Along the banks of the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, the waters of The Springs Resort & Spa are heated deep within the earth. The all-season resort doubled in size in 2025 and now has 52 mineral-rich geothermal pools to soak in and melt away stress. The adjacent hotel property has spacious rooms and relaxing suites, each with mountain views and luxurious amenities.
I’ve stayed at multiple hot springs resorts and this by far has been my best experience.
Editor’s Note: The writer was hosted. Price information is current as of the original November 2025 publication date.
Overall Impressions
Pros:
- Family and pet-friendly resort in the small American town of Pagosa Springs
- 18+ adult-only soaking and quiet area for solo travelers or those wanting more relaxation
- Day-pass available for non-hotel guests
- Four restaurants on-site for a variety of food and beverage choices
- Geothermal-heated sidewalks in the cold winter months mean walking between soaking pools is safe and enjoyable
- Gated community accessible only by key pass for mineral pools and spa.
Cons:
- Pagosa Springs is remote and only reachable by car. Ride share services are not widely used here. Rental cars are your best bet.
- Coffee is not available in the hotel lobbies. Hotel guests can use the in-room pour-over coffee or the on-site breakfast and lunch café to purchase basic coffee and food, which opens at 7 a.m.
- On-site food is pricey ($47 for a beverage and a charcuterie snack box onsite)
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Unmatched Soaking Experience
The pools are artfully terraced, providing spectacular views of the surrounding natural beauty. The mineral-rich water that supplies the pools is sourced from the onsite 140-degree Mother Spring, which is also the record-holder for the world’s deepest geothermal springs. It was a historic gathering place of the Native Ute tribes who first discovered and visited this area.
24-hour Soaking Access for Hotel Guests
Staying on-site at The Springs Resort & Spa includes 24-hour access to the entire property and all 52 hot springs. Early birds and night owls can enjoy the exclusive privacy and serenity of off-peak soaking times. Sunrise is magical here with the crisp Colorado air, steam floating off the hot waters and the sky painted with a mountain backdrop. Night soaks are equally majestic. The area is a designated dark sky destination with excellent stargazing.
With a variety of pool temperatures from 35 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit, everyone finds their favorite soaking temperature. The back of the room card key also has a handy soaking guide that suggests the order of your soaking experience, so you can graduate to warmer pools.
Offerings:
- Contrast therapy between hot and cold water temperatures is also suggested here, and there are three cold plunge experiences, including two in the San Juan River. A daily guided Cold Plunge experience is offered to coach visitors through the experience, and participants receive a celebratory warrior bracelet.
- With a range of temperatures and sizes, there’s a pool to suit every mood and each one has a name. So whether you want to swim laps (yes, laps!), take a cold plunge, heat up in the Lobster Pot or sip a quiet morning coffee in a secluded corner pool.
- The Steamy Grotto and Contrast Falls are a beautifully designed area for deeper relaxation and rejuvenation in the adult-only area.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Leave your sterling silver jewelry at home, it will tarnish in the hot springs due to the minerals in the water!
Benefits of Hot Springs Soaking
- Soaking in geothermal mineral waters naturally regulates the body’s balance.
- High sulfur minerality plus 13 trace minerals restores relaxation, relieves muscle tension and promotes excellent sleep.
- For generations, Native Americans in southwestern Colorado enjoyed bathing in the healing properties of the mineral hot spring water.
- The water relieves symptoms from metabolic disorders, arthritis and hormonal imbalance.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Hydration is essential when visiting Colorado’s higher elevations and soaking in steamy waters. Bring your own refillable water bottle, which can be refilled at water stations throughout the resort. And don’t forget sandals for walking between the pools.
Day Pass Pricing
Staying overnight at the hotel is the most cost-effective option and overnight hotel guests have separate key card entrances to various access points on the property.
If you’re only in town for a day or live locally, a Wellness Day Pass option includes full access, towels, locker room and a robe.
- Adults are $129 (Monday-Thursday); $159 (Friday-Sunday)
- General day passes for children are $37.
- Day guests enter through the public bathhouse entrance.
- Swim attire is required. A gift shop is on-site and offers swimsuits for all ages, sunglasses, sunscreen and other items.
Lodging Options
Lodging options include classic, deluxe and luxury accommodations. The original bathhouse here opened in 1881. The property has had a number of owners over the years and has gradually increased in size, offering multiple options to stay.
- Original 1950s motor lodge with outdoor entrances and 50 classic rooms. Deluxe rooms have a kitchenette. Fun fact: John Wayne stayed here while shooting a western movie. Average stay: $469 per night with a two-night minimum stay required.
- Lodge suite-style rooms in a rustic-style building, reminiscent of the 1880s, but added in 2012. (29 rooms) Average stay: $609 nightly with a two-night minimum stay required.
- Modern hotel with 78 new rooms and suites opened in 2025. Rooms featured 9-foot windows that overlook the resort. A king bed suite averages $579 nightly; other room options are available, including two queens, rooms with sofa sleepers and suites for additional fees.
Extra Overnight Guest Amenities
All overnight hotel guest rooms have extra amenities that are not available to the day-only guests of The Springs.
- Two spa robes are provided in-room and to wear around the property. These can be turned in to the front desk for replacement dry robes during your stay.
- Sleep experience tray in guest rooms includes a cell phone sleep sack, aromatherapy, earplugs and a sleep relaxation guide. The sound-resistant rooms in the new hotel meant I didn’t hear my neighbors or outside noises.
- Extra soaking time. Check-in is at 4 p.m., but if arriving earlier, you can obtain robes from the concierge and use the locker room to soak prior to room access.
The Spa
The following spa experiences are open to all hotel guests at no extra charge:
- A full schedule of daily fitness classes, including aqua sound bathing, aqua yoga and more
- Two radiant heat dry saunas
- Daily mud treatment to soften skin
- Daily cold plunge class to learn about contrast therapy benefits and to be coached through the cold plunge experience. I was a first-timer to this and loved it!
For maximum relaxation, guests to the Pagosa Spa may combine therapeutic mineral hydrotherapy with spa treatments. The Pagosa Spa offers a full menu of spa services that include massage, body treatments and facials. Their signature treatment is an aqua massage.
While floating in the water, a licensed massage therapist gently massages your muscles. I’ve had many massages previously and found this to be very relaxing with the feeling of floating weightlessly during the massage. For those who are not swimmers or comfortable around the water, a more traditional massage is probably a better option. I was made to feel special and welcome and treated with respect in an entirely safe environment with professional staff.
Dining & Drink Options
Hot springs soaking may be relaxing, but you will need to fuel your body. The Springs Resort has five options to satisfy your cravings and palate.
- The Café: casual eatery offering breakfast and lunch with items made from scratch
- The Barefoot Grill is a casual poolside walk-up counter open for lunch and dinner. Swim attire is the norm here; shoes are optional and you can get a variety of wraps, salads and burgers.
- The Cabana is a day-only beverage destination offering alcohol and non-alcoholic options. Their signature shroom shrub comes in a variety of refreshing flavors on ice. I enjoyed the fruity non-alcoholic blackberry version infused with herbal mushrooms and apple cider vinegar.
- 1881 Poolside Provisions is open daily and offers drinks and casual food such as fruit cups, pizza and charcuterie boxes. It’s a popular hangout by the larger Tufa Turnout pool, tucked in the wellness pools area of the newer adult-only part of the resort.
- Wild Finch opened in April 2025 and is on the new part of the property. It offers an eclectic fusion of sit-down cuisine, including chicken-fried elk and scallops. Indoor and outdoor patio seating are available, overlooking the resort’s steamy Mother Spring. It also has a large bar area adjacent to the new hotel lobby.
SheBuysTravel Tip: I felt comfortable wearing my robe to cross the bridge from the Springs Resort to Root House for an early morning coffee, best savored while soaking.
Optional Excursions
The Springs Resort offers several area attractions for guests at an extra fee with transportation provided.
- Hot air balloon experience over Pagosa Springs
- Chimney Rock day hike with a host explaining the ancient Pueblo ruins
- Campfire roasts and cowboy wagon rides
- Guided river contemplation hikes
- Wolf Creek Ski Area is perched on the Continental Divide and offers a day exploring on snowshoes, cross-country skis or a dogsled!
Getting There
Pagosa Springs is a small town tucked in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado. It’s 45 minutes east of Durango, Colorado, by car or 2 ½ hours north of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Durango-La Plata County Airport has a 45-minute flight from Denver International Airport. Rental cars are available at the Durango airport (advance reservation highly recommended as this is a small airport). Wilderness Journeys Pagosa Inc. offers a transportation service by reservation, along with many of the optional tours listed above.
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