Nordic Sauna and Cold Plunge Forest Retreat in the Ozarks

Forest Springs Resort takes the Scandinavian habit of sauna followed by cold plunge and puts it in an Ozark forest. The sauna is glass-walled, so you watch the trees while you sweat. The cold plunge sits on a forest deck and is ready when you are. Both are open throughout your stay, included in the price, and need no booking.

The rest of the day is yours. Ten acres of private forest have trails running from the property, and there is an outdoor pool with a forest view. A wellness bar serves adaptogenic elixirs and functional beverages. Red light therapy is available on site. The design of the place is deliberate: lighting, materials and layout are all arranged around rest rather than around a lobby or a bar.

Eureka Springs has been a healing destination for over a century, named for the springs that drew wellness seekers here long before the resort existed. The town is five minutes away, so you can drive in for dinner or a walk around the Victorian streets and be back in the forest the same evening.

Most guests drive in. Dallas is about 5.5 hours north, Tulsa about two hours east, Kansas City roughly 3.5 to 4 hours south via US-71 and I-49, Oklahoma City about four hours east, and Bentonville about 50 minutes west. The Ozarks give you quiet, clean air and dark skies without the crowds or the price tag of a coastal wellness resort.

The resort suits couples on two- to three-night escapes, solo travellers who want a small property rather than a large hotel, and anyone travelling with a dog. It is a place for people who already know they like heat and cold contrast, or who want to try it somewhere quiet.

What's included

- Stay at a boutique 10-acre forest resort in Eureka Springs, Arkansas - Access to the glass-walled Nordic sauna throughout your stay - Access to the cold plunge on the forest deck - No appointment or upcharge for the sauna and cold plunge - Outdoor forest-view pool - Forest trails across 10+ private wooded acres - Red light therapy - Wellness bar with adaptogenic elixirs and functional beverages - Dogs welcome at no extra charge (up to two per room)

What's not included

- Meals - Flights and transport to Eureka Springs - Travel insurance - $250 refundable dog deposit - Personal expenses - Spa treatments