Visiting Strawberry Park Hot Springs – Goal #18 & 28 (v.2.0)

Andréa and Bryce’s wedding in Steamboat Springs in mid-September gave Heather and I a chance to check two more goals off 101 Goals in 1001 Days (v.2.0) list:

#18 – Visit a Natural Hot Springs
#28 – Visit Steamboat Springs

Technically #28 was checked off in July, when my parents were in town and we camped up in Steamboat, but this time around Heather and I had a chance to do a little more exploring of the actual town itself.

On Saturday we photographed Andréa and Bryce’s wedding at Midnight Ranch, then on Sunday Heather and I slept in (celebrating the fact that a cat wasn’t sitting our head at 4:30 in the morning), then grabbed breakfast at a popular local joint in downtown Steamboat Springs.  We spent about an hour wandering the shops downtown, then jumped in our car to take in the waters at Strawberry Park Hot Springs .  I was super excited to experience my first hot springs in Colorado and Strawberry Park did not disappoint.  In fact, it probably over delivered, which means I now have very high expectations for all future hot springs visits.

To start off, the whole springs feels very secluded and intimate, accessed via a dirt road and payment taken only by cash or check.  Once you round the bend you get to the bathrooms which are huge, airy, and bright (I took photos, but Heather said that was weird), then continue on down a path to the springs, which are divided into multiple pools of varying temperatures. There are all sorts of nooks and crannies to explore and chairs everywhere to take a break when you need to cool off and dry off.

Overall Heather and I spent about 2 hours lounging at the springs.  It was so realaxing.  I wish we could have stayed longer and taken a quick nap in our chairs.  Or that we had been staying in Steamboat for another night so we could have gone back to our hotel for an afternoon nap.  Unfortunately we had to risk the traffic on I-70 in order to get home for work the next day.

But I have to say, I think Hot Springs are magical and it would have been awesome to live 100 years ago when visiting the hot springs for weeks at a time was a luxury vacation.