Strawberry Park Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Strawberry Park Hot Springs is a resort hot spring listed near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Reported soak temperature: 103°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Stop on Colorado Hot Springs Loop — see all stops, ordered south to north.
Current status
Open daily on timed 2-hour reservations booked online up to 30 days out — $30 adult / $20 child (17 & under), CASH ONLY at the gate with no ATM on site; clothing-optional and 18+ only after dark; Nov 1–May 1 Routt County law requires 4WD/AWD with snow tires or chains on the last 2 unpaved miles, and shuttle tours from Steamboat are the workaround that also guarantees admission when online slots are sold out.
Checked September 2026 · verified on the operator’s site · 6 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
Sleep in town, then book Strawberry Park entry and your drive or shuttle separately.
Steamboat Springs is about 5 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Reservation or permission required — confirm via Strawberry Park Hot Springs — official site (rates/hours/winter driving).
- Cost: Reported $30 — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: Reported 0 mi trail — confirm the route, road, and seasonal access.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 103°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Reported clothing-optional; pets reported not allowed — confirm current rules.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: None — admission is the paid 2-hour pool reservation (cash on arrival)
- Booking: Reservation required.
- Best time to go: Weekday daytime slots are easiest to book; reserve the moment the 30-day window opens for weekends/holidays/ski season; evening slots (adults-only, clothing-optional) are the signature experience — book a shuttle if you lack a compliant winter vehicle
- Clothing reality: Official: swimsuits required during daytime family hours; clothing-optional after dark when the springs become adults-only (18+). Customary reality: most evening visitors soak nude. Legal on private property; minors barred after sundown and no cameras/phones allowed in the evening.
- Kids: Allowed.
- Cell service: spotty — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Short walk down stone paths/steps to creek-side pools; rocky natural terrain, not wheelchair friendly; shuttle drop-off at entrance reduces driving stress but not the path
- Cash only — no credit cards, no checks, no ATM on site
- 2-hour timed reservations required; open 30 days in advance; no waitlist
- Reservation valid for booked slot only — returning later requires another reservation
- Last entry 8pm Sun–Thu / 10pm Fri–Sat
- Nov 1–May 1: 4WD/AWD + snow tires or chains legally required per Routt County — strictly enforced; rental cars often non-compliant
- Last ~2 miles of County Road 36 unpaved; RVs discouraged
- No minors after sundown; no pets anywhere on property
- Weekend and ski-season slots sell out days ahead
- Shuttle tours (Hot Springs Shuttle, Sweet Pea Tours) include admission even when pool reservations show sold out online, and run when the road is closed to personal vehicles
- Hazard: Unplowed-style winter traction law — vehicles turned around at road or ticketed
- Hazard: Icy/steep paths between pools in winter
- Hazard: Source water ~147°F feeds pools — stay in designated soaking areas
About this spring
Commercial rustic hot springs resort with multiple stone soaking pools (~101-106°F) along Hot Springs Creek, ~7 miles north of downtown Steamboat Springs. Swimsuits required during the day; clothing becomes optional after dark (adults 18+ only). Camping and lodging on site. Fee: $30 adults / $20 children; cash only; timed 2-hour reservations required. 4WD/AWD with snow tires legally required Nov 1-May 1 — strictly enforced. No minors after sundown. No pets anywhere on property.
Strawberry Park Hot Springs sits beside Hot Springs Creek about seven miles north of Steamboat Springs, where geothermal water reported near 147°F emerges from the mountainside and is tempered in terraced, sand-bottomed pools bounded by hand-built stone masonry walls against a backdrop of aspens. The parcel began as the 1880s homestead of Samuel Tankersley, passed to H.W. Gossard in the 1930s and to the Steamboat Springs Company in 1935, and was eventually deeded to the city; by the 1970s the remote site had become an unmanaged counterculture encampment of up to 300 campers. Chicago businessman Don Johnson purchased it from the city in 1981 and built the rustic resort that exists today, and the spring was placed on the Routt County Register of Historic Places in 2013. The property is deliberately low-key — little or no night lighting makes it a noted stargazing spot — and shifts from family-friendly days to adults-only, clothing-optional soaking after dark. Lodging includes cabins, tent sites, summer covered wagons, and a refurbished train caboose; Routt County law requires 4WD/AWD with snow tires on the final dirt stretch November 1–May 1.
Directions & trailhead access
From Steamboat Springs, head north on Routt County Road 36 for about 7 miles; the final ~2 miles are unpaved. Shuttles available from town.
Colorado geothermal context
Colorado's springs rise along fault zones threading the Rocky Mountains — the same tectonics that built the ranges drive deep groundwater circulation. Many sites sit above 7,000 feet, so snowpack closes roads and trailheads well into late spring, and afternoon thunderstorms are routine in summer. Resort valleys like Steamboat, Pagosa, and Ouray anchor the developed end of the spectrum.
What a resort site means here
A resort spring is a commercial operation: developed pools or tubs with controlled temperatures, changing facilities, and usually day-use fees or lodging packages. Expect posted rules (swimsuits, quiet hours, age limits), staff on site, and in many cases required reservations — especially on weekends and holidays.
Best time to visit
June – September (Late Spring through Early Autumn)High-altitude mountain access routes and backcountry trailheads can experience seasonal snowpack from November through May. Peak summer and early autumn provide clear trail access and pleasant evening soak conditions.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 103°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | 104°F |
| Hiking distance | Roadside — no hike required |
| Access fee | Reported $30 — verify |
| Clothing policy | Reported clothing-optional |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | Strawberry Park Hot Springs — official site (rates/hours/winter driving) |
Strawberry Park Hot Springs FAQ
Is Strawberry Park Hot Springs open right now?
Open daily on timed 2-hour reservations booked online up to 30 days out — $30 adult / $20 child (17 & under), CASH ONLY at the gate with no ATM on site; clothing-optional and 18+ only after dark; Nov 1–May 1 Routt County law requires 4WD/AWD with snow tires or chains on the last 2 unpaved miles, and shuttle tours from Steamboat are the workaround that also guarantees admission when online slots are sold out. (Status verified on the operator’s site, last checked September 2026.)
Is Strawberry Park Hot Springs free?
Strawberry Park Hot Springs is listed with reported fees near Steamboat Springs. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Strawberry Park Hot Springs?
Strawberry Park Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 103°F and a historical source temperature of 104°F in survey records. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Strawberry Park Hot Springs clothing optional?
Strawberry Park Hot Springs is listed as traditionally clothing-optional in directory records. Confirm current rules before visiting, as policies change.
How far is the hike to Strawberry Park Hot Springs?
Strawberry Park Hot Springs near Steamboat Springs, Colorado is roadside/drive-up — no trail hike is required from the parking area.
Where to stay in Steamboat Springs
Choose a town room in Steamboat Springs, then reserve Strawberry Park entry and arrange your drive or shuttle separately.
Steamboat Springs is about 5 mi from the spring (straight line).
Check overnight options with the operator
The winter road requires a suitable vehicle. On-site cabins are booked directly with Strawberry Park.
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- Strawberry Park Hot Springs — official site (rates/hours/winter driving) — operator · 2026-09
- Strawberry Park Hot Springs — Pool Reservation page — operator · 2026-09
- Strawberry Park Hot Springs — FAQ & Shuttles pages — operator · 2026-09
- Sweet Pea Tours — Strawberry shuttle schedule (adults-only evening trips, admission included) — operator · 2026
- Colorado United — Strawberry Hot Springs visitor guide — community · 2026
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
Official website: www.strawberryhotsprings.com
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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