Colorado Hot Springs Loop: The Grand Road Trip
Updated September 2026 · 19 stops · verified status on every stop
Colorado has more developed hot springs than any other state, and the grand loop out of Denver strings together 17 soakable stops over ~950 miles: the Glenwood trio, Steamboat's Strawberry Park, the San Juans (Ouray, Durango, Pagosa) and the cheap San Luis Valley pair on the return. Honest flags up front: Pinkerton is a photo stop not a soak, Rico is private, Conundrum is a brutal hike not a drive-up, and Strawberry Park is reservation + cash-only. Most of the rest are walk-up or day-pass.
The stops, in driving order
1. Indian Hot SpringsOpen
Start — ~30 min west of Denver on I-70 to Idaho Springs
The historic opener: a tropical-domed mineral pool (96–102°F) 30 minutes from Denver, open year-round 8am–9:30pm, $30–40. Kids welcome; walk-in Mon–Fri, timed entry weekends. The private outdoor tubs and caves are the upgrade options.
2. Hot Sulphur Springs Resort & SpaOpen
~60 mi — I-70 → US-40 over Berthoud Pass
The local’s pick: ~20 untreated natural mineral pools (98–112°F) stepping down a hillside in the town it named. Open 365 days, walk-in only — no reservations, no capacity cap, and no kids under ~5 in the hot pools. The most authentic developed soak in the state.
3. Radium Hot SpringsRoad restricted
~30 mi southwest — BLM Warm Springs Rd toward the Colorado River
Free primitive cliff-side pool above the Colorado River — ~80–97°F, fits a handful of people. Reached via an unsigned scramble; seasonal road access. Bring water shoes and low expectations — it’s small, wild, and worth it.
4. Strawberry Park Hot SpringsReservation/permission
~90 mi northwest — US-40 through Kremmling to Steamboat Springs
The famous one: stone pools in a canyon outside Steamboat, now running timed 2-hour reservations (book up to 30 days out, ~$30, CASH ONLY at the gate). Clothing-optional and 18+ after dark. Nov–May the county requires snow-rated vehicles — this is not a casual winter pull-in.
5. Glenwood Hot Springs Resort — Grand PoolOpen
~120 mi south — CO-131 → I-70 to Glenwood Springs
The world’s largest mineral hot springs pool — a two-block-long Grand Pool (90–93°F) plus the hotter Therapy Pool (~104°F). Day pass $42–60 with in-and-out privileges; no reservations needed. The anchor of Glenwood’s spring district.
6. Iron Mountain Hot SpringsReservation/permission
Same town — across the river on the north bank
Glenwood’s newer soaking venue: 16 geothermal pools terraced on the Colorado River plus a family pool, $43–75 Select / 21+ Premier tiers. The riverside views at sunset are the reason to pick it over the Grand Pool — book online.
7. South Canyon Hot SpringsOpen
~5 mi west of Glenwood — CR-134 pullout, 0.2-mi trail
The free counterpoint: "Hippy Hot Springs" — volunteer-built hillside pools on city parkland, year-round, no fee. Short but steep and muddy approach with a creek crossing. Clothing-optional by long custom; pack out what you bring.
8. Penny Hot SpringsOpen
~25 mi south on Hwy 133 — the Crystal River pullout
Free riverside rock pools rebuilt by visitors each year after runoff drowns them — right off the highway, which is exactly the problem: ~21 parking spaces overflow on weekends, and 2020 county rules ban dogs, camping and glass. Go early or on a weekday.
9. Conundrum Hot SpringsReservation/permission
Aspen spur — ~40 mi to the trailhead, then the hard part
The bucket-list soak that isn’t a drive-up: ~18 miles round-trip with 2,400 ft of gain to alpine pools below Castle Peak. Day-hike soaking needs no permit but is a brutal day; overnight stays require a recreation.gov permit ($10/person/night, May–Oct) that sells out fast. Avalanche terrain closes it most of winter.
10. Orvis Hot SpringsOpen
~110 mi — over McClure Pass → Ridgway
Ten pools plus sauna on a clothing-optional outdoor property — walk-in day use ~$35, no reservation needed, 9am–9pm. Suits required only in the main indoor pool; the outdoor ponds are the traditional soaking spots.
11. Durango Hot Springs Resort & SpaReservation/permission
~70 mi south on US-550 — the Animas Valley north of Durango
The renovated former Trimble resort: 32 mineral soaking pools plus two cold plunges and bookable private cedar Ofuro tubs. A real resort day-use — check current hours and pricing before the detour.
12. Pinkerton Hot SpringsView only view only
~15 mi further north on US-550 — a roadside pullout
Honest flag: this is a CDOT-maintained geothermal MOUND, not a soak. A quick photo stop where you can at most dip feet in a shallow ~100°F pool at the base — no soaking pools exist. Five minutes, then keep driving.
13. The Springs Resort (Great Pagosa Hot Spring)Open
~70 mi east — US-160 over Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa Springs
The Springs Resort: 25 original terraced pools on the San Juan River fed by the world’s deepest geothermal spring — day visitors buy walk-up passes at the Bathhouse (~$74, shorter lines Mon–Thu). The "Mother Spring" supplying it is a Guinness-verified record holder.
14. Piedra River Hot SpringsOpen
~22 mi west of Pagosa — Sheep Creek Trailhead, 1.5-mi hike
The primitive reward after Pagosa’s crowds: free rock-lined pools (~95–107°F) on the Piedra River in San Juan NF. Easy 1.5-mile hike, no motorized use. River level controls soaking quality — best in late summer/fall.
15. Valley View Hot SpringsReservation/permission
~100 mi east — over to the San Luis Valley
The unique one: a nonprofit clothing-optional preserve (Orient Land Trust) with wilderness pools on a hillside — strict daily visitor cap, $20 day pass, phone reservations only. Book early; the cap exists to protect the springs.
16. Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa (Mineral Hot Springs site)Open
Same valley — ~15 min away near Moffat
The cheapest developed soak on the loop: three geothermal pools (98–108°F) in the San Luis Valley, ~$18 adults with a $12 Tuesday flat rate. Unpretentious, uncrowded, genuinely relaxing.
17. Cottonwood Hot SpringsReservation/permission
~80 mi north — US-285 toward Buena Vista, then 6 mi west on CR 306
Stone soaking pools stepping ~85–106°F in the Collegiate Peaks foothills, open 8am–midnight — plus a creek cold plunge and dry sauna. Swimwear required; the small pools fill on weekends.
18. Charlotte Hot Springs & Botanical GardensOpen
Same town — ~5 mi west on CR 343
The boutique new option (opened to the public late 2023): three small intimate pools behind a privacy fence plus an indoor botanical garden. Limited capacity by design — reserve ahead for the quietest developed soak on the loop.
19. Dakota Hot Springs ('The Well')Reservation/permission
~90 mi east — over to Penrose, ~30 min from Colorado Springs
The closer: a clothing-optional artesian-fed resort — a 70-ft pool (~95–98°F) plus a hotter 108°F tub, timed sessions Tue–Sun (closed Mondays), online reservations. A relaxed last soak before the Front Range drive home.
Plan the drive
The drive shape
A real grand loop: I-70 west (Indian, Hot Sulphur via US-40, Radium) → Steamboat → back to Glenwood → Hwy 133 south (Penny) → Aspen spur (Conundrum) → over McClure Pass to Ridgway/Orvis → US-550 to Durango → US-160 over Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa → east to the San Luis Valley → north to Buena Vista → US-285/24 home. Every leg is paved; the only dirt is short spring approaches.
Reservations & money
Book ahead: Strawberry Park (online 2-hr slots, cash at gate), Conundrum overnight permits (recreation.gov), Valley View (phone, strict daily cap), Charlotte (limited capacity). Bring actual cash for Strawberry Park — no ATM on site. The big resorts (Glenwood, Pagosa, Iron Mountain) run $40–75 day passes; Joyful Journey and Valley View are the value plays at ~$18–20.
Honest cautions
Conundrum is a real mountain objective — avalanche terrain much of the year. Penny’s tiny parking lot overflows on weekends (county rules ban dogs/camping/glass). Pinkerton is genuinely not a soak — the internet oversells it. High runoff (May–June) drowns the riverside pools (Penny, Radium, Piedra). And altitude is real: Conundrum sits at 11,200 ft; even Pagosa is 7,100 ft.
Colorado Hot Springs Loop FAQ
What is the best hot springs route in Colorado?+
The grand loop runs Denver → Idaho Springs (Indian) → Hot Sulphur → Steamboat (Strawberry Park) → Glenwood Springs (Grand Pool, Iron Mountain, free South Canyon) → Carbondale (Penny) → Aspen spur (Conundrum) → Ridgway (Orvis) → Durango → Pagosa → the San Luis Valley pair (Valley View, Joyful Journey) → Buena Vista (Cottonwood, Charlotte) → Penrose (Dakota). Roughly 950 miles and 19 stops over a week.
What is the Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop?+
The official tourism designation (historic hotspringsloop.com) links the state’s marquee developed springs — Pagosa, Ouray-area, Glenwood, Steamboat, Hot Sulphur, Chaffee County and more. Our route covers those anchors plus the primitive free soaks the official loop skips (Radium, South Canyon, Penny, Piedra), with verified status on every stop.
Are Colorado hot springs free?+
Several good ones are: Radium, South Canyon, Penny, Piedra River and (with the hike) Conundrum. The famous resorts charge real money — Pagosa ~$74, Glenwood $42–60, Iron Mountain $43–75, Strawberry Park ~$30 cash-only, Orvis ~$35. The San Luis Valley pair (Valley View $20, Joyful Journey ~$18) are the budget sweet spot.
Do you need reservations for Colorado hot springs?+
Increasingly yes: Strawberry Park runs timed 2-hour online reservations (cash only at the gate), Conundrum overnight camping needs a recreation.gov permit, Valley View caps daily visitors via phone reservation, and Charlotte/Buena Vista works best booked ahead. Walk-in: Glenwood Grand Pool, Hot Sulphur (walk-in only), Orvis, Joyful Journey, Indian (weekdays), Dakota.
Which Colorado hot springs are clothing-optional?+
Orvis (outdoor pools), Dakota (entire property), Valley View (entire preserve), Strawberry Park (after dark, 18+ only), and the free primitive pools (South Canyon, Penny, Conundrum) by custom. Glenwood, Iron Mountain, Pagosa, Hot Sulphur and the Durango resort require swimwear.
Can you do the Colorado loop in winter?+
Partially — the I-70/US-160 spine stays open and the developed resorts run year-round, but Strawberry Park requires snow-rated vehicles Nov–May, Radium’s road is seasonal, Conundrum’s trail crosses avalanche terrain, and pass closures (Berthoud, McClure, Wolf Creek, Independence) can reroute legs. Winter hot springs trips are genuinely good — just plan the driving honestly.
Is Conundrum Hot Springs worth it?+
Only if the hike is the point: ~18 miles round-trip with ~2,400 ft of gain to alpine pools at 11,200 ft. Day-soaking needs no permit but is a huge day; overnight requires a competitive recreation.gov permit. For most people, the Glenwood cluster or Penny delivers 90% of the magic without the sufferfest.
What about Rico Hot Springs?+
Rico is private property with no public access — it’s deliberately not a stop on this route. The free alternatives in that part of the loop are Penny and the Durango-area pools; trespassing at Rico gets cited.
Sources & verification
Every stop's status pulls live from the same researched record as its detail page — verified against official sources where available, dated September 2026. Key references:
- White River & San Juan National Forests — Conundrum permits, Piedra trail (official)
- BLM Colorado — Radium Hot Springs (official)
- Routt County — Strawberry Park access rules (official)
- The Springs Resort / Glenwood / Iron Mountain / Orvis — operator sites (operator)
- Orient Land Trust — Valley View preserve rules (operator)
- Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop — official tourism loop (official)
Conditions change — each spring's detail page carries its own named sources and last-checked date. · How we verify · All Colorado springs · Springs near Denver