Colorado offers numerous hot spring gems, and towns like Glenwood Springs, Pagosa Springs and Steamboat Springs all make great hubs for eager hot-soakers to head to for some hot mineral pool-hopping – the Traxplorio team has written articles on all of them, so be sure to take a look before heading off on your next Colorado road-and-soak trip!
The focus of this article is the 6 hot springs which we love best in or near Glenwood Springs, in Garfield County, western Colorado, most of which are available year-round. As in Pagosa and Steamboat, you can find a selection of hot spring destinations here, be you a fan of elegant spa resorts or go-in-the-buff, wilderness forest pools. Read on to find out more…
1. Glenwood Hot Springs Resort – 0.1 Miles
Ideally placed between the Aspen and Vail ski resorts, and boasting the world’s largest hot mineral pool, the family-friendly 130-year-old Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is known as one of the best commercial soaks in Colorado for healing and happiness.
What To Expect
Sourced by the Yampah Spring (“Yampah,” means “big medicine” in the Ute language), there are 15 minerals in the Glenwood Hot Springs’ 92℉ water, predominantly sulfur, ideal for circulation and healthy skin. You will smell chlorine while soaking in the pools here, too, as cleanliness is top of the list of priorities for management.
The resort offers a large swimming-lap pool 405 feet long and 100-foot wide, and a 100-foot long, 104℉ Therapy Pool – a large, handicap-accessible turquoise soak pool with the additional joy of jet chairs and power showers. Beside the pools you’ll find comfortable seating areas and fireplaces for winter coziness.
For kids there’s the exciting Sopris Splash Zone and recently opened Shoshone Shoots – a safe, enclosed “Colorado tubing” experience for both kids and “big kids”!
Complimenting its massive hot spring pool, the Glenwood Hot Spring resort’s top attraction is the award-winning “Spa of the Rockies,” offering a plethora of massages and body treatments.
Don’t Miss…
- The mineral therapy spa
- The Athletics Club
- The Sopris Splash Zone (daily 11am-6pm)
- The Shoshone Shoots adventure river ride (daily 11am-6pm)
- The Grand Fountain illumination show
- E-Bike Exploration
- Golf
Good To Know
Stay at the 107-room lodge in a standard, deluxe, king, double queen or suite, each with a coffee-maker, fridge and microwave.
Overnight guests get to enjoy a complimentary breakfast (poolside if you wish) and unlimited access to the pool.
Pool rates: Adult $43, Child $28. Pool passes can be booked online.
Hungry? Eat at The Grill, on the property, or find restaurants, shopping, and nightlife in the town nearby.
Open for day use 8am – 9pm.
Clothing required.
Where: 415 East 6th Street Glenwood Springs, Colorado
2. Yampah Vapor Caves & Spa – 0.3 Miles
As we mentioned above, in the language of the Ute people (the area’s indigenous Native American tribe), the word “yampah” translates to “big medicine.” This tribe was the first to discover the health benefits of soaking and steaming in the local hot springs and caves. Today, you can enjoy the same benefits at these privately owned natural steam baths in Glenwood Springs.
The only known natural vapor caves in North America, Yampah Vapor Caves & Spa offers a unique, calming, sauna-like environment. Pull up a piece of marble as your bed of choice, and sink into the soothing depths of nature in low-lit caves, breathing in steam from natural, untreated, therapeutic hot springs water.
What To Expect
Enter the building and head underground via a staircase and a stone tunnel to the three rock chambers. Hot, untreated sulfur water packed with 34 minerals flows through at 125°F, causing steam to rise into the air. Temperatures in the caves can hit 110°-112°F, and you’re advised to take a break in the cooling room every 10 minutes or so, and to pay close attention to your body to avoid heat exhaustion: The cooling area is nearby with small, cold water tubs to dip into if you wish.
The resort also offers massages and various body treatments.
Don’t Miss…
- Making use of the on-site hair salon (great if your hair doesn’t do well in humidity)
- Renting a private mineral water hot tub
Good To Know
For safety, head to the cooling room every 10 minutes to avoid heat exhaustion.
Open: Daily 9 am – 9pm
Clothing required.
Address: 709 East 6th St, Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Website: yampahspa.com
3. Iron Mountain Hot Springs – 1 Mile
Right on the bank of the Colorado River, Iron Mountain Hot Springs offers a multitude of hot mineral soaking pools, tubs and a jetted spa – and if you’re over 21, you can enjoy a beer while you soak, a rarity in the commercial soaking world! Iron Mountain’s motto is “Relax, Restore, Rejuvenate.” You will!
What To Expect
There are over 16 soaking experiences to enjoy here, of varying size, shape, and temperature (99 – 108°F), from the gemstone pools, cold plunge, and freshwater family pool with a bonus whirlpool spa with jets, to the world experience zone. Two of the pools at Iron Mountain Hot Springs are ADA compliant for the less mobile.
There are 14+ different minerals in the Iron Mountain Hot Springs water, top of the list being iron, sulfates, chloride, sodium and calcium.
Don’t Miss…
- The Upriver World Experience Pool: 10 pools that copy the unique mineral formulas of hot springs around the world. Take a soak in France, Turkey, South Korea, Iceland, Romania, Japan, Italy, Australia, Bali and New Zealand.
Good To Know
No accommodation on site. The nearest best options are the Hotel Colorado and Hotel Denver.
Hungry? Head over to the Sandbar cafe, or choose the Sopris Café, named after legendary Colorado statesman Richard Sopris, with its menu of pizza, wrap and salads (we recommend the cheese tray!) and a fine selection of beers and wines.
Soaking rates: 3-hour soak (access to limited pools) $36 – $48, All-day soak (unlimited access to all pools) $100 – $150.
Read the resort rules before you go.
The pools are connected by pathways which are naturally heated so as to melt the snow and ice in winter.
Open: 9am – 10pm daily.
Clothing required.
Where: 281 Centennial St., Glenwood Springs, Colorado
4. South Canyon Hot Springs (Hippy Hot Springs, Glenwood Pools) – 6.6 Miles
Best visited sunrise or sunset for the colors, South Canyon Hot Springs, also known as Hippy Hot Springs Glenwood Pools, offers two pools for you to soak in among the mountains – head there to escape the world for a while as you enjoy the warmth of the mineral water and the blue skies above.
What To Expect
South Canyon Hot Springs’ two sulfur water pools differ in size and temperature. Most visitors prefer the larger, 100-112°F, 10-person pool to sit in, as the smaller (and cooler) one has a bottom made up of dirt and volcanic ash and can get murky at times. The larger pool has pockets of hot mineral water pushing up from the bottom, so choose your place carefully.
We recommend you head there early for a beautiful sunrise soak. But if you aren’t early birds like us, we hear the party vibe with local evening visitors also makes for its own fun experience.
From the free parking lot by Route 134 (South Canyon exit, 4 miles west of Glenwood Springs) the South Canyon Hot Springs are just an easy 0.2 mile walk away.
Don’t Miss…
- A visit to the town of Glenwood Hot Springs, with its miles of year-round trails to hike or bike, rafting and kayaking opportunities, an adventure park with rides for all ages, and a lively cultural, historical and art scene.
Good To Know
No camping allowed, so opt for a hotel in town 10 mins away.
No restroom on site.
Clothing optional.
Where: 6 miles outside Glenwood Springs on Route 134. Note that the “South Canyon Hot Springs” map ‘pin’ can sometimes route you to the wrong place – be sure to head to the pin near South Canyon Creek and the Colorado River off Route 134.
5. Penny Hot Springs – 25.5 Miles
Penny Hot Springs offers a collection of shallow, naturally fed hot mineral water pools on the Crystal River and beside the highway, boasting views of mountain peaks and the breathtakingly colorful “Hell’s Gate” canyon.
What To Expect
Penny Hot Springs is a primitive, hot mineral, rock-walled pool (sometimes divided by visitors into up to eight pools), 20 feet wide and 2 feet deep. When undivided, it can seat around 10 soakers in all, while the smaller pools tend to be two-person. The temperature, despite the “Hells Gate” implication, is a reasonable 130°F. You can move the river rocks around the edges to allow more cold water in if the pool gets too hot. The pool bottom is mostly mud, so expect dirty feet!
Don’t Miss…
- Climbing, hiking and skiing in the area.
- A visit to the town of Glenwood Hot Springs.
Good To Know
From the road, you’ll need to walk down a short, steep dirt path to the river.
Bring water sandals to avoid hurting yourself on the rocks.
The best time to visit is June-September. The hot springs often get submerged during the spring run-off.
If you choose to visit during winter, be sure to bring a few layers of clothes because temperatures can drop to sub-freezing.
Avoid weekends and holidays if you want a less crowded soaking experience.
Clothing officially required.
Where: Hwy 133, Redstone, Colorado (near Carbondale).
6. Conundrum Hot Springs – 3 Hours 40 Minutes
Conundrum Hot Springs is no conundrum – it is the perfect primitive pool in the depths of Colorado’s incredible nature, ideal for those who like a hike before they soak – and it should definitely be on your list, as it is among the highest hot springs in the US at 11,200 feet!
What To Expect
Conundrum Hot Springs, named so by gold miners who tried and failed to find the gold they thought they could see shimmering in the nearby water, can be reached via the 8.5-mile Conundrum Creek Trail that runs into the Colorado Rockies through the Aspen wilderness. Expect to climb 2,400 feet and cross four rivers!
There are usually two rock-walled 98 – 100°F pools of around 15 feet by 4 feet deep. Both pools can fit around a dozen soakers.
Don’t Miss…
- Exploring more of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness
Good To Know
Easier to access in summer (and busier), as road access to the trailhead may get closed by snow or avalanche from October to June. Pick an early summer morning to avoid the crowds while you soak.
Designated campsites are available – a $10 camping permit is mandatory.
No restroom at the trailhead.
Clothing optional.
Where: Off Highway 82, turn onto Castle Creek Road, then onto Conundrum Road to reach the trailhead.
What Else To Do And See In Or Near Glenwood Springs
Skiing at the Aspen and Vail ski resorts.
Take a visit to Hanging Lake in the White River National Forest.
Enjoy fun and exploration at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.
Hike, bike and climb in the stunning surrounding wilderness.
Go rafting and kayaking on the Colorado River.
Head to the Frontier Historical Museum for a peek into Glenwood Spring’s past.
Spot the Wings public art collection as you walk through the town – totally Instagramable!
And wind up the day with a game or two of Golf and Disc Golf.
Disclaimer
While we at Traxplorio do our very best to give you the latest information about these hot springs sites, life happens, weather happens, and property owners happen. We always recommend you go to the official hot springs’ web page and/or the relevant state authority page to check conditions, times, and prices (where relevant) before you head out. Thanks for understanding, and enjoy your soak!
