Iowa has no naturally occurring hot springs. The state's Paleozoic sedimentary bedrock and thick glacial-drift cover do not host active geothermal circulation. A handful of 19th-century "mineral springs" resorts operated at Colfax and Okoboji, but these tapped cool mineral groundwater rather than geothermal hot water and none function as public soaking facilities today. Travelers searching for hot springs in Iowa, hot springs near Des Moines, or hot springs near Cedar Rapids will find no in-state options. The closest genuine hot springs are Hot Springs, South Dakota (Evans Plunge, warm mineral pool at ~87°F, approximately 8.5 hours by car) and Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas (approximately 9 hours by car). Reviewed and updated June 2026. See our Midwest and Plains regional map for the nearest genuine hot and warm springs.
