Hot Springs Near Me Colorado Pagosa Resort
The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, CO. Photo: Scrubhiker

Which hot springs are near what Colorado towns?

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Whether you’re shredding the local ski slopes, hiking the region’s highest peaks, or even just strolling the town’s historic district, sometimes recreation is best paired with a soak in thermal hot springs. The Rocky Mountains are blessed with many of them, and some Colorado towns are luckier than others.

A lot of tourists and locals alike would love to include a hot springs visit in their Colorado vacation. Several towns, such as some with “Springs” in their last name, have one or more soaking pools. Others require a short-to-long drive to reach.

Chances are good that if you have access to your own vehicle, you can reach a hot spring in an hour (or two), from most towns in CO that reside in or close to the Rockies.

Glenwood Hot Springs Swimming Pool Mountains
Glenwood Hot Springs – the largest mineral pool in the world. Photo: Jason Cipriani

Let’s go over some popular vacation towns and the hot springs closest to them. Unless they are marked (private) or (primitive), they are public resorts open to the public year-round. The former option permits access to overnight guests only, usually all year. While the latter is free, undeveloped hot springs.

Some of these require hiking, some don’t. Primitive ones are far less reliable than a resort, can get overly crowded, and are weird. Please respect any of the hot springs you visit and clean up trash.

Here are the Hot springs near ________, CO, in alphabetical order: (click an anchor link to jump to town)

Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen CO
Hike up to the primitive Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen, CO. Photo: wanderstruck

Hot springs near Alamosa

The northern San Luis Valley (SLV) is home to a couple of great hot springs resorts. Both Joyful Journey and Valley View offer lodging and spa onsite, and multiple pools for day visitors. It’s worth the drive from Alamosa or south of Salida. There are also a couple of hot springs swimming pools, one in the town of Alamosa. The closest hot springs to Alamosa, CO are:

Hot springs near Aspen

At the southern end of the Roaring Fork Valley (RFV), Aspen’s mountainous backcountry backyard holds one of its favorite hot springs hiking trails, an hours-long uphill to Conundrum. It’ll take you at least 6 hours to reach, so you’ll plan on camping there. Plus you need a permit to visit. Your best bet is heading roughly 45 minutes to Glenwood Springs at the start of the RFV. The closest hot springs to Aspen, CO are:

Hot springs near Avon/Beaver Creek

Home to the Beaver Creek Ski Resort and a ritzy ski village, Avon doesn’t provide any real close options. If you’re looking for fun, relatively short hike-to-hot springs, consider Radium. You can camp there, but the water’s not the hottest and it gets crowded. Otherwise, take the 45 minutes trip on I-70 west to Glenwood Springs for top-notch resorts. The closest hot springs to Avon, CO are:

Hot springs near Boulder

Staying in Boulder, you’ll have to make the hour-long trip southwest to Indian Hot Springs. However, it’s only 15 minutes to the Eldorado Springs Resort, home to a fun summer swimming pool filled with its namesake, Eldorado Springs water. It’s a fun way for kids and adults to beat the heat, but not a soothing hot springs experience. The closest hot springs to Boulder, CO are:

Read about the hot springs near Boulder.

Hot springs near Breckenridge

Unfortunately, Summit County lacks a hot springs resort of its own. The fastest is backtracking on I-70 toward Denver to Clear Creek County. The next best option for Breck is going south over Hoosier Pass to South Park and west on Highway 285 to Buena Vista’s numerous resorts. The closest hot springs to Breckenridge, CO are:

Hot springs near Buena Vista

Buena Vista’s one of the hot springs capitals of Colorado. Between it and neighbor Nathrop, they feature two public hot springs resorts and three private hot springs accommodations. You can also road trip 30 minutes south to Salida or further into the San Luis Valley in just over an hour. The closest hot springs to Buena Vista, CO are:

Read more about the hot springs near Buena Vista and Nathrop.

Hot springs near Colorado Springs

The Pikes Peak Region is served by one local resort in Manitou Springs, SunWater Spa. It’s open year-round with a number of hot springs-filled tubs, classes, and spa services. You can also take the trip southwest to Cañon City to soak at a couple of other resorts on the plains. The closest hot springs to Colorado Springs, CO are:

Hot springs near Copper Mountain

As mentioned previously, Summit County lacks hot springs. From Copper, it’s fastest to head towards Idaho Springs for soaking at Indian Hot Springs. Otherwise, the preferred soaking lies over an hour north in Hot Sulphur Springs. The closest hot springs to Copper Mountain, CO are:

Hot springs near Crested Butte

Crested Butte’s seclusion is both its blessing and its curse. If it or Gunnison lacks the attraction, there’s very little chance you’ll find it in the vast, sparsely populated Gunnison County. Waunita Hot Springs is a guest ranch year-round, and open its own private hot springs to day visitors ONLY when not booked for private events. It’s east of Gunnison, so it’s nearly an hour to reach. You may be better off booking a hotel with a hot tub and a view of the slopes. The closest hot springs to Crested Butte, CO are:

Read about the hot springs near Gunnison and Crested Butte.

Hot springs near Denver

There’s really only one hot springs resort within a quick drive of the Mile High City. Indian Hot Springs lies about 45 minutes west of the capital on Highway 70 in Idaho Springs. Buena Vista’s probably the best bet for a weekend trip from Denver. The closest hot springs to Denver, CO are:

Read more about the hot springs near Denver.

Hot springs near Dillon

Dillon is similar to nearby Copper Mountain. For a great choice in hot springs pool to soak in, head north to Hot Sulphur Springs Resort. Although the closer one is actually east on I-70 to Indian Hot Springs. The closest hot springs to Dillon, CO are:

Hot springs near Durango

The La Plata County Seat features its own hot springs, formerly known as Trimble. Under new ownership, it has been renamed Durango Hot Springs Resort. Pagosa Springs or Ouray also make great day trips or better yet, spend the night at one of the local springs, such as The Springs Resort or Twin Peaks Lodge, respectively Both towns reside about an hour from Durango. The closest hot springs to Durango, CO are:

Read about the hot springs near Durango.

Hot springs near Estes Park

The eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) doesn’t feature any hot springs resort. And unfortunately, the closest one is rather far. It’s nearly two hours south of Estes Park to reach a soaking experience in Idaho Springs. The closest hot springs to Estes Park, CO are:

Hot springs near Fairplay

The Park County Seat lacks hot springs, though there used to be a resort to the south in Hartsel, long ago. Now the closest is 45 minutes west on Highway 285 in Buena Vista. It’s close enough for an easy day trip to enjoy one of its heavenly hot springs. The closest hot springs to Fairplay, CO are:

Hot springs near Fort Collins

Fort Collins is not nearby to any hot springs. The best option for a hot, relaxing soak is to go all the way back south to Denver and then west to Idaho Springs. It’ll be a good hour and a half to reach the tropical swimming pool, private hot springs tubs, and caves of the Indian Resort. The closest hot springs to Fort Collins, CO are:

Hot springs near Frisco

At twenty minutes north of Breckenridge, Frisco is just far enough away that Buena Vista is no longer a suitable day trip. The nearby hot springs are Indian Hot Springs or Hot Sulphur Springs. Plan for an hour’s drive to reach one, give or take. The closest hot springs to Frisco, CO are:

Hot springs near Glenwood Springs

Another hot spring mecca is Garfield County, specifically Glenwood Springs. The grandest of them all is the namesake, Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. It’s the largest mineral springs swimming pool in the entire world. It also has a hotter end for soaking. Iron Mountain is the newer choice that’s best suited for adults looking for R+R. The closest hot springs to Glenwood Springs, CO are:

Read more about the hot springs near Glenwood Springs.

Hot springs near Granby

Those staying in the family-friendly destination of Granby will have fast access to the only hot springs resort in Grand County. In less than 15 minutes you’ll be in Hot Sulphur Springs ready to jump around its series of natural hillside pools. The closest hot springs to Granby, CO are:

Hot springs near Grand Junction

While Mesa County lacks any hot springs of its own, it’s got ample natural beauty. There’s nothing really close, though you can hop on I-70 heading east to Glenwood Springs to enjoy its plethora of hot springs choices. It can be done in under 1.5 hours. There’s also the option of driving south on Highway 550 to Ridgway and Ouray at just over 1.5 hours. The closest hot springs to Grand Junction, CO are:

Hot springs near Grand Lake

The western gateway to RMNP boasts relatively speedy access to Hot Sulphur Springs, 30 minutes to the southwest. Therefore if you’re looking to explore the most popular national park in Colorado and enjoy hot springs, Grand Lake makes a better base than Estes Park to the east. The closest hot springs to Grand Lake, CO are:

Hot springs near Idaho Springs

Naturally, Idaho Springs has its own resort. This historic bathhouse features a laguna-style indoor pool, along with private hot tubs to rent, both indoor and out. One of the most unique features of the site are the caves dug out more than a hundred years ago. There’s one for women and one for men, each equipped with multiple small hot spring-fed pools The closest hot springs to Idaho Springs, CO are:

Hot springs near Keystone

Like Copper, Dillon, and Frisco, Keystone’s nearby hot springs is in Idaho Springs. It’s also probably worth the extra 20 minutes to head north to Hot Sulphur Springs Resort because of its greater variety of soaking pools. The closest hot springs to Keystone, CO are:

Hot springs near Leadville

The best options from Colorado’s highest incorporated city are south on Highway 24 to Buena Vista and Chalk Creek Canyon. There are two hot springs resorts with lodging onsite, as well as a few private options (listed under Buena Vista). If coming from Denver, you could hit Indian Hot Springs in Idaho Springs on the way in. The closest hot springs to Leadville, CO are:

Hot springs near Ouray

The “Switzerland of America” boasts a few hot springs of its own. Managed by the city, the Ouray Hot Springs Pool is the biggest choice in town. You’ll find both a swimming pool and hotter soaking here. There are also a few hot springs with overnight accommodations. Or head north 10 minutes on highway 550 to Ridgway. The closest hot springs to Ouray, CO are:

Read about the hot springs near Ouray and Ridgway.

Hot springs near Pagosa Springs

Pagosa Springs is another hot springs destination in Colorado, known for multiple soaking options. It’s famous for having the deepest hot springs aquifer on the planet. There are three resorts that tap into this, two with hotels and one only for soaking. The Springs Resort is the talk of the town. And to save some money on just soaking, opt for Overlook. The closest hot springs to Pagosa Springs, CO are:

Read about the hot springs near Pagosa Springs.

Hot springs near Pueblo

There are two hot springs located west of Pueblo on Highway 50 toward Cañon City on the plains. Both reside in the Banana Belt of Colorado, for its long sunny, growing season. Or head north toward Colorado Springs for access to Manitou’s newer resort. The closest hot springs to Pueblo, CO are:

Read about the hot springs near Pueblo.

Hot springs near Salida

Salida features its own hot springs-filled swimming pool, in fact, it’s the largest indoor pool of its kind here. Road tripping to hot springs is fairly fast too from town. Head north to Buena Vista and its gems. Or south over Poncha Pass to the San Luis Valley and its mysteries. The closest hot springs to Salida, CO are:

Read about the hot springs near Salida.

Hot springs near Silverthorne

Because Silverthorne lies at a convenient crossroads, you can access a couple of hot springs relatively quickly. Go east toward Denver to reach Indian Hot Springs if you’re looking for a swimming pool experience, private rental hot springs tubs, or some unique caves. Otherwise take the trip hour-long trip north on US-9, east on Hwy 40 to Hot Sulphur Springs. It’s the better hot springs choice for a soothing soak.  The closest hot springs to Silverthorne, CO are:

Hot springs near Silverton

It’s an hour south to Durango from Silverton (and just before town?) you’ll run into this recently renovated resort. Formerly called Trimble Hot Springs, this resort boasts several pools, a spa, and on-site lodging. It’s worth the trek, especially if you combine it with a fun day at Purgatory. The closest hot springs to Silverton, CO are:

Hot springs near Steamboat Springs

If you hang around downtown long enough, you’ll smell the rotten eggs (from the sulfur). Steamboat has two hot spring resorts, one of which is a modern facility in downtown with a full gym, swimming pools, hot spring pools, and slides. Further away by the national forest is one of the state’s favorites, Strawberry Park. On-site accommodations are available. The closest hot springs to Steamboat Springs, CO are:

Read more about the hot springs in Steamboat Springs.

Hot springs near Telluride

The scenic 50-minute drive on CO-145 and CO-62 is well worth the trip to reach Ridgway. Orvis is a clothing-optional resort with numerous outdoor pools. Head 10 minutes south from Ridgway on Highway 550 to reach Ouray and its multiple aforementioned hot springs. The closest hot springs to Telluride, CO are:

Read more about the hot springs near Telluride.

Hot springs near Vail

You’ll need to put in an hour behind the wheel heading west on I-70 to reach Glenwood Spring and its multiple resorts. The Vail Valley has nothing. If you’re looking to play in Vail and still hit hot springs, consider staying in between in Eagle, and save on accommodations. The closest hot springs to Vail, CO are:

Read about the hot springs near Vail.

Hot springs near Winter Park

Winter Park has a couple of pretty close hot springs options, at least quicker than Summit County. Your best bet is a beautiful 35-minute drive north to Hot Sulphur Springs. There is a myriad of natural pools laid out on the hillside. You can also backtrack toward Denver over Berthoud Pass to Idaho Springs. The closest hot springs to Winter Park, CO are:

Ouray Hot Springs Swimming Pool Colorado
Ouray Hot Springs Swimming Pool. Photo: J. Stephen Conn

That’s a roundup of the closest hot springs to Colorado’s most common destinations. If you’re having trouble deciding which ones to visit, try a few of them. Go on a hot springs loop road trip! You’ll see incredible scenery, discover unexpected gems, and partake in some (probably much-needed) rest and relaxation. And add a couple of ghost towns near you to your itinerary.

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