Quick FactsOverview
About Hot Wells of Bexar County
Hot Wells of Bexar County, Texas is a free public county park at 5503 S Presa Street in San Antonio, preserving the ruins of the Hot Wells Hotel and Spa, a celebrated mineral spring resort that operated from the 1890s through the early twentieth century. The artesian well drew 104-degree sulfurous water from the Edwards Aquifer and was the basis for the therapeutic baths that made Hot Wells famous. The well was capped in 2013, and no soaking is available at the park. The site opened to the public in 2019 as a historical park and is free to enter year-round.
The spring was first accessed in 1892 and developed by local brewer Otto Koehler into a resort with over 190 rooms, attracting visitors including Will Rogers, Charlie Chaplin, and Theodore Roosevelt. The resort declined through Prohibition, the hotel burned in 1925, and a nightclub operated in the surviving bathhouse until 1977. Bexar County acquired the ruins in 2015, invested in stabilisation and restoration, and opened the park. The ruins sit on the Mission Reach trail along the San Antonio River, connecting the park to the nearby San Antonio Missions, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Location & Access
Getting to Hot Wells of Bexar County
Hot Wells of Bexar County is located at 5503 S Presa Street in the Harlandale neighbourhood of south San Antonio, approximately 5 miles south of downtown. The park is straightforwardly accessible by car via South Presa Street (State Highway 122), with parking available on site. The VIA Metropolitan Transit bus system serves South Presa Street, making the park reachable without a car from central San Antonio. The site also sits directly on the Mission Reach Hike and Bike Trail along the San Antonio River, and can be reached by bicycle or on foot along the trail from downtown.
The park is open year-round. Summer hours are 9am to 9pm and winter hours are 9am to 6pm, with the park closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Entry is free. For visitors making the San Antonio Missions trail, Hot Wells is well positioned as a stop on the route, as it sits on the same river trail that connects the four Spanish colonial missions to the south. For those seeking hot springs near San Antonio that involve actual soaking, Camp Hot Wells, a separate private business adjacent to the park at 5423 Hot Wells Way, opened in 2023 and offers paid access to sulfur spring-fed soaking suites.
Suitability & Accessibility
Suitability and Accessibility of Hot Wells of Bexar County
Hot Wells of Bexar County suits visitors interested in Texas history, urban trails, and heritage sites, as the park presents the preserved ruins of one of the most famous mineral spring resorts in early twentieth-century Texas alongside interpretive signage describing its history. The park does not offer any soaking or water access, as the artesian well was capped in 2013. Visitors who arrive expecting to soak will find a historical park, not an active hot springs facility.
The park is free, open year-round, and accessible by car, bus, bicycle, and on foot via the Mission Reach trail. Restrooms and parking are available on site. The terrain around the ruins is relatively flat and the main paths are paved, making the site accessible to most visitors. There is limited shade at the site and benches are available but seating is sparse, so visitors doing a longer visit in warm weather should bring water and sun protection.
Families with children are welcome. The park has a playground on site. Dogs on a lead are permitted. For those specifically seeking a soaking experience in San Antonio related to the Hot Wells history, the adjacent Camp Hot Wells at 5423 Hot Wells Way is the only option in the immediate area. Camp Hot Wells is a separate paid private business that draws from a sulfur spring and offers two soaking suites. For broader hot springs in Texas, Balmorhea State Park approximately 200 miles west of San Antonio is the nearest established public soaking facility.
Safety & Etiquette
Hot Wells of Bexar County Safety Tips
Hot Wells of Bexar County is generally safe for all visitors as a public county park, and no water hazards or thermal risks are present because the artesian well has been capped. The main practical considerations are sun exposure and heat during San Antonio summers, as the ruins area has limited natural shade and temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit from June through September. Bringing water and sun protection is advisable for any visit during warm months.
The San Antonio River runs adjacent to the park along the Mission Reach trail. The river is accessible from the trail but swimming is not permitted at this section of the river. Visitors should stay on marked paths and not attempt to access the river bank directly from the ruins area. Children should be supervised near the river section of the trail.
The ruins of the historic bathhouse and hotel are stabilised and open to the public, but visitors should respect any fencing or barriers that may be placed around specific structural elements. The grounds are maintained by Bexar County. The park is a popular trail stop and is generally busy during daylight hours, which contributes to a safe visitor environment.
For those visiting adjacent Camp Hot Wells for soaking, that is a separate private business with its own entry, pricing, and policies. The sulfur spring water at Camp Hot Wells is warm and mildly sulfurous in odour, which is normal for Edwards Aquifer mineral water in this area. Standard precautions for warm water soaking apply, including staying hydrated and limiting session length in hot weather.
