The 45-mile route that began as a mining railroad and was left behind after the mine closed is a popular highlight of Durango tourism.
Remarkable renovation
Durango Hot Springs is located next to the railroad track where the steam locomotives run.
Prior to its change of ownership and renovation in 2019, this historic spot was known as Trimble Hot Springs.
Soaking was by online appointment only, $39.00 for 2.5 hours when visiting.
I had been here before the renovation and was surprised to see that the former appearance of a good old pool had been transformed into a progressive and commercial atmosphere.
An automatic check-in machine for rental lockers located outside the men's and women's locker rooms.
The first thing that caught my attention in the outdoor area was a tower that resembled a mining machine.
It was designed to periodically pour down a large amount of thermal water, and the surrounding ground was colored with hot spring precipitates.
The swimming pool, which can also be used by children, was redesigned with a gently curving design.
Hot tubs were arranged so that parents could also enjoy the authentic water while monitoring their children frolicking in the pool.
Alpaca
That's very thoughtful.
The U.S. is advanced in this regard.
Capybara
On the spacious lawn, the geothermal water overflowed from a one-person-sized tub.
The abundance of water was evident.
The area where the water cascaded down was an eating area lined with food carts.
In fact, this plaza is where the mineral pool used to be before the renovation.
This is a photo from that time, and from that point on I was impressed with the quality of the bubbly water.
The facility's predecessor, Trimble Hot Springs, was founded in 1882.
Settler Frank Trimble built a spa hotel to take advantage of the thermal water that were familiar to the Native American Ute people.
In bygone days, it appears to have had a railroad station adjacent to it, a saloon, a billiard room, and a dance hall.
In the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe stayed here to shoot a movie, and the place prospered, but it was destroyed by repeated fires.
For about 30 years, after the great fire of 1957, Trimble Hot Springs was forgotten.
The facility, which has since come back to life, underwent a major renovation during the post-2019 Covid disaster, as mentioned earlier.
The most significant feature of the renovation was the 22 smaller pools that have been installed.
Those pools were clustered in the adults-only area facing the slope and used as if they were private pools available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Other areas, such as Japanese-inspired tubs, were still undergoing renovations and were not yet available.
When too many things change in a brand new way, one is sure to feel a touch of loneliness.
However, the locomotive whistle that could be heard and the excellent water quality with metallic smell remained a memory.
Summary
Durango (Trimble) Hot Springs Resort & Spa, Durango, Colorado, U.S.
A hot spring enthusiast based in Japan. Toured over 300 North American hot springs while working in Texas from 2016 to 2022. For updates, visit X or Instagram!
