Antero Hot Springs Cabins

What to expect

Antero Hot Springs Cabins is a small rental property in the Chalk Creek valley west of Nathrop, sitting between Mount Princeton and Mount Antero in the San Isabel National Forest. It is not a pool complex. There are three separate cabins, and each one comes with its own outdoor soaking pool a few steps from the door. When you book a cabin, that pool is yours for the stay.

The pools are hand-shaped concrete with built-in seating, fed by a hot spring on the property. According to the operator, the water reaches the surface at around 135°F57°C after circulating deep along a fault, and the pools run between 100 and 112°F38 and 44°C. Each has a cold-water valve, so you can tune it yourself. Water flows through continuously, no chemicals are added, and the pools are drained, scrubbed and refilled between guests. The water is low in sulfur and does not smell. The operator publishes a mineral analysis, with silica, sodium and sulfate the main components.

The setting is a narrow mountain valley along Chalk Creek, with the white Chalk Cliffs on the flank of Mount Princeton nearby. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats are sometimes seen on the cliffs, and deer and elk wander through the property.

The cabins

• Cottonwood Cabin is a hand-hewn log cabin more than a century old. It served as a post office for the Cottonwood Lakes area around the turn of the 20th century and was hauled to this site by horse-drawn flatbed around 1920. It has two bedrooms (one queen, one with two twins), one shower-only bathroom and a quartz fireplace. It sleeps 4.
• Hortense Cabin was built on site in the early 1920s and named after Hortense Hot Spring further up the canyon. It has three queen bedrooms, a bathroom and a separate plunge room with a shower, and sleeps 6.
• Chalk Cliffs Chalet is a larger home of about 1,900 square feet on two acres along the creek, remodeled in 2024. It sleeps 8 across four queen beds and has three bathrooms, air conditioning and a TV. Its pool is fed by a geothermal well from the same source and held at 102-104°F39-40°C by a thermostat.

All three have full kitchens with reverse osmosis water filters, coffee, WiFi and a wood fireplace or insert, with firewood supplied from October to April. Basic pantry items, shampoo and conditioner are not provided. The same owners also rent a property called The Landmark on Main Street in Salida, which is a town rental rather than part of the hot springs site.

Getting there

The cabins are on County Road 162, the paved road that runs west up Chalk Creek from US Highway 285 at Nathrop. Nathrop sits on US 285 between Buena Vista and Salida.

• From Buena Vista: Head south on US 285 to the Nathrop area, turn west on County Road 162 and drive past Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort. The cabins are about a quarter mile further west. The operator puts the drive at about 15 minutes.
• From Salida: Head north on US 285 to County Road 162, about 20 minutes in total.
• From Denver or Colorado Springs: Allow about 2.5 hours.

The roads are paved all the way, and parking is at each cabin. Exact arrival instructions come with your booking.

When to go

The cabins are open year-round, and each season works differently.

Winter is the reason many people book. Snow piles up around the pools, nights are cold and clear, and Monarch Mountain ski area is within reach. The roads are paved and plowed, but carry chains or good tires on US 285 and the passes.

Summer brings hiking on the fourteeners, rafting on the Arkansas River out of Buena Vista, and fishing on Chalk Creek. It is also the busiest booking period.

September and early October are a sweet spot, with golden aspens, cooler nights for soaking and fewer people on the trails.

The cabins fill early. The operator takes bookings up to a year ahead, and popular dates go fast.

Prices and booking

Rates published by the operator for 2026, for two people per night:

• Cottonwood Cabin: $425-450
• Hortense Cabin: $450-475
• Chalk Cliffs Chalet: $500-550

Each additional guest is $60 per night. 2027 rates are about $25 to $50 higher. Expect these extras on the bill:

• A $40 booking fee when you reserve, with the balance charged 30 days before arrival
• 7.55% county lodging tax and a 3% card processing fee
• A $60 surcharge on the occasional single-night stay offered in gaps between bookings

Only Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Cancelling more than 30 days out costs $40. Inside 30 days you get a refund, less $40, only if the dates rebook. There are no refunds for weather.

Key rules: check-in is 3:30 pm and check-out 10:30 am. Pets are not allowed, and smoking indoors is banned, each with a penalty of at least $200. Anyone using the pool who is not a registered guest must be cleared with management before you book. Children are welcome but must be supervised, since there are no lifeguards. Swimwear is up to you, because the pool is private to your group.

Massage is available by appointment through the operator’s partner, so ask when you book.

Where to stay nearby

If Antero is full, the closest alternatives are in the same valley. Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort, a quarter mile east, has a lodge, cabins and day-use pools. Aqua Hot Spring is another private cabin rental with its own spring-fed pool on Chalk Creek. Forest Service campgrounds, including Chalk Lake and Cascade, sit further up County Road 162. Buena Vista and Salida both have motels, inns and restaurants.

Safety notes

• Hot water: At the top of the range, 112°F44°C is hot enough to make people lightheaded. Use the cold valve, keep soaks short and drink water.
• Alcohol and glass: Do not soak after drinking, and keep glass away from the pool area.
• Children: There are no lifeguards. An adult should be with kids in the pool at all times.
• Altitude: The cabins sit above 8,000 feet. Visitors from low elevations should take it easy the first day, especially in hot water.
• Icy decks: In winter the area around the pools can freeze. Wear sandals with grip between the cabin and the pool.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Chalk Cliffs rise just above the valley. Further up County Road 162, the road follows an old railroad grade to St. Elmo, a well-preserved mining ghost town. The Colorado Trail crosses Chalk Creek nearby, and the Mount Antero and Mount Princeton routes start up the valley for experienced hikers.