Located at the mouth of Glenwood Canyon on the Colorado River, the geothermic hot springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, were named by the Utes “Yampa” meaning “Big Medicine.” For centuries they have been sought out and enjoyed for their rejuvenating properties.

Glenwood Hot Springs Pool and Resort opened for business in 1888 and their pool is the largest of its kind in the world. Three and a half million gallons of mineral-rich spring water surge through the pool each day. Both the famous and infamous have soaked there including Buffalo Bill Cody, Diamond Jim Brady, William Taft, Theodore Roosevelt, Doc Holiday, and Al Capone.

The enormous 100 x 400-foot main pool is a comfortable 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Even on the busiest days, there is plenty of space to frolic or find a relaxing spot all to yourself. There are lap lanes and a diving board at the deep end that is in constant use. A therapy pool next to the main pool is kept at a perfect 104 degrees to soothe aching muscles and joints. There are hoists onsite so that handicapped people can also revitalize with a satisfying soak.

Complete with a 10-foot-high waterfall, the kiddie pool keeps children joyously entertained for hours. There are three small slides next to it for the youngest among them and a fountain to run through. The lazy river-style Shoshone Chutes meander 700-feet through some not-so-lazy drops and banked turns making for a thrilling way for innertube-riders to get wet during the three-minute ride.

Tickets cost $39 for adults and $25 for children under 13 years of age on weekdays, $42 and $26 respectively on weekends. Children under three years old are free. Worth every penny and more, you may exit and enter the facility as many times as you like, spending 13 hours there if you so choose. A grassy area to the side makes a pleasant place to kick back in a lounge chair in the shade or rent a cabana. At the grill and snack bar you can order such items as soups, salads, wraps, burgers, pizza, soft drinks, beer, wine, and lattes. Two hundred ice cream cones are consumed on an average summer day.

On the west side of town, another hot springs option is the more intimate Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Established one year before Glenwood Hot Springs Pool in 1887, it has seen several owners and gone by various names over the years. Its structures were razed in 1966 in preparation for a proposed water park that never came to fruition. It sat unoccupied until 2015 when the construction of Iron Mountain Hot Springs was completed.

Set on an idyllic lot alongside the Colorado River with spectacular views of Iron Mountain, marmots are often seen there during warmer months. Sixteen pools of varying depths and temperatures ranging from 98 to 106 degrees relax bathers. Though plenty of folks laugh and engage in friendly conversation, it is known as the “quiet zone.” The complex is wheelchair friendly and an aquatic wheelchair is available upon request. The 93-degree family pool is a fun place for kids to play below an elevated jetted spa heated to 103 degrees. A waterfall cascades from the spa onto swimmers below in the pool. Adjacent casual outdoor dining and free ice water are offered.

Open daily from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., to retain its uncrowded ambiance, tickets are sold in three-hour blocks. Each session for anyone over two years old runs between $36 and $48 depending on the day and time slot. An all-day soak runs $100 on weekdays and $125 on weekends.

For more information about Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, go to www.hotspringspool.com.

For more information about Iron Mountain Hot Springs, go to www.ironmountainhotsprings.com.