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Colorado, 4 public soaking sites

Hot Springs in Colorado

Colorado's public hot springs run from a city pool in Ouray to wilderness soaks in the San Juan and White River national forests that take a long hike to reach.

4
Sites listed for soaking
run by USDA Forest Service and City of Ouray
Set by site
Fees
each one quoted from the agency page
47
Thermal springs on NOAA’s list
hottest listed feature 181 F
September 22, 2026
Agency pages read
each quote links the page it came from
Site by site

Public hot springs in Colorado

4 hot springs in Colorado are listed for soaking by the agencies that run them. Each card below carries that agency’s own fee, season, access and rules, quoted and linked, as the page read on September 22, 2026. A fee line that says nothing about cost is written as a question for the managing office rather than as free.

Rainbow Hot Springs

Primitive spring

USDA Forest Service, San Juan National Forest, Pagosa Ranger District, Weminuche Wilderness

FeeCheck fees with San Juan National Forest, Pagosa Ranger District, Weminuche Wilderness
AccessAbout 5.3 miles on West Fork Trail 561 from the trailhead off West Fork Road; in winter the road closes and the trip is about 7.5 miles.
  • Camp only at the 9 numbered designated sites near the springs, first come, first served.
  • Wilderness group limit of 15 people.
  • No bicycles on the West Fork Trail.
  • Pets under voice control or leashed; bury dog waste.
  • Pack out everything you bring.
About 5.3 miles up the West Fork Trail and within the Weminuche Wilderness, these primitive, undeveloped springs are found on the banks of the West Fork of the San Juan River.
San Juan National Forest | Rainbow Hot Springs, USDA Forest Service, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Dispersed camping allowed at designated campsites only.
USDA Forest Service on Rainbow Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Maximum group size is 15 people per group, with a maximum combination of people and stock not to exceed 25.
USDA Forest Service on Rainbow Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Bicycles are not allowed on the West Fork Trail.
USDA Forest Service on Rainbow Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Pets must be under voice control or on a lease and bury dog waste around campsites.
USDA Forest Service on Rainbow Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Pack out all that you take in.
USDA Forest Service on Rainbow Hot Springs. Read it at the source
The pools are also substantially affected by major water events, such as a heavy rainfall and spring snowmelt.
USDA Forest Service on Rainbow Hot Springs. Read it at the source

Piedra River Hot Springs

Primitive spring

USDA Forest Service, San Juan National Forest, Pagosa Ranger District, Piedra Area

FeeCheck fees with San Juan National Forest, Pagosa Ranger District, Piedra Area
SeasonBest in spring and fall; winter brings snow and ice on the trail.
AccessAbout 1.5 miles each way on the Sheep Creek Trail from First Fork Road, ending in a short steep drop to the river.
Waterabout 95 to 105 F
  • No motorized or mechanized vehicles, including bicycles, in the Piedra Area.
  • Camp at least 100 feet from water.
  • Pack out all trash.
Piedra River Hot Springs consists of several primitive, rock-lined pools that are fed by natural geothermal springs.
San Juan National Forest | Piedra River Hot Springs, USDA Forest Service, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Motorized and mechanized vehicles are not allowed within the Piedra Area.
USDA Forest Service on Piedra River Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Please camp at least 100 feet from water sources.
USDA Forest Service on Piedra River Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Pack out all that you take in. Do not bury trash.
USDA Forest Service on Piedra River Hot Springs. Read it at the source

Conundrum Hot Springs

Primitive spring

USDA Forest Service, White River National Forest, Aspen-Sopris Ranger District, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

FeeHigh season overnight stays in the permit zone carry a fee; permits are reserved in advance on recreation.gov.
SeasonBest July through September; from early October to late June the trail is snow covered and the trailhead cannot be reached.
Access8.5 miles and 2,500 feet of climb from the Conundrum Creek Trailhead near Aspen, with a creek crossing that must be waded.
  • An advance permit is required to stay overnight in the Conundrum Hot Springs zone.
  • Bear resistant containers required for all overnight visitors.
  • Group size limit of 10.
  • No parking on Conundrum Road; trailhead parking is limited.
The Conundrum Creek Trail, in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness , generally parallels Conundrum Creek weaving 8.5 miles and 2,500 vertical feet up the valley and through the woods and meadows to the popular Conundrum Hot Springs.
White River National Forest | Conundrum Creek Trailhead #1981, USDA Forest Service, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
A permit is required for overnight stays within the Conundrum Hot Springs Zone (permit camp site map ).
USDA Forest Service on Conundrum Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Bear resistant containers are required for all overnight visitors.
USDA Forest Service on Conundrum Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Group size is limited to 10 with no more than 15 stock animals in one group .
USDA Forest Service on Conundrum Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Parking is prohibited on Conundrum Road.
USDA Forest Service on Conundrum Hot Springs. Read it at the source
Avalanche hazards exist in the valley.
USDA Forest Service on Conundrum Hot Springs. Read it at the source
This creek crossing can be hazardous, especially during spring runoffs .
USDA Forest Service on Conundrum Hot Springs. Read it at the source

Ouray Hot Springs Pool

Developed pool

City of Ouray

FeeDaily admission: adults 18 to 64 $30, youth 3 to 17 $18, seniors 65 to 74 $24, 75 and up $10.
SeasonOpen to the public 11 am to 8 pm; closed September 14 to 21 to resurface the Overlook Pool.
WaterOverlook Pool about 102 to 106 F, Hot Pool about 95 to 103 F
  • No reservations needed.
Splash and play in Ouray’s sulfer-free hot springs pool.
Ouray Hot Springs Pool, Visit Ouray Colorado (City of Ouray), read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
No reservations needed (view discounts below for groups larger than 20)
City of Ouray on Ouray Hot Springs Pool. Read it at the source
A small waterfall pouring between two pale boulders into a clear green pool, with steam drifting off the top of the fall
The falls and a lower pool at Goldbug Hot Springs, Idaho. The first quarter mile of the trail crosses private property on a public easement, and the BLM asks for dogs on a leash there. “Goldbug Hotsprings (25920311177)”, BLMIdaho, Public domain
How many springs

Thermal springs counted in Colorado

NOAA’s Thermal Springs List for the United States counts 47 thermal features in Colorado, the hottest listed at 181 F, out of 1661 across 23 states. The count is a measure of geology: Natural surface hydrothermal features (springs, pools, mud pots, mud volcanoes, geysers, fumaroles and steam vents) at 20 C (68 F) or warmer; temperatures are the maximum reported surface reading. Most sit on remote ground, on land with no public access, or too hot to approach, which is why the soaking list above is the shorter one. The hottest reading can belong to a fumarole or a steam vent rather than a pool.

Thermal Springs List for the United States, compiled by George W. Berry, Paul J. Grim and Joy A. Ikelman, NOAA Key to Geophysical Records Documentation No. 12, 1980; published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (formerly the National Geophysical Data Center). Data file read September 22, 2026: the thermal springs list and its documentation. Every state’s count is on the national table.

The water

What the CDC and the Park Service say about soaking

Two hazards come up in every agency’s own words: what lives in warm water, and how hot the ground and the water can be. Both are quoted below as the agencies write them, and they apply at every site above.

Always keep your head above water in hot springs and other naturally hot (geothermal) water.
CDC, Preventing Brain Infection When Swimming, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Naegleria fowleri lives in soil and warm freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs around the world.
CDC, Naegleria fowleri Infections, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Hold your nose shut or use a nose clip if you jump or dive into the water.
CDC, Preventing Brain Infection When Swimming, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Avoid digging in, or stirring up, sediment in shallow fresh water. Naegleria fowleri amebas are more likely to live in sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds, and rivers.
CDC, Preventing Brain Infection When Swimming, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
All thermal waters contain organisms that may cause illness, including skin rash, gastrointestinal illness (vomiting and diarrhea), or other infections that can be life-threatening.
National Park Service, swimming in Yellowstone, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Burns from thermal features are a common cause of serious injury and death in the park. The ground surrounding these features may look solid, but it can be just a thin crust with super-heated water below.
National Park Service, Yellowstone safety, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Even thermal runoff can be extremely hot and cause burns.
National Park Service, Yellowstone safety, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Toxic gases may accumulate to dangerous levels in some hydrothermal areas. If you begin to feel sick while exploring a geyser basin, leave the area immediately.
National Park Service, Yellowstone safety, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source
Pets are not allowed in thermal areas or on boardwalks, even if they're on a leash or carried in arms, strollers, or backpacks.
National Park Service, Yellowstone safety, read September 22, 2026. Read it at the source

Colorado hot springs questions

Hot springs in other states

Colorado snowpackHow deep the snow is on Colorado's mountains, for the trails and roads into the springs.First snow in ColoradoWhen the first snow usually falls in Colorado, the start of the season for a warm soak.Colorado mountain passesWinter pass conditions and chain rules on the highways to Colorado's hot springs.Hot springs by statePublic soaking sites in every state, Hot Springs National Park and Yellowstone, and NOAA's thermal springs counts.

Compiled September 22, 2026 from USDA Forest Service and City of Ouray pages, one per site, each linked beside its quote and read on September 22, 2026. Site types above: primitive spring and developed pool. Fees, seasons and access change between seasons, a spring can be closed by flood, fire or repair at short notice, and a soak is at the soaker’s own risk, so the managing office is the one to check before a trip. Every state is in the national hot springs guide.