You traveled all the way to Colorado to play in the snow, and now look at you. Your backside can't break another fall. Your knees are screaming after that last black-diamond slope. Your throat burns from breathing the wintry air.
Never mind all that. There are places where you can recover from too much recreation.
Colorado boasts about 30 commercial hot springs, not to mention all the undeveloped pools by the side of the road. Chances are your favorite ski resort is an hour or two from a great place to soak.
Near the end of your ski vacation, take off early one afternoon, get a bite to eat, and head to the nearest hot spring to soak out your ski kinks. To fully enjoy the experience, book lodging nearby so that you don't have to drive home in the dark, on icy roads, sleepy after a day of skiing and soaking.
Pagosa Springs
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In addition to being well-situated, thirty minutes from Wolf Creek Ski Area and within driving distance of such attractions as Mesa Verde National Park, the Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs lays out the most beautiful array of mineral pools anywhere in Colorado.
It's best to visit the Springs Resort early in the morning because it fills up by 11 o'clock. As the sun rises above the buildings, illuminating the steam rising from the pools, the atmosphere is otherworldly. Once the fog clears, you will see restaurants and other nearby developments from pools located to the right of the bathhouse, but if you venture nearer Golden Pond, the view extends down the river. When you've accustomed yourself to the moderately hot pools, cross the submerged boardwalk and step gingerly into The Cliffs pool, formed from natural travertine deposits and reaching as high as 114 degrees Fahrenheit. In several pools dotting the edge of the river, hot and cold waters mingle, or you can take a cold plunge into the San Juan River itself.
The Springs Resort is open later than any other hot spring, and it offers a ski-and-soak package that includes lift tickets at Wolf Creek Ski Area, lodging at the resort and unlimited 24-hour use of the pools. Extensive spa services are available.
Hot Sulphur Springs
Hot Sulphur Springs is a sleepy little town on the Colorado River where the hot springs have been in use for centuries, first by the Utes and then by settlers. The hot springs were developed by William Byers, founder of the Rocky Mountain News, at about the time Colorado became a state. What is now Hot Sulphur Springs Resort and Spa is conveniently located less than two hours from Denver and 30 miles west of Winter Park.
The lodge, nestled in the shadow of scrubby hills where deer feed in the afternoon, boasts Ute Cave Pool, with a free-shoulder-massage waterfall and a one-person grotto, and Elk Pool, one of two completely enclosed pools, as well as about 20 other pools of varying temperatures and sizes. Some are closed in the winter to regulate water flow. Only four pools are open to children up to 12 years old.
It's true the resort can get crowded, but you can always find another pool or rent the private pool. And after you've soaked until your fingers have canyons and mountain ranges instead of mere fingerprints, the resort offers a wide selection of facials, massages and body treatments to help your skin recover from the harsh effects of winter recreation.
Ouray
Ah yes, Ouray, the "Switzerland of America," named after a Ute Indian leader. It might be too much for the average family to drive from Telluride to Ouray and back after skiing, but the solution is simple: Leave Telluride early one day and drive through Placerville to Ridgway, where you can have lunch at the True Grit Café. Parts of that famous Western were filmed in and around Ridgway and at the Ouray Courthouse.
Once in Ouray, you can find reasonably priced rooms at Box Canyon Lodge and Hot Springs, which makes available only to guests four redwood tubs with 360-degree views. The mineral waters run through these tubs, completely replacing themselves every 24 hours, so no chemicals are necessary.
Keep in mind, however, that Ouray has three other locations where you can soak, each offering a different experience. For the family-minded there is the Ouray Hot Springs Pool and Fitness Center. It's a great place to take the kids, and on a snowy night, the flakes falling past the lights spark a magical atmosphere. Jump in the hot pool to warm up after scooting from the locker room, and then tumble into the cold pool and see how long you last. It will make you appreciate hot springs all the more.
Those desiring a more upscale experience should stay at the historic Wiesbaden Hot Springs Spa, which offers everything from standard rooms to the Sunroom (built into the mountain) to houses. Guests can enjoy extended hours at Wiesbaden's outdoor swimming pool, whose waters, at about 100 degrees, steam in the wintry air, and discounted rates at an outdoor private pool called the Lorelei that can be rented by the hour, but all of Wiesbaden is open to the public.
The real attraction at Wiesbaden is its vapor cave, which is not to be missed. Descending through the lodge into the heart of the mountain, you open the door to find water flowing over mineral formations deposited by the springs and under a second door. Beyond it, you can soothe your lungs by stretching out on the hearth and merely breathing or by soaking in the shallow pool, kept at about 107 degrees. Chaise longues are conveniently placed in the lodge just outside the cave for those who need to recover from the heat and humidity.
Your final option is Orvis Hot Springs, located eight miles north of Ouray, south of Ridgway. Some of the pools and areas at Orvis are clothing-optional, but that doesn't mean you can ogle all the naked bodies: too much of that will get you tossed out quicker than you can say "naturist." Orvis also offers one pool where you can soak and smoke, a rarity these days, and indoor pools.
Both Orvis and Wiesbaden offer spa services. Wiesbaden offers Aveda facials and body treatments, as well as massage and reflexology, whereas Orvis offers massages only in its yurts.
The Springs Resort
• Contact: 1-800-225-0934; www.pagosahotsprings.com
Hot Sulphur Springs Resort and Spa
• Contact: 1-800-510-6235, www.hotsulphursprings.com
Wiesbaden Hot Springs Spa
• Contact: 1-888-846-5191; www.wiesbadenhotsprings.com
Orvis Hot Springs
• Contact: 1-970-626-5324; www.orvishotsprings.com
Ouray Hot Springs Pool and Fitness Center
• Contact: 1-970-325-7073
Box Canyon Lodge and Hot Springs
• Contact: 1-800-327-5080; www.boxcanyonouray.com
