Colorado Hot Springs: A Guide to Soaking, from Resorts to Backcountry Pools
By Chris Heaton · access details checked October 2026
Colorado sits on some of the best hot water in the country. Soaking ranges from family water parks with slides to rock pools by a river in the snow, and one spring sits more than eight miles from the nearest road. Rules vary a lot: some springs need reservations, some go adults-only and clothing-optional after dark, and many ban cameras around other guests. This guide covers fifteen of them across the state, what to expect at each, and how to get photos without making anyone uncomfortable.
Before you go
Prices and policies below were checked in October 2026 and change often, especially around holidays. Book ahead where it says reservations are required; weekend slots sell out.
- Reservations: Strawberry Park, Iron Mountain, Avalanche Ranch and Orvis all use timed or booked soaks. Old Town and Glenwood Hot Springs Pool are walk-up.
- Clothing-optional: Valley View is clothing-optional everywhere; Orvis is clothing-optional for adults; Strawberry Park goes clothing-optional and 18+ after dark.
- Altitude and heat don't mix well with alcohol. Drink water, take breaks and keep soaks to 15–20 minutes in the hottest pools.
- Winter roads to several springs need 4WD or chains, notably Strawberry Park from November 1 to May 1.
The Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop
The Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop is a road-trip route through western Colorado linking about twenty hot springs facilities in eight areas, Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Ouray, Durango, Pagosa Springs, Saguache County and Chaffee County (Buena Vista and Salida). The full loop is roughly 720–800 miles, so most people do a section at a time.
Northwest: Steamboat Springs
Strawberry Park Hot Springs
- Getting there
- Reservations are required for every visit, in 2-hour slots up to 30 days ahead. $30 adults, $20 under 17, cash only. From November 1 to May 1 you need 4WD with snow tires or chains to drive in.
- What to shoot
- Steam rising off natural rock pools along a creek in the snowy woods, at the start of a daytime slot when it's quietest.
- Good to know
- After dark the pools become clothing-optional and 18+, and cameras, video and phone lights aren't allowed.
Old Town Hot Springs
- Getting there
- Walk-up; no reservations. $35 adults, $27 ages 3–14.
- What to shoot
- Family-friendly pools and slides in the middle of town; better for soaking than for photos.
- Good to know
- A nonprofit recreation center with lap pools and a fitness center too.
Glenwood Springs and the Crystal River
Glenwood Springs has been a resort town since the 1880s and still has the biggest concentration of hot water in the state.
Glenwood Hot Springs Pool
- Getting there
- Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. year-round; buy online or at the gate. Adult tickets run roughly $40–60 depending on day and season.
- What to shoot
- The huge historic pool with steam rising against the mountains on a cold morning.
- Good to know
- Billed as the world's largest hot springs pool. The pools close for maintenance starting November 17, 2026; check the reopening date.
Iron Mountain Hot Springs
- Getting there
- Reservations required for timed soaks; open daily 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. General access (all ages) runs about $43–75; the 21+ all-access pass about $75–150.
- What to shoot
- Small terraced pools above the Colorado River with Glenwood Canyon behind.
- Good to know
- Under-5s are limited to the family zone, and some pools are 21+.
Avalanche Ranch
- Getting there
- Day visitors reserve by phone for a 9–1 or 1–5 slot, $34; closed to day visitors on Wednesdays.
- What to shoot
- Three terraced natural pools with Mount Sopris country around them; beautiful in fall color and snow.
- Good to know
- A family-friendly ranch with cabins; pairs well with the Crystal Mill and Marble.
Conundrum Hot Springs
- Getting there
- 8.5 miles one way with roughly 2,500–2,900 feet of gain. A Recreation.gov permit is required to camp anywhere from Silver Dollar Pond up to Triangle Pass, which includes the springs.
- What to shoot
- Wild pools in an alpine basin ringed by 13,000-foot peaks, at sunrise or under the stars.
- Good to know
- Not recommended as a day hike unless you're very fit and experienced. Pack out everything; the area was overloaded before permits started in 2018.
Chaffee County and the San Luis Valley
The Arkansas Valley around Buena Vista and Salida has the most springs per mile of any part of the state.
Mount Princeton Hot Springs
- Getting there
- No reservations for the public pools; waiver required; public hours 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- What to shoot
- Creekside pools where hot water mixes with Chalk Creek, under Mount Princeton. Late September aspen in the canyon.
- Good to know
- The spa and club pools are 16+ and limited to lodging and spa guests.
Cottonwood Hot Springs
- Getting there
- Adults $40 on weekdays, $45 weekends; kids 12 and under $30–35 and out by sundown. Open 8 a.m. to midnight.
- What to shoot
- Rustic stone pools in the pines on the way to Cottonwood Pass.
- Good to know
- Swimsuits required.
Valley View Hot Springs
- Getting there
- Daily attendance is capped and reservations are strongly encouraged; non-members can book only 24 hours ahead.
- What to shoot
- Natural ponds on a mountainside looking across the San Luis Valley at sunset.
- Good to know
- Clothing-optional throughout and family-friendly. The rule is 'Don't Shoot Strangers': cameras stay packed around other guests; landscapes, wildlife and consenting friends only. No campfires.
Joyful Journey Hot Springs
- Getting there
- Overnight stays need reservations; check day-use rules before you go.
- What to shoot
- Open San Luis Valley views to the Sangre de Cristos.
The San Juans
Ouray Hot Springs Pool
- Getting there
- City-run. For the rest of 2026 only the overlook pool, hot pool and lap pool are open, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- What to shoot
- Steam with the cliffs of the 'Switzerland of America' all around, especially after snow.
Orvis Hot Springs
- Getting there
- Book through the website. Adults $35 for the day or $30 for a one-hour dip; children $12. Day soaking 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- What to shoot
- Pools under the Sneffels Range, though cameras aren't welcome around other soakers.
- Good to know
- Clothing-optional for guests 18 and older; under 18s wear suits. The hottest pool, the Lobster Pot, runs 108–114°F.
The Springs Resort
- Getting there
- General admission about $74 adults, $42 children; open to the public 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. A five-pool relaxation terrace is 18+.
- What to shoot
- Terraced pools stepping down to the San Juan River, with steam at dawn in winter.
- Good to know
- Home of the Mother Spring, recorded by Guinness in 2011 as the world's deepest geothermal hot spring; a 1,002-foot line never touched bottom.
Dunton Hot Springs
- Getting there
- A luxury all-inclusive resort; check whether day packages are offered when you plan.
- What to shoot
- Historic log buildings and a bathhouse in a mountain valley.
Near Denver
Indian Hot Springs
- Getting there
- A pool, private baths and separate men's and women's geothermal caves.
- What to shoot
- Not much for photos; it's about the soak.
- Good to know
- Bathing suits are now required in the public caves after decades of a nude-only rule; private baths still allow nudity. Check current prices and hours.
Photography tips and etiquette
Hot springs are places where people relax in very little clothing, so the first rule is simple: never photograph other guests without their permission. Many springs ban cameras entirely after dark or in clothing-optional areas, and staff will ask you to put your phone away.
- Go at opening or on a weekday for empty pools and steam, and ask staff if it's OK to take a few frames before anyone gets in.
- Cold, still mornings make the most steam. Backlight it: put the low sun behind the steam and expose for the highlights.
- Keep your camera out of the pool area while you soak. Water, heat and humidity are hard on gear; a waterproof phone case is the safest option.
- Going from cold air into steam fogs lenses instantly. Let the camera warm up in its bag, and carry a microfiber cloth.
- For the springs themselves, the best photos often come from the approach: the snowy path to Strawberry Park, the basin above Conundrum, the river below Iron Mountain.
- Backcountry springs like Conundrum are wilderness: no drones, and pack out everything, including food scraps.
Spot guides mentioned here
Useful on this site
- Winter photography guide: Traction laws and snow tips for winter trips to the springs
- Hidden gem photo spots: Quieter places near many of these springs
- Planning Your Shot: Pass closures and road conditions
Questions
What is the best hot spring in Colorado?
It depends on what you want: Strawberry Park for natural rock pools in the woods, Glenwood Hot Springs Pool for a big historic pool, The Springs Resort in Pagosa for variety, and Conundrum for a wild backcountry soak.
Do you need reservations for Colorado hot springs?
Some, yes. Strawberry Park, Iron Mountain, Avalanche Ranch and Orvis use reservations; Glenwood Hot Springs Pool and Old Town in Steamboat are walk-up.
Which Colorado hot springs are clothing-optional?
Valley View is clothing-optional throughout, Orvis is clothing-optional for adults, and Strawberry Park is clothing-optional and 18+ after dark.
How long is the hike to Conundrum Hot Springs?
About 8.5 miles one way with roughly 2,500–2,900 feet of gain. Camping near the springs requires a Recreation.gov permit.
What is the deepest hot spring in the world?
The Mother Spring at The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs was recorded by Guinness in 2011 as the world's deepest geothermal hot spring; a 1,002-foot line didn't reach the bottom.
Fees, reservations and road dates change. Confirm with the managing agency before you go. Sources: strawberryhotsprings.com, oldtownhotsprings.org, trails.colorado.gov, hotspringspool.com, ironmountainhotsprings.com, avalancheranch.com, mtprinceton.com, cottonwoodhs.com, olt.org, cityofouray.com, orvishotsprings.com, pagosahotsprings.com, guinnessworldrecords.com, cohotspringsloop.com.
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