In the heart of Hudson, a novel wellness experience is gaining steam among locals. With its two wood-fired, mobile saunas sitting atop six-foot by 12-foot utility trailers, Big Towel Spa breaks the classic American spa mold, offering a distinct, accessible sauna experience that people in Hudson are obsessed with.
Currently stationed at Hudson’s recreational lakefront, Oakdale Beach, for the fall and winter season, Big Towel Spa aims to make the sauna experience widely adapted and accessible to all. As their fires warm the frigid winter air, the community comes together to embrace an ancient approach to well-being.
“I visit Oakdale almost every day,” says Kelly Crimmins, a Hudson resident and the visionary behind Big Towel Spa, who is seeking to make the sauna experience accessible both in terms of price and location. Just a five-minute walk from Warren Street, the 14-acre Oakdale Park is a public space that is home to a five-acre spring-fed lake, a small sand beach, trails and recreation areas. And most recently, two saunas that serve as public portals to wellness. “I feel extremely excited about bringing the sauna practice here,” Crimmins says. “I hope it helps people’s overall wellness through the winter months.”
Sweating Together, Building Community
Big Towel Spa is actively committed to community access, offering $25 public sauna sessions every Monday. “It shouldn’t be fancy, because it’s not fancy in other parts of the world,” says Crimmins. “Public bathing is so common in other cultures.”
To ensure that no one is turned away for lack of funds, Crimmins has established the Community Sweat Fund. A combination of private donations, crowdfunding, and fundraising events, finances the fund that is available to anyone who expresses need through Big Towel Spa’s website. Everyone, regardless of their financial situation, can experience the benefits of a sauna practice.
Although all attendees wear bathing suits, Big Towel Spa also offers private sessions for people who prefer a more secluded experience. Private sauna sessions are available Friday through Sunday, run for an hour and 45 minutes, and cost $140 for up to six people. Featuring buckets of water and an outdoor shower, visitors can cool off after a session, engaging in the deeply invigorating cycle of heat and cold therapy. Syd Yocum, a Hudson resident involved in facilitating the sauna sessions, chops wood and ensures the fires burn at the right temperature. “I love making a dreamy experience for everyone that comes by. We are community-oriented, and I think that’s really important for Hudson,” they say.
It’s this sense of community that draws people like Kat Egan, a Hudson resident who discovered Big Towel Spa through a self-described social media rabbithole. Despite initial skepticism and concerns about body odor, she loved it. “The sauna is magical,” she says.
“The saunas are so beautiful,” adds Craryville resident Diana Rupp of the wooden structures built in collaboration with architect and furniture designer Sam E. Ferguson. “I hope they become a permanent thing here.”
Big Towel Spa also hosts various community events, fostering a sense of community within the steam and beyond. “It’s important we have more structured gatherings and that people keep connected to one another,” says Crimmins, citing a decline in communal activities in the wake of Covid.
In 2023 the Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Vivek H. Murthy drew attention to the epidemic of loneliness and isolation facing Americans, reporting that one in two adults in the US experience loneliness. “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health,” he wrote. “It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity. And the harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces, and civic organizations, where performance, productivity, and engagement are diminished.”
Noting the Surgeon General’s report, Crimmins says, “when I see people who return every week and bring their friends and make this a part of their social life, it makes me really happy.”
Big Towel Spa’s Origin Story
Crimmins traces her inspiration for Big Towel Spa back to her teenage years, when her mother introduced her to Korean spas in Los Angeles. Although initially resistant, she rediscovered the magic of sauna in her 20s. The idea of operating a sauna became a passion, fueled by her travels, love of water, and a desire to make the practice more commonplace here in the United States. Crimmins noted the absence of affordable options in the Hudson area and was determined to fill the gap. Big Towel Spa officially launched in October 2023, with plans to continue serving the community at Oakdale Beach until March before moving to another location in Hudson.
While mobile saunas are increasing in popularity, as evidenced by rental services such as Spa Fleet Mobile Sauna, Big Towel Spa differs in that they don’t offer their saunas for private off-site rentals or events. “I am much more interested in creating an atmosphere in a public setting,” says Crimmins.
Beyond the roving concept, Big Towel Spa is rooted in the belief that sauna can contribute to well-being. Scientifically proven benefits include improved blood circulation, potential aid for coronary issues, lower blood pressure, and relief from depression. Crimmins personally attests to the rejuvenating effects, emphasizing the importance of creating a public space for this ancient ritual. She describes the sauna as a liminal space, not dangerous but an experience that demands respect.
As the mobile saunas continue to bring warmth to Oakdale Beach, it seems Big Towel Spa is not just a place to sweat; it’s a movement, a community wellness initiative that thrives on the fusion of tradition and modernity. In a city where winter can be unforgivably glum, this mobile sauna is carving out a space for relaxation, connection, and the simple joy of getting sweaty with strangers.
