Are There Hot Springs Near Colorado Springs? Yes, Sort Of

Short answer: there are no natural hot springs in Colorado Springs or Manitou Springs. Manitou’s famous springs are cold, carbonated mineral water, not soakable. The closest place to soak is SunWater Spa in Manitou, about 15 minutes away, and it’s a private-tub spa, not geothermal. The closest real geothermal springs are Dakota (Penrose) and Desert Reef (Florence), both under an hour. The best-known resort is Mount Princeton near Buena Vista, about two hours west. Below: drive time, spa vs. real hot spring, reservation rules, clothing policy, and day-pass vs. overnight for each, researched from each spot’s own official site and checked Sep 27, 2026, not firsthand soaks.

The verdict: skip SunWater if you want real mineral hot spring water, it’s a spa tub. Skip Dakota if you can’t commit to a reservation window; walk-ups aren’t an option. Desert Reef runs a published clothing-optional schedule, not a blanket policy, so check the day before you go. Mount Princeton and Cottonwood take the same drive, so pick by crowd size and budget: Mount Princeton for the restaurant and water slide, Cottonwood for smaller and quieter.

Which one fits your trip

Why “hot springs near Colorado Springs” is a trick question

Colorado Springs was named for the mineral springs in neighboring Manitou Springs, and those are cold and naturally carbonated, more like seltzer than a soaking tub. A steaming outdoor pool inside city limits or in Manitou doesn’t exist. What exists instead is one close-in spa, two real geothermal springs under an hour out, and two full resorts a two-hour drive west.

SunWater Spa: the closest place to soak

SunWater Spa is built around private cedar soaking tubs filled with local mineral water, with a Pikes Peak view from some tubs.

Address: 514 El Paso Blvd, Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Drive: About 15 minutes
Type: Private spa tub with piped-in mineral water, not a geothermal spring
Reservation: Not required to walk in, but private tubs fill up on weekends, so book ahead
Clothing: Private tub rented by your group, not a public clothing-optional facility
Day/overnight: Day-pass soaking only; no lodging on site, pair it with a room in Manitou
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday
Source: SunWater Spa official site

Book a Stay in Manitou Springs →

Dakota Hot Springs: the closest true geothermal spring

Dakota Hot Springs sits on 160 acres in the Arkansas River Valley near Penrose. This is an actual geothermal hot spring, not a spa tub, with multiple developed soaking pools. Reservations are required for every guest, same-day included, with payment due on arrival. Day soaking runs through a “Pool Reservation – Open Soak” pass starting around $21, plus on-site camping (no hookups) if you want to stay over, pool reservation still required. Reviewer site CAT Travel Times puts the standard pools at 95 to 98°F with one hotter pool near 108°F.

Address: 1 Malibu Blvd, Penrose, CO 81240
Drive: About 45 minutes
Type: True geothermal hot spring
Reservation: Required for every guest, day or overnight
Clothing: CAT Travel Times reports clothing-optional most days except Tuesdays; confirm directly with Dakota, dress-code days can change
Day/overnight: Day pass soaking, or camping on site (no hookups)
Source: Dakota Hot Springs official site

Desert Reef Hot Spring: clothing-optional on a schedule

Desert Reef sits on ten acres outside Florence with Sangre de Cristo Mountain views. Running since 1986, it’s a semi-private, clothing-optional hot spring with rules that change by the day. Per their own site: Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday are swimsuit-optional all day. Wednesday evening (4 to 9:30 pm) and Friday evening (after 6:30 pm) are also swimsuit-optional, while Wednesday and Friday daytime require a swimsuit. Tuesday is reserved for overnight guests only, who can now stay in a tiny house, an Airstream, or a campsite on the property.

Address: 1194 County Road 110, Florence, CO 81226
Drive: About 50 minutes
Type: True geothermal hot spring
Reservation: Book an hourly soak session in advance; read their FAQ before booking
Clothing: Swimsuit-optional most days on a published schedule, swimsuit required Wed/Fri daytime, Tuesday is overnight guests only
Day/overnight: Both, hourly day soaks or overnight in a tiny house, Airstream, or campsite
Source: Desert Reef official site

Book a Stay Near Cañon City / Florence →

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort: the big resort option

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort near Buena Vista in Nathrop is the best-known full resort, about a two hour drive west on US-24. It has multiple geothermal soaking pools plus creekside rock pools where hot spring water mixes with cold Chalk Creek. No reservation is needed for the day-pass public pools; you show up and buy a pass onsite, 9 am to 9 pm daily, coming and going as you like. Book a room and you also get the adults-only Spa & Club pools (16+), plus a restaurant and a summer water slide.

Address: 15870 CR 162, Nathrop, CO 81236
Drive: About 2 hours (roughly 100 miles)
Type: True geothermal hot spring, plus creekside rock pools
Reservation: Not required for day-pass public pools; walk up and buy a pass
Clothing: Standard swimwear
Day/overnight: Day pass covers the public pools and creekside pools; overnight guests (16+) add the adults-only Spa & Club
Source: Mount Princeton official site

Book a Room Near Mount Princeton (Buena Vista / Nathrop) →

Cottonwood Hot Springs: quieter, still near Buena Vista

Cottonwood Hot Springs Inn & Spa sits a few miles closer to downtown Buena Vista than Mount Princeton, on the same US-24 corridor, effectively the same drive from Colorado Springs. It’s smaller and quieter than Mount Princeton: four soaking pools plus a plunge pool, geothermal water running roughly 94 to 110°F. The property also runs a spa with massage and bodywork, plus on-site lodging in cabins, creekside rooms, and hostel-style rooms.

Address: 18999 County Road 306, Buena Vista, CO 81211
Drive: About 2 hours, same corridor as Mount Princeton
Type: True geothermal hot spring
Reservation: Recommended, especially for overnight stays and spa services
Clothing: Standard swimwear
Day/overnight: Day soaking passes and overnight lodging both offered; confirm current pricing directly
Source: Cottonwood Hot Springs official site

What to know before you go

Mount Princeton and Cottonwood both sit on the US-24/US-285 corridor toward Salida, worth pairing with our Buena Vista and Salida day trip guide rather than turning straight back. Reserve ahead in summer and on winter weekends; Dakota and Desert Reef require reservations outright. Bring your own swimsuit, towel, and water everywhere except SunWater’s private tubs. Check the clothing policy before you go if you’re bringing kids, since Desert Reef schedules nudity by day and Mount Princeton’s Spa & Club is 16 and up. Lock in a room before you go so you’re not hunting for one after a long soak.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a hot spring near me in Colorado Springs?

No. There are no natural hot springs in Colorado Springs or Manitou Springs. The closest soak of any kind is SunWater Spa in Manitou, about 15 minutes away, a private cedar tub with piped-in mineral water, not a geothermal spring.

Are there any real hot springs in Colorado Springs?

Not inside the city. The closest true geothermal spring is Dakota Hot Springs near Penrose, about 45 minutes away, with reservations required for every guest, day or overnight.

Is Manitou Springs a hot spring?

No. Manitou’s famous mineral springs are cold and naturally carbonated, more like seltzer than a soaking tub. That’s where the city’s name comes from, not from any hot water.

What’s the closest hot spring resort to Colorado Springs?

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort near Buena Vista, about a two-hour drive west. No reservation is needed for the day-pass public pools, you just show up and buy a pass.

Springs Local Guide is written by a 20-year Colorado Springs local. Real spots, honest tips. Explore more at springslocalguide.com.

Author: Dominic