Colorado guide
We list 39 hot springs in Colorado, and every one was checked against the venue's or land agency's own website. These 15 are the ones we'd send a friend to, grouped by what kind of soak you're after. Prices, temperatures and drive times below come straight from those listings.
01
The two big resorts most people mean when they talk about soaking in Colorado.
01Resort & lodging · Glenwood Springs, Colorado
The Grand Pool in downtown Glenwood Springs runs more than two city blocks, and you can walk in without a reservation, and the newer Yampah Mineral Baths add smaller, hotter pools that become adults-only after 5 pm. The big pool is warm, not hot, so head to the therapy pool for a real soak.
From $42 · 90–104°F · 3 hr 6 min from Denver · Clothing rule not stated
02Resort & lodging · Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Closed Nov 2-3, 2026 after flooding in Pagosa Springs; reopening expected Nov 4. Check the resort's site before you go.
Dozens of terraced pools step down to the San Juan River, all fed by the Mother Spring. The resort says it adds no chemicals and the water turns over about every two hours. General admission covers the original pools, including an adults-only terrace; a pricier wellness pass opens the rest.
From $74 · 83–114°F · 6 hr 3 min from Denver · Clothing rule not stated
02
Spring water that flows straight through the pools, with no chlorine or bromine added, as stated by the venue.
03Resort & lodging · Ouray, Colorado
A hot spring runs over the rock inside an underground vapor cave beneath this historic Ouray lodge and pools at the bottom. The venue says the water is never recirculated or chemically treated. Day passes are sold on site in two-hour blocks when there is room, and everyone must be 12 or older.
From $55 · 100–108°F · 6 hr 38 min from Denver · Clothing optional in some areas
04Resort & lodging · Redstone, Colorado
Three pools are stacked down a hillside in the Crystal River Valley, and the top one is filled by a small waterfall in front of a rock grotto. Raw geothermal water runs from pool to pool with nothing added. Day visitors get one of a limited number of four-hour slots, so book ahead.
From $34 · 88–105°F · 3 hr 44 min from Denver · Clothing rule not stated
03
Places where swimsuits are optional, with the exact rules from each venue.
05Resort & lodging · Villa Grove, Colorado
The Orient Land Trust, a nonprofit, runs these natural ponds on a hillside above the San Luis Valley, and the whole property is clothing-optional and open to families. Daily numbers are capped, so you need a reservation, made by phone. Cabins and campsites are on the property.
From $20 · 91–106°F · 3 hr 52 min from Denver · Clothing optional
06Resort & lodging · Ridgway, Colorado
Ten indoor and outdoor pools and ponds sit between Ridgway and Ouray, and the water is neither heated nor treated. Adults can go without suits in the outdoor areas and sauna; children must wear swimsuits. Lodging and camping guests can soak around the clock.
From $35 · 65–114°F · 6 hr 25 min from Denver · Clothing optional in some areas
04
Walk-in pools where kids are welcome and swimsuits are the norm.
07Day pools · Ouray, Colorado
The city of Ouray runs this pool complex at the north end of town. It has hot soaking pools, a lap pool and an activity pool, plus water slides and a climbing wall in summer, and there is a separate adults-only soaking area. No reservation is needed.
From $30 · 95–106°F · 6 hr 36 min from Denver · Clothing rule not stated
08Day pools · Steamboat Springs, Colorado
This nonprofit community center in downtown Steamboat combines soaking pools with water slides, lap lanes and a climbing wall. Its Heart Spring pool is unchlorinated but limited to adults, so families use the other pools. Admission is walk-in.
From $35 · 96–105°F · 3 hr 23 min from Denver · Clothing rule not stated
05
Undeveloped springs that a land agency publishes and manages. Pack out everything, and check current access first.
09Wild spring · Redstone, Colorado
Rock-ringed pools sit on the bank of the Crystal River right off Highway 133, partly owned and managed by Pitkin County Open Space. It is free, there is no hike, and the county lists it as open all year. During spring runoff the river often covers the pools.
Free · Temps not published · 3 hr 46 min from Denver · Clothing rule not stated
10Wild spring · Aspen, Colorado
These pools sit above 11,000 feet in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, about 8.5 miles each way from the trailhead near Aspen. Most people camp, which needs an advance Recreation.gov permit, and bear canisters are required overnight. Snow usually covers the trail from early October to late June.
Free · Temps not published · Clothing rule not stated
We would normally include these, but the land agency lists them as closed. Don't try to reach them until it reopens access.
06
Drive times are calculated from downtown Denver on the road network and do not include traffic or I-70 weekend backups.
11Day pools · Penrose, Colorado
A single unchlorinated pool west of Penrose, kept fresh by artesian flow. Swimsuits are optional most days, required on Tuesdays, and it calls itself family-friendly. Everyone books one of two five-hour sessions online, and it is closed Mondays for cleaning.
From $21 · 95–108°F · 2 hr 8 min from Denver · Clothing optional
12Resort & lodging · Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado
About 19 public pools climb a hillside in the town of Hot Sulphur Springs, gravity-fed from seven springs with no chemicals, filters or pumps. Day passes are walk-in only, and children under 12 can use only some of the pools. A motel, private baths and a grill are on site if you decide to stay.
From $30 · 98–112°F · 2 hr 28 min from Denver · Swimsuits required
07
Stay on site and soak in the evening and before breakfast.
13Resort & lodging · Nathrop, Colorado
The resort sits below the Chalk Cliffs between Buena Vista and Salida, with a historic bath house, terraced pools and rock pools along Chalk Creek, where spring water mixes with the creek. Day visitors walk in, and overnight guests also get the adults-only Spa & Club pools. Swimsuits are required everywhere.
From $40 · 99–120°F · 2 hr 55 min from Denver · Swimsuits required
14Resort & lodging · Dolores, Colorado
A restored 19th-century mining town in the San Juan Mountains, now a small luxury retreat with 14 cabins. Only overnight guests can soak, in a historic bathhouse and outdoor pools fed by the springs. Stays are all-inclusive and priced as luxury lodging.
Overnight guests · Temps not published · Clothing rule not stated
08
Ranked by dissolved minerals in USGS and state lab samples of the source water. Tap water is usually under 500 mg/L.
15Day pools · Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Its source water tested at 21,650 mg/L dissolved minerals, the highest of any Colorado spring we list. Sixteen small geothermal pools on the Colorado River use untreated water that drains back to the river; the family and spa pools use fresh water with trace chlorine. A 21+ tier adds saunas and more pools.
From $43 · 89–112°F · 3 hr 9 min from Denver · Clothing rule not stated
At a glance
Adult prices are the lowest listed general-admission price; many venues charge more on weekends. Drive times are from downtown Denver without traffic.
| Spring | Pick for | Price | Temps | From Denver | Clothing | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Hot Springs ResortGlenwood Springs | Overall | From $42 | 90–104°F | 3 hr 6 min | Not stated | Treated (chlorine or similar) |
| The Springs ResortPagosa Springs | Overall | From $74 | 83–114°F | 6 hr 3 min | Not stated | Natural flow-through, no chemicals |
| Wiesbaden Hot Springs Spa & LodgingsOuray | Natural, no chlorine | From $55 | 100–108°F | 6 hr 38 min | Clothing optional in some areas | Natural flow-through, no chemicals |
| Avalanche Ranch Cabins & Hot SpringsRedstone | Natural, no chlorine | From $34 | 88–105°F | 3 hr 44 min | Not stated | Natural flow-through, no chemicals |
| Valley View Hot SpringsVilla Grove | Clothing-optional | From $20 | 91–106°F | 3 hr 52 min | Clothing optional | Natural flow-through, no chemicals |
| Orvis Hot SpringsRidgway | Clothing-optional | From $35 | 65–114°F | 6 hr 25 min | Clothing optional in some areas | Natural flow-through, no chemicals |
| Ouray Hot Springs PoolOuray | Families | From $30 | 95–106°F | 6 hr 36 min | Not stated | Not stated |
| Old Town Hot SpringsSteamboat Springs | Families | From $35 | 96–105°F | 3 hr 23 min | Not stated | Not stated |
| Penny Hot SpringsRedstone | Wild soaks | Free | — | 3 hr 46 min | Not stated | Natural, untreated |
| Conundrum Hot SpringsAspen | Wild soaks | Free | — | — | Not stated | Natural, untreated |
| Dakota Hot SpringsPenrose | Day trips from Denver | From $21 | 95–108°F | 2 hr 8 min | Clothing optional | Natural flow-through, no chemicals |
| Hot Sulphur Springs Resort & SpaHot Sulphur Springs | Day trips from Denver | From $30 | 98–112°F | 2 hr 28 min | Swimsuits required | Some pools treated, some natural |
| Mount Princeton Hot Springs ResortNathrop | Weekend with lodging | From $40 | 99–120°F | 2 hr 55 min | Swimsuits required | Not stated |
| Dunton Hot SpringsDolores | Weekend with lodging | Overnight guests | — | — | Not stated | Not stated |
| Iron Mountain Hot SpringsGlenwood Springs | Most mineral-rich | From $43 | 89–112°F | 3 hr 9 min | Not stated | Some pools treated, some natural |
We started from all 39 Colorado listings in our directory. Each one was checked against the venue's official website or the managing agency (Forest Service, BLM, county open space) for prices, hours, age and clothing rules, and how the water is treated. Mineral figures come from USGS and state lab samples of the source water; drive times are road-network estimates from downtown Denver. We only include wild springs that a land agency publishes, and we leave out any it lists as closed. Affiliate links never affect which springs we pick. Last verified November 2026.
Rules and prices change, so confirm with the venue before you go. Browse every Colorado listing or read how we verify.
