Colorado's oldest natural mineral springs resort, operating since the 1860s.
Hot Sulphur Springs Resort and Spa operates as one of the oldest natural geothermal destinations in Colorado, offering a rustic and unpretentious soaking experience defined by its mineral-rich waters. Located along a hillside overlooking the Colorado River, the resort features over 20 distinct mineral pools and private baths with temperatures ranging from 95 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit. The water is heated by geothermal activity roughly 35,000 feet below the earth's crust, surfacing naturally at temperatures up to 126 degrees before gravity feeds it into the rock-lined soaking pools. Because the resort does not filter, recirculate, or add chemicals to the water, the pools maintain a constant, natural flow of about five gallons every 40 seconds, preserving a high concentration of sodium, sulfate, chloride, silica, potassium, calcium, fluoride, magnesium, and lithium.
The history of this site stretches back centuries before modern development. The Ute people originally used the thermal waters as a winter campground, revering the springs as "big medicine" or "magic waters" for their therapeutic and healing properties. In 1840, William Newton Byers, who would go on to found the Rocky Mountain News, became the first European American to document the springs. Byers eventually acquired the property in the 1860s, planning a resort town that he initially named Saratoga West. Though his grand vision of a massive commercial spa took decades to fully realize, the site eventually evolved into a permanent resort, with a modern hotel building erected on the property in 1903. In 1997, following extensive renovations, the resort invited a Ute tribal leader to bless the grounds, formally acknowledging the traditional caretakers of the sacred waters.
Today, the resort retains a frontier simplicity that eschews the polished, sterile atmosphere of modern day spas. Guests navigate a series of outdoor pools terraced into the hillside, including the Rojo Pool, which hovers around a comfortable 105 to 108 degrees, and the elevated Lupe's Pool, which reaches a steamy 112 degrees and provides views of the surrounding canyon. For overnight stays, the property offers 17 simple motel rooms, an apartment, and a historic cabin dating back to the 1840s, all of which include pool passes for the duration of the stay. The overall experience is quiet and meditative, with strict rules prohibiting alcohol, smoking, and loud music in the pool areas, ensuring that the focus remains entirely on the restorative quality of the gravity-fed water.
Bring your own towel, sandals, and a robe, as the walk between the outdoor hillside pools can be brisk, especially during winter. To avoid the crowds, plan your soak for a weekday morning or take advantage of the late-entry discount after 8:15 p.m.
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