Durango Hot Springs Resort + Spa

What to expect

For most of the last century this was Trimble Hot Springs, a modest roadside pool in the Animas Valley with a couple of small hot pools draining into a big swimming pool. Frank Trimble built the first bathhouse here in 1874, and the place went through fires, closures and several owners before it was sold in 2019. The new owners tore out the old pools, which they said had suffered years of deferred maintenance, and rebuilt the site as Durango Hot Springs Resort + Spa.

What you find today is a large, landscaped soaking complex under ponderosa pines with the valley walls rising on both sides. There are 32 mineral soaking pools of different sizes and temperatures, a 25-meter resort-style swimming pool, two cold plunges, a mineral-water rain tower and a reflexology walking path. Nineteen of the soaking pools are family pools. The other 13, plus one of the cold plunges, are for adults only.

The water comes from a geothermal well at about 120°F49°C, and the pools are cooled to a range of soaking temperatures. The resort does not publish a figure for each pool, so expect to test a few and pick your favorites. The thermal pools are not chlorinated: the resort runs them as flow-through pools that turn over roughly every two hours. The swimming pool and cold plunges are chlorinated. The operator also adds micro-bubbles of oxygen to the soaking pools with a system it calls AquaGen, which gives some pools a slightly milky look.

The feel is closer to a busy day spa than a historic bathhouse. Expect music on some evenings, a concession stand selling beer and snacks, and plenty of people.

The pools

• Family soaking pools (19): open to all ages, but they are still quiet pools. No swimming, splashing, jumping, floats or toys.
• Adult pools (13) and one cold plunge: guests 18 and over only.
• Swimming pool: 25 meters long and chlorinated. This is the one place kids can play and splash.
• Ofuro tubs (5): private Japanese-style cedar tubs, booked through the spa. Adults 18 and over.
• Accessibility: the renovated complex has between 10 and 12 ADA-accessible soaking pools (the operator gives both figures), plus a family locker room with two separate changing areas.

Getting there

The resort is at 6475 County Road 203, in the Animas Valley north of town.

• From downtown Durango: Drive north on US 550 for about 9 miles. Turn onto Trimble Lane and follow it to County Road 203, where the resort is signed. Allow about 15 minutes in normal traffic.
• From Purgatory Resort: Head south on US 550 for about 30 minutes and turn off at Trimble Lane.
• From Pagosa Springs or the Front Range: US 160 west brings you into Durango. Pick up US 550 north from downtown.

Parking on the property is free. Do not park on County Road 203 or in neighbors’ lots; the resort asks people not to, and the road is narrow. The roads are paved all the way, and the pools are a short walk from the lot.

When to go

The resort is open every day of the year from 9am to 10pm, and it is busy in every season. Visitation jumped from about 17,000 a year before the rebuild to more than 220,000 in 2025, so time slots do sell out.

Winter is the classic time: ski at Purgatory, then soak under the stars on the drive back to town. Evening slots on Saturdays and holidays go first. Summer is warm in the afternoon sun, and the early-morning slots are the most pleasant. Weekday mornings in spring and fall are the quietest of all.

Prices and booking

• Soaking: adults $49 for 2 hours or $59 for 3 hours. Children pay half: $24 or $29. Under-18s must be with an adult 18 or older.
• Booking: reservations are required. Slots start every half hour, and you pay in full when you book. No refunds or changes within 48 hours. Cardholders from outside the US have to phone to book.
• Re-entry: not allowed once your time slot has ended.
• Towels and lockers: towels rent for $5.99. Open cubbies are free, and lockers cost $5 or $8.
• Passes: frequency cards and annual passes are sold. Seniors, military and first responders get 10% off those, not single soaks.
• Spa: massages, facials and ofuro tubs are booked separately. Treatments include pool access, towels and a robe. The minimum age is 18, cancellations need 24 hours, and a 20% gratuity is added at checkout.

Rules and etiquette

• Swimwear is required. It is not a clothing-optional site. Street clothes, underwear and sweats are not allowed in the pools.
• Shower first and take jewelry off.
• No outside food or drink except water in a non-glass bottle. No coolers. You can refill bottles in the lobby. Outside alcohol is banned and enforced because of the liquor license.
• No glass, smoking, vaping or drones.
• Water shoes are fine in the pools. Street shoes are not.
• Swim diapers are required for small children and are sold at the front desk.
• Light-colored swimsuits can discolor in the mineral water, so bring an old one.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging on site right now; the resort says it plans to add some in future. It has preferred rates with several downtown Durango hotels, including the General Palmer, the Strater, the Rochester Hotel and Leland House, the DoubleTree and The Boundary, plus O-Bar-O Cabins. Downtown is about 15 minutes south by car and has the most choice. If you are skiing, Purgatory has its own slopeside lodging about half an hour north.

Safety notes

• Heat: the resort recommends getting out of the hot pools about every 15 minutes to cool down, and resting for around 30 minutes after a long soak. Drink water throughout.
• Alcohol: beer and drinks are sold on site, but heat plus alcohol can cause dizziness and fainting. Keep it light.
• Children: there are no lifeguards in the soaking pools. Keep children 8 and under within arm’s reach.
• Medical conditions: the operator advises pregnant guests, and anyone with a heart or blood pressure condition, to check with a doctor first.
• Do not soak alone, and stay out of the pools with an open wound.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs up the same Animas Valley from downtown, and the pools make an easy stop on the way back. In winter, Purgatory Resort is the obvious pairing. If you are touring southwest Colorado’s springs, the resorts in Pagosa Springs are east on US 160.