Discover your inner zen on this tour of the Rocky Mountains’ geothermal wonders
Duration: 5 Days
Available: Year-round
This Itinerary is Ideal For: All age groups
Day 1
Glenwood Springs, located between Aspen and Vail, is home to the world’s largest hot springs pool at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort. The Ute people called this area Yampah (“big medicine”) for the springs’ therapeutic qualities that eliminate toxins and allow the body to absorb essential minerals. Sooth your muscles in the big pool or target specific muscles in the therapy pool, and take advantage of the surrounding resort area that includes a lodge, restaurant and family-friendly pool.
Nestled along the Colorado River are the Iron Mountain Hot Springs, which offer stunning views of the Roaring Fork Valley and Mt. Sopris. Sixteen pools offer iron-rich thermal water across various temperatures, and the Rejuvenation Station allows visitors to cool down between pools. Enjoy a geothermal steam bath in the Yampah Spa & Vapor Caves. Hot water flows through three underground rock chambers decorated with marble benches for a soothing, still experience. The adjoining spa offers a variety of massages, facials and herbal body treatments for stressed guests.
Day 2
The Ouray Hot Springs
Continue south to Ouray County, where the towns of Ouray and Ridgeway feature impeccably preserved Victorian houses, breweries and distilleries. Ouray’s water has attracted weary travelers for centuries, and you can experience its healing properties firsthand at the Ouray Hot Springs Swimming Pool. Nearly one million gallons of spring water fill three Old Town Hot Springs pools that range from 80 to 105 degrees without a sharp sulfur smell.
A more intimate Ouray spa experience is the Wiesbaden Hot Springs Spa and Lodgings, which includes beautiful San Juan Mountain views and the Lorelei—a secluded outdoor soaking pool and waterfall. Visitors can relax in Orvis Hot Springs in the nearby town of Ridgeway. Located near Telluride, the natural lithium water pools range from 65 to 112 degrees and can be accompanied by a night’s rest in the resort’s accompanying guest rooms.
Day 3
Pagosa Hot Springs
Home to the world’s deepest geothermal aquifer, the Great Pagosa Hot Springs are surrounded by three million acres of wilderness and 650 miles of trails. After an afternoon of hiking or biking, refresh your mind and spirit at the Springs Resort & Spa. Twenty-three hot therapeutic mineral pools offer pristine views of the San Juan River and downtown Pagosa Springs, and the 79-room boutique hotel offers rooms for various group sizes and budgets.
Pagosa’s newest spa is Overlook Hot Springs, which offers a Victorian ambiance, three scenic rooftop tubs and a sauna. Enjoy craft beer or Colorado wine as your stress melts away, and take advantage of the Overlook’s peerless massage therapists.
Day 4
Buena Vista & Salida – Colorado Hot Springs
Conclude your Colorado hot springs tour in Chaffee County. The charming mountain towns of Buena Vista, Salida and Northrup are nestled along the Continental Divide and are thriving outdoor adventure destinations with hiking, biking and rafting outfitters. The largest indoor hot springs facility in the nation, Salida Hot Springs Pool is ideal for a swimming workout or recreational play. The Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort in Nathrop oversees the Historic Bath House, which has been in operation since 1867, and interlocking pools of various temperatures heated by nearby springs.
Guests can also relax in the waters of Chalk Creek, which flow into natural stone pools fed by individual hot spring veins. A more intimate experience awaits at the Antero Hot Springs Cabins, where three rustic accommodations all include hand-shaped private hot spring pools. Colorado’s purest gravity-fed mineral waters can be found at the Cottonwood Hot Springs Inn & Spa, which includes stone pools and diverse spa offerings.
