Buena Vista and Salida Day Trip from Colorado Springs: Drive Times

Labor Day weekend 2026, September 5 through 7, I was camped at Hecla Junction on the Arkansas River, about 20 minutes from both Buena Vista and Salida. On the 6th I drove into Salida, walked F Street, and dropped our trash at the river park bin since Hecla has no trash service of its own. That weekend is the real anchor for this page. Everything else below on Buena Vista, the hot springs, and the restaurants is researched straight from the people who run those places, checked October 5, 2026, and labeled that way as we go.

Short answer on whether Buena Vista and Salida work as a day trip out of the Springs: yes, if you accept 4 to 5 hours in the car and build the day around one big thing instead of trying to stack all of it.

Pick One Big Thing

Don’t try to raft, soak, and walk both downtowns in the same day. You’ll spend more time driving than doing anything. Pick one of these and build the day around it:

• Easy drive day: river stops, Salida’s downtown, and a short stop at Hecla Junction on the way back.
• Soak day: Mount Princeton Hot Springs, with time for one town on the way through.
• Raft day: book a half-day trip ahead of time; May through Labor Day is the season.
• Stay over: if you want a soak and both towns without rushing, book a night instead.

October note: rafting season is mostly done after Labor Day. The hot springs run year round. The sun sets earlier now too, so start back over Wilkerson Pass while there’s still light.

The Route from Colorado Springs

Take US-24 west through Woodland Park and Divide, over Wilkerson Pass at roughly 9,500 feet, down into Hartsel, then over Trout Creek Pass to Johnson Village. From there it’s about 15 minutes north to Buena Vista or about 25 minutes south to Salida. Springs to Buena Vista runs close to 2 hours, roughly 95 to 100 miles. Buena Vista to Salida is about 25 miles, 30 minutes.

For the way home, you can backtrack US-24 over Wilkerson, or loop east on US-50 through the canyon past Cañon City and north on CO-115 back to the Springs, also around 2 hours, researched rather than timed by me. I’ve been through that canyon stretch between Cañon City and Salida before, and the river runs right alongside the highway most of the way. If you go that direction, our Royal Gorge review covers the stop most people add on that route.

What to Do in Buena Vista

The South Main riverfront and Whitewater Park are the obvious stop, right on the Arkansas with river access built for sitting or wading. If you have extra time, the Barbara Whipple Trail runs along the river through town for an easy walk, and the Heritage Museum downtown covers local mining and rail history if you want something out of the sun. The chamber’s site, buenavistacolorado.org, has the fuller list of what’s open on a given weekend.

Browns Canyon National Monument is the rafting draw here. GetYourGuide’s listings show half-day Browns Canyon trips out of Buena Vista starting around $110 as of today, and outfitter sites note a half-day booking runs close to 4 hours once you count gear-up and shuttle time, so plan the rest of your day around that if you book one. Compare current Arkansas River rafting trips here.

Cottonwood Pass out of town is worth it if you have extra time and good weather, but it’s seasonal and closes for winter. Check CDOT’s road conditions before you count on it being open.

What to Do in Salida

Salida has the bigger downtown of the two. I walked F Street myself on September 6, and it’s a solid stretch for browsing. Amicas Pizza & Microbrew sits on F Street; from their own site, checked October 5, 2026, their hours changed from what we had posted before: Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Sunday noon to 7 p.m. Call ahead if you’re rolling in late.

The historic district and Creative District fill out the rest of downtown with galleries and shops. Riverside Park and the whitewater park that runs through town are worth a look even if you’re not paddling; there’s usually boat traffic to watch from the bank. The official tourism site, visitsalida.co, has the current list of what’s open.

If a soak fits your day, the city-run Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center is indoor, with a lap pool holding 82 to 84 degrees and a leisure pool at 97 to 100. It’s fed from city-owned springs a few miles away and the building dates back to 1937. Check the city’s monthly calendar for hours before you drive over, since this is a public facility and the schedule shifts: cityofsalida.com/aquaticcenter, checked October 5, 2026.

Mount Princeton Hot Springs, Between the Two Towns

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort sits on Chalk Creek in Nathrop, at 15870 County Road 162, roughly between Buena Vista and Salida. From mtprinceton.com, checked October 5, 2026: open year round, day passes sold onsite with no reservation needed, and the pools run 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for in-and-out guests. Senior pricing kicks in at 62. The Spa & Club side is 16 and up and limited to overnight or spa guests, so check which side you’re booking before you drive out.

Hecla Junction: Where I Was Camped

This is the one stretch of this page I lived instead of researched. We were based at Hecla Junction, part of the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, for Labor Day weekend 2026, September 5 through 7. County Road 194, the dirt spur off US-285 that gets you there, was in good shape that weekend, not much washboard. Skip it if it’s been raining.

The rock formations and boulders along the river there are worth the stop on their own. The morning of September 6 the river looked low and rocky, not a week anyone was rafting, but people were out fishing and it looked like good water for it. Old railroad tracks run along the far bank, unused and walkable. There are bathrooms but no drinking water and no trash service, so bring your own water and a bag for your trash; we carried ours into Salida and dropped it at the river park bin. Cell service is one bar to none down in the canyon, so set your directions before you turn off the highway.

You need a vehicle pass to park there. I paid $10 for mine. CPW’s own site lists daily vehicle passes at $10 to $12 for Colorado plates, checked October 5, 2026, and Colorado residents 64 and older can get the Aspen Leaf annual pass for $70, which pays for itself after about seven daily passes. Full details, including camping, are on CPW’s AHRA page.

I’ll go back.

Before You Go

Wilkerson Pass sits over 9,500 feet and the weather up there can turn faster than it does down in the Springs, so check a mountain forecast instead of relying on the one for the Springs. Cell service gets spotty across South Park and along stretches of US-285 and US-50, so have your route saved ahead of time rather than counting on a signal. Buena Vista and Salida both sit roughly 7,000 to 8,000 feet, mild compared to the passes you cross to get there. Top off the tank before you leave the Springs. There are stations along the way, but the stretch through South Park is long and empty.

If You’d Rather Stay the Night

If a day trip feels rushed, both towns have plenty of lodging, and staying over changes the trip completely. You get an actual soak at Mount Princeton without watching the clock, or a full day in each town instead of splitting one day between both. Rates move with the season, so check current prices for places to stay in Buena Vista or Salida before you commit either way.

For more of the same from this side of the state, see our 7 Best Day Trips from Colorado Springs That Most Tourists Never Find and Weekend Getaways from Colorado Springs for People Who Actually Live Here. If hot springs are the draw, check our hot springs near Colorado Springs roundup, and if you’re taking the US-50 way home, our scenic drives near Colorado Springs page covers more of that corridor.

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Author: Dominic