Best hot springs in Colorado
Colorado is hot-springs country — we’ve mapped 12 of its best, from resort, developed, primitive soaks. Pick your style, then build the trip around a good long soak.
the world’s largest hot-springs pool, a Colorado institution since 1888.
16 mineral soaking pools terraced right along the Colorado River.
rustic stone pools in the forest, clothing-optional after dark.
a family-friendly pool complex with waterslides in town.
a big public pool ringed by the peaks of the "Switzerland of America".
serene natural-bottom pools with San Juan views, clothing-optional.
terraced pools beside the world’s deepest measured hot spring.
soak in riverside rock pools below a 14,000-ft peak.
low-key natural pools in the Arkansas River valley.
an 8.5-mile backpack to alpine soaking pools at 11,200 ft (permit).
a wild riverside soak above the Colorado River.
off-grid natural pools on a nature-conservancy preserve, clothing-optional.
Soak smart: water temps vary and can scald, primitive pools are use-at-your-own-risk, and access, permits, and clothing-optional rules change. Check current conditions and never soak alone in remote spots.