Avalanche Ranch - Hot Springs in Colorado

Warm mineral water with plenty of air bubbles.

Its history as a hot spring resort was unexpectedly short.

Unusual history

Penny Hot Springs, a wild spring on State Route 133, is always crowded with people, but Avalanche Ranch, located 1 mile north of it, is well known to those in the know.

I went to the main house with the sheep on the side.

Capybara

I made eye contact with a sheep.

So it's a ranch in name and reality.

Alpaca

Originally, the hot spring was for overnight guests only, but recently walk-ins can also be booked online.

The red main house had an antique shop.

For overnight stays, there are more than 15 comfortable cabins plus a choice of four wagons.

The wagons are covered wagons itself reminiscent of the Wild West, perfect for a cozy trip for two.

Proximity to the pools is also an attraction.

The facilities were minimal, but I enjoyed it as a kind of glamping.

I had no trouble finding a kitchenette with microwave and refrigerator in the common area across from the wagon.

The history of Avalanche Ranch is a bit unusual.

The ranch itself has existed for a long time, and the current owner's family acquired it in 1950.

It was a popular summer-only cabin resort, but there were no hot springs at the time.

It was finally in 2008 that a hot spring was dug at a neighboring ranch.

Although it was known that warm water was available along the river downstream of Penny Hot Springs, the decision to drill a hot spring well at great expense was a gamble.

After clearing water rights and other legal issues, a pipeline was run from the neighboring ranch to Avalanche Ranch in 2010.

As a result, the mountain cabin resort, reminiscent of the good old days, had become a brand new hot spring resort.

Artistic outdoor pools

In the outdoor soaking area, there were three pools, taking advantage of the topographical differences in elevation.

Clothing was always required.

The lowest pool was located in front of the men's and women's changing rooms.

It was the widest and the water temperature felt cold at 90 degrees F.

Water was poured in a curtain-like pattern from the precipitated rock.

In the process, the minerals reacted with oxygen to produce a beautiful greenish-brown color.

There were two other pools at the top of the stairs.

The water temperature is about 100 degrees F.

The bottom of the pools was covered with pebbles, a natural atmosphere.

This pool was located one level above the ground.

It was an excellent design with a subtle difference in elevation so as not to cross the lines of sight of other soakers.

Oh, the geothermal water is overflowing from this hut.

Dare to be shabby barn

The barn had the appearance of having survived the wind and snow for many years.

Inside it lurked a single two-person-sized barrel tub.

The shabby barn, full of gaps, was daringly utilized in a tasteful way.

It was hard to believe that the hot spring had been drawn only recently.

The amount of water input was large compared to the size of the tub, and the water was provided in a fresh state.

The temperature at the water outlet was 102 degrees F.

It contained carbon dioxide gas and my body was enveloped in fine bubbles.

On the surface of the water, I could hear air bubbles popping with the metallic smell.

I did not want to tell anyone about the existence of this barn if I could help it.

Summary

Official website