After a hard day on the slopes, it is a real treat to hop in a hot springs and soak away the soreness. Maybe even take a day out of your ski vacation, and just laze around in the warm water! Salida has many great hot springs within easy driving distance. Most are open in the evening, so you don’t really have to interrupt your ski day.
The Salida Hot Springs Pool and Aquatic Center
The Salida Hot Springs Pool and Aquatics Center is located conveniently right on highway 50 in Salida, probably right next to your hotel! The pool is in two parts, a full length lap pool, with diving board, and a smaller much warmer soaking section.
The lap pool is around 92° and the hot pool is around 102°.
Entry is $11 for adults, $5 for youths (ages 6-17), and $3 for children.
The pool is open every day except Tuesdays in the winter, hours for the public activities vary, visit the Salida Pool website or call 719-539-6738 to check on specific times.
The Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort is top of the line resort with large pool, private pools, and warm water sections right in Chalk Creek. Temperatures vary from 90° to 100°. Soaking in a flowing river is a very fun and unique experience. Prices range from $10 – $15 per person. The Hot Springs Resort is open every day, from 9am to 9 or 10pm. Another portion of the resort has a long water slide, if you have the energy.
The Mt. Princeton Resort is about a 20 minute drive north of Salida on County Road 162 near Nathrop.
Call 888-395-7799, or visit Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort for more details.
Cottonwood Hot Springs
Cottonwood Hot Springs is a delightful series of hot pools, with decorative and natural rock borders. Entry is $15 for adults and $10 for kids under 16. Open Year Round.
Cottonwood Hot Springs is about a 40 minute drive north of Salida, just west of Buena Vista. At the light in Buena Vista, turn left, and drive about 5 miles to the resort. Hot Springs temperatures are 94° to a very hot 110°. If that is not enough, there is also a dry sauna and private Jacuzzi available.
Call 800-241-41 19 or visit the Cottonwood Hot Springs Spa website.
A little further out, but worth the drive is Joyful Journey Hot Springs. Three pools, with temperatures ranging from 104° to 108°. $12 gets you into a really classy hot springs with great amenities like massages, sauna and healthy snacks.
Joyful Journey is a quick hour drive south of Salida on Hwy 285 to Villa Grove. For directions and details, call 719-256-4328 or visit Joyful Journey Hot Springs for all the details
