About Us
Born from lake nights, bonfires, and a love for slow heat.
We built this barrel to keep the Madison sauna community growing, whether it's for backyard hangs, winter plunges, or milestone celebrations. Every booking includes delivery, setup, and a walkthrough so you can host a top-tier sweat without any guesswork.
Expect a friendly local team, thoughtfully stacked wood, and a calming space that feels handcrafted for your people.
Interior + Experience
Atmosphere, inside and out.
Designed with modern Nordic minimalism, clean spruce, soft lighting, balanced heat.
Why Sauna
Natural heat, modern ritual.
Searching for a Madison mobile sauna that can land at your cabin, lake house, or backyard? Smokin' Barrel shows up ready with spruce benches, curated heat, and a host who knows the flow.
This is a Finnish wood-fired sauna in Wisconsin designed for the real climate, cozy in winter, open-air in summer, and balanced for both first-timers and seasoned sauna fans.
Need a memorable gathering? Book our sauna rental Madison service for weekends, corporate wellness, retreats, or community drop-ins. Delivery, setup, and breakdown are handled by us.
Build a custom wellness experience in Wisconsin with breathwork, cold plunges, or quiet evenings around the stove. Slow down, hydrate, repeat, and feel the nervous system reset.
Pricing & Packages
Clear rates, turnkey setup.
Public Pop-ups
$10 per person
Join the community heat sessions. Check the public calendar for upcoming appearances.
View events →Weekend Rentals
$550 Fri–Sun
Delivered, leveled, stocked with wood, and supported the entire weekend.
Week-Long Rentals
$950
Keep the heat rolling all week long, perfect for lake houses or retreats.
Custom Events
Quote
Longer rentals, corporate offsites, wellness pop-ups, weddings. Tell us the plan.
Delivery outside Dane County is $3/mile. $250 refundable security deposit.
Ready to Book?
Reserve your barrel sauna.
Whether you're planning a weekend rental, exploring custom sauna events, or curious about pop-ups, reach out and let's make it happen. Share your vision and we'll work together to create the perfect heat experience.
- Full delivery & setup included
- Authentic wood-fired heat
- Expert guidance every step
FAQ
Logistics, comfort, and calm.
We tow the sauna to your location on a trailer, level it on a flat surface (driveway, yard, or event space), and give you a full walkthrough of the wood stove, temperature controls, and best practices. Setup typically takes 30–45 minutes. When your rental ends, we handle pickup and breakdown, no cleanup required on your end.
The barrel comfortably seats 6–8 people at once, but can support up to 12 people cycling in and out. Most people do 10–20 minute rounds followed by cool-down breaks. This keeps the experience comfortable and lets everyone enjoy the heat without overcrowding.
Wood-fired saunas can reach temps gym saunas can't. For casual conversation and 20-minute sessions, aim for 158°F (70°C). Standard sauna sessions work best at 176°F (80°C) for 15 minutes. For intense 10-minute rounds, push to 194°F+ (90°C+). Expert-level heat at 212°F+ (100°C+) is 100% possible with wood-fired saunas, something electric units simply can't achieve.
Heat-up time depends on outside temperature, your target sauna temp, and how attentive you are to the fire. The wood stove heats at roughly 72°F per hour (40°C/hour). For example, starting at 20°F and reaching 180°F takes about 2 hours if you know what you're doing and stay on top of it, or closer to 3 hours if you're a bit more relaxed about maintaining the fire. We'll show you how to build and maintain the fire, and you can start heating it up as soon as we finish setup.
Essentials: towels, water bottles, and comfortable clothing or swimwear. Many people bring robes for between rounds, flip-flops for outside, and cold drinks. If you want the full experience, consider a cold plunge tub (we can discuss options) or just use a nearby lake, pool, or even a cold shower.
Stay hydrated, take breaks when you need them, and listen to your body. Avoid alcohol before or during sauna sessions. If you're pregnant, have heart conditions, or other health concerns, consult your doctor first. We provide safety guidelines and are available by text if you have questions during your rental.
Life happens. We offer flexible rescheduling with at least 48 hours notice. For weather-related concerns (extreme cold, storms), we'll work with you to reschedule or adjust. The security deposit is fully refundable as long as the sauna is returned in the same condition.
We handle all cleaning. After pickup, we do a full sanitization, wipe down all surfaces, and refresh the spruce interior. Each rental starts with a clean, fresh sauna. You just need to make sure the fire is fully extinguished and the sauna is accessible for pickup.
The sauna works year-round. In winter, we ensure clear access paths and can discuss snow removal if needed. Summer rentals benefit from shade setups and ventilation. The wood stove keeps it warm even in freezing temps, and the barrel design holds heat efficiently. We'll coordinate with you based on forecast conditions.