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Hot Springs By Nancy and Richard Woodworth Since
the days of Washington and Jefferson, the warm medicinal springs that
emanate from the valleys of the Allegheny Highlands have lured the
nation’s elite. Their curative powers and social importance are
legendary, having spawned two of America’s world-class resorts, The
Homestead at Hot Springs and The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs,
W.Va. This
remarkably scenic area tucked between mountain ridges along the
Virginia-West Virginia border offers much for today’s visitor. You can
soak in the “baths” in the same structures that Thomas Jefferson and
Mrs. Robert E. Lee did. You can revel in contemporary spa treatments
that would do California proud. You can play golf on some of the
world’s most challenging and scenic courses. You can partake of the
good life at the Homestead and the Greenbrier. You
also can bask in one of the most picturesque, unspoiled regions we know.
Verdant mountains, idyllic valleys, back-roads hamlets, untrafficked
byways and an exhilarating climate are the draws. Ninety percent of Bath
County – so named because its warm waters reminded the earliest
settlers of those in Bath, England – is forested. And half of that is
part of the George Washington National Forest. The entire county has
neither an incorporated town nor a traffic light. About the only signs
of commercialism – and they’re a lovely, colorful touch – are the
trademark wildlife mailboxes donated to every Bath County homeowner by
the local Bacova Guild factory. What
this area offers are endless tranquility and rural pleasures, from walks
to waterfalls. Its mountain air yields cool, restorative summer days and
nights, as well as long springtimes and spectacular autumns (the fall
foliage outshines even the showy redbud and dogwood that light up the
hillsides in spring). Small inns and B&Bs contrast nicely in scale
and price with the grand resorts, and their guests can take advantage of
Homestead and Greenbrier facilities. Even
those ensconced at one of the resorts (and paying dearly for the
privilege) should get out and about to enjoy fully a region of uncommon
beauty. If you’re staying at the Homestead, visit the Greenbrier for
lunch, or vice-versa. Stay at one of the smaller inns or B&Bs and
the money you save will allow you to do both. Some
people do energetic things, like hiking, fishing and golfing. Others
never get beyond the front veranda or backyard hammock.
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