Valley View Hot Springs

What to expect

Valley View Hot Springs sits on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, at the north end of the San Luis Valley, between about 8,600 and 9,000 feet. The springs come out of the hillside, and the soaking spots are scattered along it: a handful of rock-walled ponds, a big old swimming pool near the parking area, and a sauna. From most of them you look straight out over the flat valley floor.

It is run by Orient Land Trust, a nonprofit set up in 2001 by Neil and Terry Seitz, who had owned Valley View for 35 years before that. The trust also looks after the Everson Ranch next door and the old Orient Mine. That shows in how the place feels. It is low key and rustic, with trails, primitive cabins and campsites instead of tiled pools and a spa menu.

The whole property is clothing optional. Orient Land Trust describes it as naturist, which it defines as communal nudity in a non-erotic setting. Many people soak without suits, and you are welcome either way.

The pools

Orient Land Trust describes the soaking spots like this:

• Three natural rock ponds: a short walk from the main area. Spring water bubbles up through the gravel floor and is held by rock walls. They generally run about 91 to 97°F33 to 36°C. Uncover Colorado names them the Soaking Pond (the largest and deepest), the Waterfall Pond (fed by a wooden pipe) and the Meadow Pond (smallest and shallowest, often the most private).
• Top Ponds: a set of three ponds about a quarter mile up the mountain on a steep trail. The temperature changes with the season. The view across the valley is the best on the property.
• Large swimming pool: first built in the early 1900s, with a constant flow of fresh spring water that keeps it at a steady temperature. It is cooler than the ponds, closer to swimming temperature.
• Apple Tree ponds: two rock ponds filled with spring water that is warmed further, usually 102 to 106°F39 to 41°C. They are heated with electricity from the property’s own small hydroelectric plant, so the temperature shifts with how much power the property is using.
• Sauna: on the deck by the big pool, built over a stream. The water runs into a tub in the sauna floor, so you can cool off without leaving.

The water is not chlorinated. The same spring flow heats most of the buildings and drives the hydro plant.

Prices and booking

Rates from Orient Land Trust, in effect since July 1, 2025:

• Day pass: $20. Arrive between 11 am and 6 pm and stay until 8 pm.
• Overnight pass: $40 per person per night. Access runs from 11 am on arrival day to 8 pm on departure day. Arrive before 9 pm.
• Children 15 and under: free with supervision on both passes.
• Tent camping: $15 a night from May 1 to September 30, and no site charge from October 1 to April 30 (you still pay the overnight pass).
• Vehicle camping: $20 a night.
• Cabins and rooms: large cabins (Cottonwood, Elm, Willow) $90, small cabins (Aspen, Cedar) $75, Sunset House $80, Spruce House rooms $70 or $85, Oak House rooms $35 and an Oak House dorm bed $20. All are per night, on top of the overnight pass.
• Saguache County residents get a $5 discount.

Reservations are required. The trust limits daily numbers, and nonmembers can book 24 hours in advance. A supporting membership lets you book further ahead. Cancelling a day pass is free with more than two weeks’ notice, $5 within two weeks, and the full price within 24 hours or for a no-show. Call 719-256-4315 (staffed 9 am to 9 pm) or email info@olt.org.

Rules and etiquette

• Clothing optional everywhere. Respectful behavior is expected at all times.
• No glass. That includes glass water bottles. Nothing breakable in the ponds or on trails.
• No campfires anywhere on the property, and no generators.
• Smoking only in designated areas or inside your vehicle. Under a Stage 2 fire ban, smoking is restricted to inside your own vehicle.
• Devices: Wi-Fi is only at the welcome center, and the trust asks you to keep phone use there.
• Quiet hours in the communal Oak House are 10 pm to 8 am.
• Pets must be leashed and attended at all times. Waste bags are provided.
• Sunscreen: use a reef-safe type. The trust asks for it to protect wildlife downstream.

Getting there

The address is 64393 County Road GG, Moffat. Despite the Moffat postal address, it is closer to Villa Grove.

• From Salida or Poncha Springs: Take US 285 south over Poncha Pass, about 26 miles, to the junction with Colorado 17. Turn onto Highway 17 and then almost immediately onto County Road GG, heading east toward the mountains. The springs are about 7 miles up County Road GG. Joyful Journey Hot Springs is right at that junction.
• From Alamosa: Drive about 49.5 miles north on Highway 17 and turn right onto County Road GG for about 7 miles.

Bring everything you need. The nearest gas station, grocery store and restaurant are about 35 minutes away. Once you park, the ponds are reached on short, rugged trails, so wear shoes that can handle dirt and rock, and bring a headlamp (red light setting after dark).

When to go

Valley View is open most of the year. The exception is December: in its most recent notice the office closed from December 1 to 28 and reopened December 29, and some vehicle camping sites (I to P) close for winter because the loop cannot be plowed.

Summer is warm by day and cold at night at this height. From mid-June to mid-September, Brazilian free-tailed bats roost in the Orient Mine above the property, and watching them leave at dusk is a big reason people visit. Fire bans are common in summer.

September and October bring cooler days, fewer people and good conditions for the Top Ponds hike.

Winter is quiet and cold, with snow on the trails at times. The rock ponds are on the cooler side for freezing nights, and the Apple Tree ponds and sauna get more use.

Weekends book up first, especially in summer. Book as soon as your 24-hour window opens, or become a member if you visit often.

Where to stay nearby

• On site: cabins, rooms in the Sunset, Spruce and Oak houses, a dorm, tent sites and vehicle sites. There are no private bathrooms; guests share two co-ed bathhouses. Bring full bedding for indoor rooms, plus towels and food.
• Joyful Journey Hot Springs, at the junction with Highway 17, has a lodge, yurts, tipis and RV sites if you prefer a swimsuit-on soak with more services.
• Salida and Poncha Springs, about 37 miles north, have the closest full range of hotels and restaurants.
• Crestone, further south along the Sangre de Cristos, has small inns and retreat centers.

Safety notes

• Altitude and heat: at 8,600 to 9,000 feet, the Apple Tree ponds and sauna can make you dizzy fast. Drink water and step out often.
• Trails at night: the paths between ponds are rough and unlit. Carry a light, and expect frost or ice in cold months.
• Weather: conditions change quickly on the mountain front. Pack for cold nights in any season and for summer lightning.
• Remoteness: you are about 35 minutes from fuel and food. Arrive with a full tank.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Orient Mine, run by the same trust, produced iron ore from 1880 to 1932 and was the largest iron producer in Colorado in that period. Today it is known for its summer bat colony, estimated at about 250,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats at peak. The walk up is roughly 2 miles, passing the old townsite of Orient. Great Sand Dunes National Park is a longer drive south down the valley and pairs well with a night at the springs.