PRIVATE RETREAT · WEED / MOUNT SHASTA, CA

Stewart Mineral Springs: Closed After 147 Years — What Happened & Is It for Sale?

Stewart Mineral Springs — the rustic clothing-optional bathhouse in the mountains near Weed, California — closed to the public in June 2023 and now operates as the private Pneuma Retreat Center.

Permanently Closed to the Public

No — Stewart Mineral Springs has been closed to the public since June 2023, ending a 147-year bathing tradition. The property is now the Pneuma Retreat Center, which hosts private group retreats only — no public mineral baths, no day passes. Despite persistent rumors, there is no confirmed “for sale” listing.

Current Status at a Glance

Stewart Mineral Springs sits in the mountains near Weed, California — close to the Oregon line — on land that is sacred to the Karuk Tribe. The current operation is described on Pneuma Retreat Center's own site; the closure and sale history is documented by the Stewart Springs watchdog site and past coverage in the Los Angeles Times and New York Times.

Current use	Pneuma Retreat Center — private group retreats only
Public bathing	None — ended June 2023 after 147 years of operation
Ownership	Pneuma-affiliated buyers, since a $2.6 million sale on January 19, 2016
"For sale" status	No confirmed listing — a May 2024 courthouse records check shows Pneuma still owns the property
The water	Real geothermal mineral water — drawn from a well and mechanically heated to bathing temperature
Land significance	Sacred Karuk land; site of an 1870s massacre of Karuk people

For historical site details, see our directory record for Stewart Mineral Springs. It also appears on our closed & privatized hot springs list.

147 Years, a Massacre, a Sweat Lodge & a Sale: The Timeline

Stewart didn't fail — it was transformed. The closure is the end point of a sale that happened seven years earlier, on land with a much older and heavier history than the bathhouse era.

1870s: The site is the scene of a massacre of Karuk people. The land remains sacred to the Karuk Tribe — a fact that shapes every later chapter of the springs' story.
Bathhouse era (147 years): Stewart operates as a mineral springs resort — real geothermal mineral water drawn from a well and heated to bathing temperature, in a famously rustic, clothing-optional setting.
~45 years of sweat lodge ceremony: Karuk spiritual leader Charlie Thom runs a weekly sweat lodge on the land — continuing until he is kicked off the property in 2017.
January 19, 2016: The property sells for $2.6 million to buyers affiliated with Pneuma.
November 2016: The new ownership bans clothing-optional bathing — ending a signature of the old Stewart.
2017: Charlie Thom is removed from the land; the ~45-year weekly sweat lodge tradition ends.
June 2023: Stewart Mineral Springs closes to the public entirely and becomes the Pneuma Retreat Center — group retreats only, no mineral baths.
May 2024: A courthouse records check confirms Pneuma still owns the property. No confirmed sale listing exists, despite recurring online rumors.

Can You Visit Stewart Mineral Springs?

Only through the front door, and only as a retreat guest. The Pneuma Retreat Center hosts pre-booked group retreats; there are no public mineral baths, no day passes, and no drop-in soaking. The property is private land — arriving without a retreat booking is trespassing, on land that is sacred to the Karuk Tribe besides.

Read the watchdog site — with contextThe deepest documentation of what happened at Stewart lives at stewartsprings.org, a watchdog site maintained by people devoted to the old springs. It's remarkably detailed — and openly hostile to the current owners. Read it as passionate advocacy, not a neutral record, and weigh it against Pneuma's own account.

About those “Stewart Mineral Springs for sale” rumorsThey keep circulating because former patrons hope the springs could come back. But as of the most recent records check (May 2024), Pneuma still owns the property and no confirmed listing exists. If a genuine listing ever appears, it will show up in county records — not in forum threads.

Open Mineral Springs & Retreat Alternatives

Stewart sat almost on the California–Oregon line, so your best substitutes span both states. These verified listings are open:

Harbin Hot Springs Northern California’s storied soaking retreat — the closest spiritual successor to old Stewart’s bathhouse culture.

Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat Oregon’s retreat-style hot springs — managed pools, overnight stays, and a similar soak-and-stay model.

Terwilliger (Cougar) Hot Springs Cascades soaking in Oregon — tiered natural pools with paid day access.

Umpqua Hot Springs Southern Oregon’s famous tubs — a paid, rustic soak within reach of the state line.

Browse every verified listing in our California and Oregon hot springs directories.

Where to Stay Near Stewart Mineral Springs

Weed, California — at the foot of Mount Shasta — is the nearest town and the practical base for the area, whether you're attending a Pneuma retreat or road-tripping to the open springs above.

Search Weed, CA Lodging

Get Status Alerts for Stewart Mineral Springs

A genuine sale listing, a change in Pneuma's public-access policy, or any return of the baths — we'll email you if Stewart's status changes.

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Stewart Mineral Springs FAQ

Is Stewart Mineral Springs still open?

No. Stewart Mineral Springs permanently closed to the public in June 2023, ending 147 years of mineral bathing. The property near Weed, California now operates as the Pneuma Retreat Center, which hosts private group retreats only — there are no public mineral baths.

Is Stewart Mineral Springs for sale?

Not that anyone can confirm. "For sale" chatter is hope and rumor — a May 2024 courthouse records check shows Pneuma-affiliated owners still hold the property, and no confirmed listing exists.

What is Pneuma Retreat Center?

Pneuma Retreat Center is the private retreat organization now operating on the former Stewart Mineral Springs property. Pneuma-affiliated buyers purchased the springs for $2.6 million on January 19, 2016. It runs booked group retreats — no day visits, no drop-in bathing.

Can you visit the Stewart Mineral Springs land?

Only as part of a booked Pneuma group retreat. There is no day-use access and no public bathing. The land is also sacred to the Karuk Tribe and the site of an 1870s massacre — it is private property, and showing up uninvited is trespassing.

What happened to the Stewart Mineral Springs bathhouse?

The bathhouse era ended with the June 2023 closure. The facilities were absorbed into the private Pneuma Retreat Center operation, and the public mineral-bathing tradition that ran for 147 years is over.

Was the mineral water at Stewart Springs real?

Yes — it was genuine geothermal mineral water drawn from a well on the property and mechanically heated to bathing temperature. Real mineral water, heated to a bather-friendly temp.

Last verified: September 20, 2026

Sources

StewartSprings.org (watchdog site — deeply documented but openly critical of current ownership; read as advocacy)
Pneuma Retreat Center (current operator — group retreats only)
Los Angeles Times (2006 feature on Stewart Mineral Springs)
The New York Times (2002 coverage of the springs and sweat lodge)

Ownership and access policies can change. Confirm retreat bookings directly with Pneuma; treat “for sale” claims as unverified until a listing appears in county records.