
53°
Apr
62°
May
69°
Jun
73°
Jul
71°
Aug
66°
Sep
56°
Oct
43°
Nov
39°
Dec
Annual Precip: 44.2 in Annual Snow: 25.8 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 32°F · Water 73°F · +41° contrast
February Air 37°F · Water 73°F · +36° contrast
December Air 39°F · Water 73°F · +35° contrast
January offers 41°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
55°F
N 12.1 mph 100% Good soaking weather
Today 79° Low 54° Mostly Sunny
Wednesday 86° Low 60° Patchy Fog then Sunny
Thursday 87° Low 63° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 30% precip
Friday 86° Low 62° Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 62% precip
Saturday 79° Low 62° Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 27% precip
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Steel Bridge Campground 2.3 mi away

Overview Steel Bridge Group Campground provides old-fashioned, rustic group camping for those that require few amenities. There are three well shaded camping sites for available for small group camping. Recreation Steel Bridge Group Camping provides old-fashioned, rustic group and family camping. Visitors enjoy splashing in the cool water of Potts Creek that edges the campground. Potts Creek is a stocked trout stream and has a small swimming hole as well as many rock ledges and small falls...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
73°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 73°F (23°C)
Avg Air Temp 54°F
Above Ambient +19°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Roadside
Nearest Road Jefferson Lane
Distance to Road 195 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Old Sweet Spring?
Old Sweet Spring has a water temperature of 73°F (23°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Old Sweet Spring located?
Old Sweet Spring is located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia at 2,010 feet elevation, near White Sulphur Springs. Coordinates: 37.6300°N, 80.2400°W.
How do I get to Old Sweet Spring?
Old Sweet Spring has Roadside road access, with the nearest road being Jefferson Lane (195 ft from the road).
Can I camp near Old Sweet Spring?
Yes, Steel Bridge Campground is located nearby (2.3 miles away).
Sources: USGS NWIS, Wikipedia