Mt. Princton Hot Springs Resort Fun For Our 50th Anniversary !

My husband and I celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary in early October--click here--to see that post. To continue our happy celebration, we decided to spend a few days enjoying the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort in Nathrop, Colorado.  We enjoyed this resort four years ago for a day--click here--to read that post, but we did not stay there on that visit, as we also traveled to see other Colorado sights.

Mount Princeton is a part of Colorado's Collegiate Peaks and the Sawatch Range in central Colorado. The mountain stands at 14,197 feet, and one can hike a challenging 13.25-mile out-and-back hike that ascends to a grueling 5,400 vertical feet. Nearby is the 14,269-foot Mt. Antero, which has a 16-mile round-trip hike, with 5,200 vertical feet climb. 

The resort has views of both mountains, as well as the Chalk Cliffs.  The cliffs are actually made of kaolinite. This soft white clay is deposited by hot mineral waters that bubble up through cracks in the granite. Chalk Creek flows through Chalk Creek Canyon bringing their hot springs water to the Mt Princeton Resort.

 

The Princeton Hot Springs Resort includes on-site many different accommodation options, from a lodge to cabins and creekside suites, and there is a restaurant, and spa treatments available, as well as fitness and yoga classes for guests/

On our arrival at the resort, we spent the day soaking in the Creekside Hot Springs. The geothermal hot spring water bubbles out of the ground at 140 degrees Fahrenheit and mixes with the cold water in Chalk Creek. 

Open to all guests, each pool is approximately one foot in depth with a comfortable sandy bottom, if the water gets too hot one has to simply remove a few stones to allow cooler water to rush into the rock pools. Each pool offers different temperature ranges and a unique view of the surrounding mountains above.

On the second and third days that we stayed at the resort, we enjoyed the Spa Pool. The Relaxation Pool is maintained at a soothing temperature of 90 – 99°F.

We also enjoyed the Cascading Hot Springs which are three Japanese-style cascading pools located in a more private setting next to the rushing waters of Chalk Creek. Constructed entirely from rock and fed by the hot springs, these pools are nestled right into the ground. Each pool offers a different temperature varying from 107 degrees to 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

All of the hot springs are open from 9AM to 9PM.  If you'd like to view a short video explaining how the Hot Springs were formed at Mt Princeton click on this Youtube link.

 

The unusually warm fall temperatures we had this year in Colorado meant that the resort's flowers were still in beautiful bloom!

We had a delicious and filling breakfast each day at the resort, but in the evening we drove to the nearby towns. The first day we visited charming town of Buena Vista. Buena Vista is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Numerous rafting companies are based around Buena Vista, offering guests thrilling whitewater rafting trips on the Arkansas River. Anglers also share the river, which was awarded Gold Medal Trout Water by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.

We ate at a casual restaurant called Simple Eatery, where I enjoyed the freshly caught trout and mixed vegetables, while my husband had an Elk Burger that was on a handmade pretzel loaf bun. Both meals were delicious!

On our way back to the resort we saw a beautiful bright sunset! It was a wonderful ending to a perfect day. 

In my next posts, I'll show our drive to the summit of a mountain via Cottonwood Pass and our visit to another charming nearby town south of the resort--Salida. 

Please join me again on my blog next week!

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Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort in Nathrop, Colorado

When my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary in October, we continued a tradition we began when we moved to Colorado by visiting a Colorado hot spring area for a few days.  We've visited Strawberry Springs in Steamboat Springs, Iron Mountain Springs in Glenwood Springs, and this year we spent a few days in Buena Vista, Colorado and visited the Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort that is located in Nathrop, between the towns of Buena Vista and Salida, Colorado.

Mount Princeton is a part of Colorado's Collegiate Peaks, part of the Sawatch Range in central Colorado. The mountain stands at 14,197 feet, and one can hike a challenging 13.25-mile out-and-back hike that ascends to a grueling 5,400 vertical feet.  Nearby is 14,269-foot Mt. Antero, which has a 16-mile round-trip hike, with 5,200 vertical feet climb.  The resort has views of both mountains, as well as the Chalk Cliffs.

Not being athletic enough to consider taking either of those hikes, We decided that enjoying the views of those mountains from the various pools in the resort would do.  What beautiful views they were! 

The Princeton Hot Springs Resort includes on-site many different accommodation options, from a lodge to cabins and creekside suites, and there is a restaurant, and spa treatments available, as well as fitness and yoga classes for guests.

The odorless geothermal fed pools vary in size and location on the premises. We spent the most time in the brand new family relaxation pool.  There is also an exercise pool, a historic bathhouse pool that was built in the mid-1800s, a relaxation pool that is adult-only, and a soaking pool.

In the Upper Pools and Lazy River, there is a 400 hundred foot long water slide that traverses down the hill into a pool. We saw children and teenagers enjoying that slide all day long!

We also tried the creek hot springs pools located right in the midst of the cool rushing waters of Chalk Creek. Each natural pool located along the creek is fed by natural geothermal hot springs with water as hot as 140 degrees that are bubbling up into the creek bed and mingling with the cold spring water.

The creek is approximately one foot in depth most of the year with a comfortable sandy bottom. By moving a few stones one can allow cooler water to rush in and cool the water until you reach the desired temperature inside your own circle of stones.

A hillside view of the upper Mt Princeton Resort Pools and slide.

We really enjoyed soaking and relaxing in the Mount Princeton Resort pools and creek hot mineral waters.  We also enjoyed exploring the nearby towns of Salida and Buena Vista, as well as a few ghost towns located in the mountains--more about these places in future blog posts. We are now researching more hot spring areas for future trips, and feel fortunate to be living in a state that has so many!

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Steamboat Springs and Strawberry Park Hot Springs

As I mentioned in my last blog post about the Broadmoor Resort and Hotel in Colorado Springs, my husband and I planned to celebrate our anniversary in two parts. We enjoyed the luxury and the history of the Broadmoor, as the first part, and now we were going on an adventure in NW Colorado to Steamboat Springs in Routt County, for the second part. This was a new area that we had not seen before, so our anticipation was high. (All photos and photo collages will enlarge for easier viewing if clicked on)

It was early October, and we thought we might have already missed most of the autumn color, but we were pleasantly surprised to see there were still many areas that had a beautiful warm autumn glow.  As usual, I snapped photos as my husband drove.

The topography of this area of Colorado was very unique and varied...

...some of it reminded us of the badlands in South Dakota or the Painted Desert in Arizona.

There were long tracks of wilderness...

 ....as well as fertile valleys that contained rivers and large ranches.

We drove over Rabbit Ears Pass towards Steamboat Springs. Although not as high or treacherous as many mountain passes, it is often closed for a time in winter because of heavy snow.

Again, as we approached Steamboat Springs, we saw many ranches and lots of haymaking going on.

Steamboat Springs is an internationally known winter ski resort town.

Steamboat Springs contains the Steamboat Ski Resort, which is located on Mount Werner, in the Park Range east of Steamboat Springs, and also the smaller Howelsen Ski Area.   If you click on to enlarge the photo collage above you can see a statue of Carl Howelsen in downtown Steamboat and read why he is called "The Father of Skiing in Colorado," as he introduced ski jumping and skiing to Colorado in 1914.  The Howelsen Hill Ski area has sent more skiers to international competition than any other area in North America and has been the training ground for more than 64 Olympians making over 90 Winter Olympic appearances.

My husband and I enjoyed the town of Steamboat Springs and found so much to do there! We arrived on a Friday afternoon, and after checking into our hotel we walked up and down the downtown main street, looking in the shops, and a few of the many art galleries. We also walked along a portion of the very scenic 7.5 mile Yampa River Core Trail that runs through the heart of town during our stay. During the warm summer months, there are often tubers floating on the river. There were many wonderful restaurants in town, and we celebrated the actual day of our anniversary with a gourmet meal at Harwigs--a Steamboat institution for 32 years. 
I posted photos of our meal on my Instagram account. I often update my Instagram account more timely than my blog, and if you'd like to follow me there I'd appreciate it.

The Steamboat area has 150 geothermal hot springs that were revered by the Native Americans and pioneers alike.  The name "Steamboat" was actually given to the town because a spring there made a sound that reminded settlers of a steamboat chugging down a river. Unfortunately, the construction of the railroad in 1909 made the sound go away.  In the heart of town, there are the Old Town Hot Springs pools in a very modern facility, but we chose to drive to the more rustic Strawberry Park Springs a short distance away.

Strawberry Park Springs is about a 15-minute drive up a mountain through some beautiful aspen groves.  The last two miles of the road is not paved, so during certain months four-wheel drive or snow chains are required. There are also shuttle services that will bring you to Strawberry Park Springs from Steamboat Springs.

The hot mineral springs are open year-round and are family-friendly during the day but only those 18 years and over are allowed to use the springs in the evening, as wearing bathing suits is optional after dark.

The hot mineral springs are contained in very natural looking pools. The 147-degree hot mineral spring water coming out of the ground is mixed with the cold Strawberry Creek water and channeled into the pools. The top pool is 105-106 degree F, and as the water flows toward the two lower pools it cools two degrees in each one.

As you can see in the photo above, the different pools are separated by stone walls. The pools have a rocky/sandy bottom and are about 4 feet deep.

The steaming hot mineral water that flows beneath the rocks keeps the area warm, even in cool weather. The pools are drained and cleaned every week.  If you look at my husband standing in one of the pools in the lower right of the collage, you can see how the water is crystal clear.  The hot spring water felt so delightful!  We stayed in the hottest pool for most of our visits as it was so relaxing.  We would stay in for about 15 - 20 minutes and then get out and lay in one of the lounge chairs, repeating this routine many times.  We stayed a few hours during the day over the weekend and did not participate in the bathing suit optional evenings. Facilities include restrooms, heated cabin for changing, and picnic areas.  There were private areas for massage and Watsu aquatic therapy. No smoking or alcohol or pets are allowed.

Strawberry Park Springs is truly a beautiful setting and a fabulous experience to enjoy!  It, and Steamboat Springs,  made the second part of our anniversary celebration truly memorable.  We did more activities while in the area, but they will be saved for future posts.  Colorado seems limitless in its beauty and availability for a variety of natural experiences.  I feel very fortunate to now live here, after enjoying New York City for most of my life.  It feels as if I've enjoyed the best of two worlds!

Thank you all for your wonderful best wishes on our 41st anniversary.  I sometimes feel like it is impossible that so many years have passed, but I am so pleased that our years together have been happy ones, and I hope and pray we will be blessed with many, many, more!