Photo: Kit Leong \/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Located on on Main Street at the north end of a town nicknamed the \u201cSwitzerland of America\u201d for the reason that becomes obvious the second you look up, Ouray Hot Springs is the rare town pool that doubles as a soaking destination worth driving across the state for. The setup is five outdoor pools fed by million-gallon-a-day mineral springs that, mercifully, are sulfur-free, so you\u2019ll smell the surrounding pines and not the rotten-egg funk that haunts a lot of Western hot springs. The lineup: two adults-only Overlook Pools at the top of the property (102\u2013106\u00b0F, separated by an infinity-edge waterfall, with a head-on view of the San Juans that is genuinely hard to overstate); a Hot Pool kept in the 95\u2013103\u00b0F range; a year-round Lap Pool that runs cool at 75\u201382\u00b0F for actual swimming; a Shallow Pool for families; and a summer-only Activity Pool with a Wibit floating obstacle course, a 12-foot climbing wall, and two nearly three-story water slides.<\/p>\n
The whole flow-through system constantly cycles fresh mineral water through the pools, so the water is clear enough to see the bottom even at depth. Open daily 11 AM to 8 PM year-round, with adult admission around $26, youth (4\u201317) $16, and seniors 75+ free. Hold onto your receipt \u2014 if you\u2019re there less than two hours, the cashier will give you a \u201cpool closure pass\u201d to use later, and if it\u2019s been more than two, you can get a stamp and come back the same day.<\/p>\n
Insider\u2019s tip: This is the soak to pair with Ouray Ice Park in winter \u2014 show a current Ice Park membership card and admission drops 20%. Also, the Overlook Pools are positioned to catch the late-afternoon light hitting the Amphitheater cliffs, which is when the view earns the marketing.<\/p>\n
How to get there<\/strong>: From the south on US 550, the pool is on your left as you enter Ouray, just past Fellin Park. From the north, drive into Ouray on US 550 (Main Street) and the pool will be on your right at 1220 Main Street, just before Fellin Park. Parking is free in the lot off Main and along the side streets.<\/p>\nRadium Hot Springs (Kremmling)<\/h3>\nPhoto: Flystock\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Just west of Kremmling, Radium Hot Springs is among the most picturesque of wild Colorado hot springs. There\u2019s one pool tucked off the Colorado River, and it\u2019s hardly ever visited by anyone other than locals \u2014 probably because few others how to get there. But it\u2019s a chance to soak near the Colorado Rover headwaters overlooking the river basin with the mighty Rockies rising on both sides. You\u2019ll need Chacos, Keen river shoes, or the equivalent to pass the hike to get here.<\/p>\n
How to get to Radium Hot Springs:<\/strong> You\u2019ll need an AWD or 4WD vehicle. Exit Interstate 70 onto Highway 40 north. At Kremmling, turn left onto Highway 9. Proceed for two miles to Trough Springs Road and turn right. Proceed for 12 miles until it hits a 4\u00d74 road, and follow the road for about a mile to the river. Park, make your way down to the river, and walk upstream for a couple minutes until you see the hot spring pool underneath a rock outcropping.<\/p>\n\nTraveling in Colorado? Check out Matador\u2019s<\/em> Colorado accommodation guides to the best places to stay across the state:\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/blockquote>\nConundrum Hot Springs (Aspen)<\/h3>\nPhoto: Kris Wiktor\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In the Maroon Bells Wilderness outside Aspen, Conundrum Hot Springs is Colorado\u2019s most epic \u2014 but you have to work for the reward. Reaching Conundrum requires an 8.5-mile hike with 2,400 feet of elevation gain. Fortunately, Mount Sopris, The Maroon Bells, and the rest of the Elk Mountains are your backdrop for the hike, which literally couldn\u2019t be more beautiful.<\/p>\n
Because of the effort of reaching Conundrum, many people opt to camp in the vicinity and make an overnight trip out of it. Because of this, the springs can turn into a bit of a party scene after dark on busy evenings. There is now a permit system in place for camping, due to issues with overcrowding in recent years. For the most peaceful experience, start hiking at dusk and plan to hit the springs in the late morning.<\/p>\n
How to get to Conundrum Hot Springs:<\/strong> From Aspen, turn right at the Highway 82 roundabout onto Castle Creek Road. Proceed for five miles and turn right on Conundrum Road. Proceed for 1.1 miles to the trailhead parking area. Pparking is prohibited along Conundrum Road and you will be ticketed or towed, so only park in the lot.<\/p>\nThe best Colorado hot springs resort stays<\/h2>\nDurango Hot Springs Resort & Spa<\/h3>\n\n
\n
\n
Photo courtesy Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Photo courtesy Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\nNow and then, something that once was, becomes something much better. The newly refurbished Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa proves this. The resort just north of the southwest Colorado town of Durango came under new ownership in 2020. This brought with it $14 million in renovations that have transformed the tired Trimble Hot Springs into a pristine mountainside relaxation oasis with 32 hot spring pools, two cold plunge tubs, and multiple food and drink options.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also plenty for kids to do, with the entire east side of the resort dedicated to families. I visited with my wife and two-year-old daughter on a fall afternoon and the springs were a perfect compliment to the nearby hiking along Cascade Creek. Temperatures in the pools range from lukewarm to roasting, and it\u2019s easy to alternate between them without feeling like you\u2019re awkwardly encroaching on other parties (something that is rife in other, more swamped, hot springs resorts).<\/p>\n
How to get there:\u00a0<\/strong>From Durango, head 10 minutes north along the scenic Highway of Legends. Turn left at Trimble Lane, and you\u2019ll see the parking area. From Grand Junction, head south on Highway 50, which becomes Highway 550 past Montrose (the same Highway of Legends), with the total drive taking about 3.5 hours.<\/p>\nThe Springs Resort (Pagosa Springs)<\/h3>\nPhoto: Victoria Ditkovsky\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Pagosa Springs hot springs tops many of a list of visitors\u2019 \u201cmust-see sights\u201d in Colorado. And the Springs Resort & Spa, downtown on the San Juan River, is an ideal setup for a relaxing mineral bath getaway. With 24 riverside geothermal baths ranging in temperature from lukewarm to the roasty \u201cLobster Pot,\u201d you\u2019d have to stay a weekend in order to try each one. The property also has a cafe and spa, and hotel guests can use the pools 24 hours a day.\u00a0 If you\u2019re not staying there, you\u00a0 can buy a day pass online to use the pools on a reservation basis between 9 AM and 10 PM.<\/p>\n
Insider\u2019s tip:<\/em> Add a dose of Scandinavian flare to your experience by moving from the hot springs to the much colder river, then back into the springs. It\u2019s basically a homemade Scandinavian spa experience, and while it may or may not do much for your body, it\u2019ll definitely help focus your mind.<\/p>\nHow to get to Pagosa Hot Springs: <\/strong>Take US Highway 160 into Pagosa Springs from either the east (Denver, Colorado Springs, Alamosa) or west (Durango, Grand Junction). Turn south on to Hot Springs Boulevard and proceed for about half a mile. The parking lot will be on your right.<\/p>\nIron Mountain Hot Springs (Glenwood Springs)<\/h3>\nPhoto: Iron Mountain Hot Springs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Iron Mountain Hot Springs opened in 2015 on the west side of town as an alternative to the busy Glenwood Hot Springs pools downtown. Similar to The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Iron Mountain Hot Springs offers a collection of small tubs along the Colorado River, each at a different posted temperature. You\u2019ll need a reservation for a three-hour soak, with tickets starting at $40 per person. The resort has 17 pools and the onsite Sopris Cafe offers healthy snacks and smoothies, along with treats for the kiddos.<\/p>\n
Insider\u2019s tip: Iron Mountain Hot Springs is one of the only Colorado hot springs resorts that serves beer. It\u2019s in the cafe adjacent to the pools.<\/p>\n
How to get there<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/em>Take Interstate 70 to Exit 114 (Midland Avenue) in Glenwood Springs. Follow it to Devereux Road and turn left. Drive for two miles and the resort will be on your left after crossing the Colorado River.<\/p>\nStrawberry Park Hot Springs (Steamboat Springs)<\/h3>\nPhoto: Teri Virbickis\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Strawberry Park Hot Springs toes the line between wild natural experience and well-maintained Colorado hot springs resort. You\u2019ll need to either book a stay in the onsite lodging options (including mountain cabins, a train caboose, a shepherd\u2019s wagon, or a campsite) or reserve a day spot in advance and pay $20 (cash only) at the door to visit between 10 AM and 10 PM.<\/p>\n
The wild part comes in after the sun goes down as that\u2019s when the clothes come off. Strawberry Park Hot Springs is clothing-optional after sunset. Be advised that it gets quite dark, and guests don\u2019t take kindly to people flashing their cell phone lights on them when they\u2019re in birthday-suit mode.<\/p>\n
How to get there:\u00a0<\/strong>From downtown Steamboat Springs, head north on 7th Street. Merge onto Missouri Avenue, then North Park Road, then Strawberry Park Road. Take a left where Strawberry Park Road merges with County Road 36. Follow County Road 36 to the resort.\u00a0 Note: this road is steep and in winter, is often icy and\/or covered in snow. You will need a 4WD vehicle with high clearance capable of off-road driving.<\/p>\nJoyful Journey Hot Springs Spa (Moffett)<\/h3>\nPhoto: Joyful Journey Hot Springs<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
If you\u2019ve been to Colorado\u2019s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, you\u2019ve felt the vibe \u2014 that eerie, unexplainable, exciting feeling that there\u2019s something more out there much bigger than you out there. (Figuratively, of course. Or literally \u2014\u00a0 elk are pretty large.) That feeling is why the town of Crestone, just up the road from Joyful Journey Hot Springs, is known as Colorado\u2019s spiritual crossroads. It\u2019s a haven for new-age thought and home to dozens of spiritual sites spanning religions, beliefs, and eras.<\/p>\n
This seemingly magnetic pull extends to Joyful Journey, a collection of maintained hot springs (and a motel). It\u2019s a judgment-free place to loosen your mind and soul and \u2014 because the place is cannabis friendly \u2014\u00a0 maybe get inspired for an upcoming run of Dead shows. The pools face the majestic Sangre de Cristos, so whatever your spiritual flavor, it\u2019ll be enhanced by some incredible views.<\/p>\n
How to get there:<\/strong> If coming from Denver or Salida, head south on US 285, and turn off onto Highway 17. Joyful Journey will be shortly ahead on your left on County Road 58EE. If coming from Alamosa, head north on Highway 17 to County Road 58EE on the right.<\/p>\nMt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort<\/h3>\nPhoto: Matthew J Brand \/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Tucked into Chalk Creek Canyon at the foot of its 14,197-foot namesake peak, Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort is the rare Colorado soak that lets you split the difference between a polished resort experience and an honest-to-goodness wild river dip \u2014 without ever leaving the property. The developed side of things is generous: a year-round Infinity Pool kept around 104 degrees, a Historic Bath House with soaking and exercise pools, and (Memorial Day to Labor Day only) an Upper Pools complex with a 400-foot waterslide and a lazy river that exists mostly to make children lose their minds. The real draw, though, is down the bank. Roughly 20 stone-ringed pools sit directly in Chalk Creek, each one fed by 140-degree mineral water bubbling up through a sandy bottom.<\/p>\n
You build your own temperature by stacking or removing rocks to let cold creek water rush in \u2014 too hot, pull a stone; too cool, replace it. The water is non-sulfurous, so there\u2019s none of the rotten-egg smell that plagues some Colorado springs. Day passes run roughly $25\u2013$45 depending on the season and time of day, can\u2019t be bought in advance, and the pools are open to the public every day of the year, 9 AM to 9 PM. If you\u2019re staying overnight in one of the cabins, lodge rooms, or creekside suites, pool access comes with the room and runs all day on both ends of your stay.<\/p>\n
Insider\u2019s tip: The creekside pools are weather-dependent \u2014 they only work when Chalk Creek is running low enough that you\u2019re not standing in a torrent. Late summer through early spring is your best window. In peak runoff (May\u2013June), most of those pools are submerged or washed out, and you\u2019ll be stuck with the developed pools.<\/p>\n
How to get there:<\/strong> From Buena Vista, head south on US 285 for about 8 miles to Nathrop. Turn west (right) onto Chaffee County Road 162 and drive 4.5 miles. The resort is on your right at 15870 CR 162. From Salida, take US 285 north about 17 miles to Nathrop and follow the same turn onto CR 162.<\/p>\n
![\"Piedra](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/piedra-river-hot-springs.jpg\")
![\"ouray](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2023\/10\/ouray-hot-springs-2335541017.jpg\"\/)
![\"ouray](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2023\/10\/ouray-hot-springs-2335541017.jpg\")
![\"radium](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/radium-hot-springs.jpg\"\/)
![\"radium](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/radium-hot-springs.jpg\")
![\"conundrum](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/conundrum-hot-springs-330092762.jpg\"\/)
![\"conundrum](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/conundrum-hot-springs-330092762.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/durango-hot-springs-1.jpg\"\/)
![](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/durango-hot-springs-1.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/durango-hot-springs-2.jpg\"\/)
![](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/durango-hot-springs-2.jpg\")
![\"pagosa](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/pagosa-hot-springs-2032075472.jpg\"\/)
![\"pagosa](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/pagosa-hot-springs-2032075472.jpg\")
![\"iron](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/iron-mountain-hot-springs.jpeg\"\/)
![\"iron](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/iron-mountain-hot-springs.jpeg\")
![\"strawberry](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/Shutterstock_132182045.jpg\"\/)
![\"strawberry](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/Shutterstock_132182045.jpg\")
![\"joyful](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/joyful-journey-hot-springs.jpeg\"\/)
![\"joyful](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2022\/06\/joyful-journey-hot-springs.jpeg\")
![\"steam](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2023\/10\/mt-princeton-hot-springs-779338684.jpg\"\/)
![\"steam](\"https:\/\/cdn1.matadornetwork.com\/blogs\/1\/2023\/10\/mt-princeton-hot-springs-779338684.jpg\")
![](\"https:\/\/d36tnp772eyphs.cloudfront.net\/assets\/images\/matador-logo-small-2017-bw@3.png\"\/)
![](\"https:\/\/d36tnp772eyphs.cloudfront.net\/assets\/images\/matador-logo-small-2017-bw@3.png\")