Colorado, United States
Pagosa Springs
A small town on the San Juan River built around the world's deepest geothermal hot spring, with soaking pools on the riverbank and Wolf Creek's ski slopes up the pass. Chimney Rock's ancient towers stand watch to the west.
- Best months
- May to Oct
- Ideal stay
- 2 to 3 days
- Train
- Not confirmed
- Bus
- Not confirmed
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Best months
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May, a good time to go
- June, a good time to go
- July, a good time to go
- August, a good time to go
- September, a good time to go
- October, a good time to go
- November
- December
Known as
- Mountain town
- Resort town
- River city
Getting there
- Highway / road trip
- Local public transit
Train and bus
- Train
- Not confirmed
- Bus
- Not confirmed
People
1,571
in the city, 1,571 in the metro area
Languages
English
Pagosa Springs is the county seat and only incorporated town in Archuleta County, in Colorado's southwest corner, at about 7,100 feet on the San Juan River. The name comes from the Ute word for healing waters, and the town's reason for existing is the Mother Spring: the world's deepest measured geothermal hot spring, feeding soaking pools along the riverbank downtown. Around the springs sits a working ranching town that has grown a second life serving skiers, anglers and the visitors drawn to Chimney Rock National Monument, 20 minutes west.
The Springs Resort anchors the riverfront with terraced soaking pools at graded temperatures beside the San Juan, and two more soaking properties share the same source. Below the resort terraces the river runs cold and green past cottonwoods, and the contrast is the town's whole appeal: a morning in the snowmelt economy of rafts and trout, an afternoon soaking in water that fell as rain long before the town existed. Pagosa keeps both halves within an easy walk of each other, which is rarer than it sounds. The free-form riverwalk runs through wetlands and past primitive hot pots on the bank, where locals soak free. Anglers fish the San Juan through town, rafters run it in spring, and Treasure Falls pours beside US 160 on the way up to Wolf Creek Pass. Chimney Rock, an Ancestral Pueblo great house site atop a ridge, runs guided tours in season, and Williams Creek Reservoir north of town covers the quiet-water days.
Downtown Pagosa Street and the riverfront carry the dining: a brewpub, New Mexican and Thai kitchens, bakeries, a long-running diner culture and coffee shops with soaking-adjacent patios. The food scene is solid for 1,600 people, helped by second-home and ski traffic, and evenings run to brewery pints and live music at the resort rather than a late scene. The historic Liberty Theatre, in business since 1919, still shows films on the main street. Pagosa Brewing pours its own ales on the east side of downtown, and food trucks gather near the river through the summer.
Most lodging is purpose-built: the Springs Resort and its neighbours downtown, lodges and motels along US 160 on both ends of town, vacation rentals in the Pagosa Lakes subdivisions west of town, and cabins up the Piedra road. Downtown walks easily between the pools, the river and dinner. Campgrounds spread through the national forest in every direction, and RV parks sit on the highway. Durango's airport is about an hour west; there is no train, and the county's Mountain Express transit covers in-town trips.
Soaking is a four-season excuse, but the town peaks twice: summer for the river, Chimney Rock and the county fair, and winter for Wolf Creek Ski Area, 23 miles east, which claims the most natural snow in Colorado. The Folk 'N Bluegrass festival takes over Reservoir Hill in June, and ColorFest sends balloons up in September. Two to three days lets you soak properly, tour Chimney Rock and still get up the pass.
Pagosa Springs sits on US 160 in the San Juan foothills: Durango is 60 miles west, Wolf Creek Pass climbs east toward Del Norte and the San Luis Valley, and US 84 drops south from town to Chama, New Mexico. On a southern Colorado road trip it is the soak-and-ski stop between Durango and the valley, and the southern base for the San Juan Mountains' eastern half.
Highlights
- The Mother Spring
The world's deepest measured geothermal hot spring, feeding the soaking resorts on the San Juan River.
- The Springs Resort
Terraced mineral pools at graded temperatures on the downtown riverbank.
- San Juan Riverwalk
A wetland trail through town past free primitive soaking pots on the riverbank.
- Chimney Rock National Monument
Ancestral Pueblo great houses on a high ridge, 20 minutes west, with guided tours in season.
- Wolf Creek Ski Area
The famously snowy local ski mountain, 23 miles east on US 160.
- Treasure Falls
A 105-foot waterfall beside the highway on the climb toward Wolf Creek Pass.
- Williams Creek Reservoir
A quiet mountain reservoir north of town for fishing, paddling and camping.
- Reservoir Hill
The in-town park of trails and disc golf that hosts the summer folk and bluegrass festival.
Neighborhoods
- Downtown
The Pagosa Street core of shops, restaurants and the historic theatre.
- Hot Springs riverfront
The resort blocks along the San Juan where the pools and riverwalk run.
- Pagosa Lakes
The large residential and rental subdivisions west of downtown.
- Uptown
Commercial strips along US 160 east and west of the centre.
Getting around
Downtown, the riverwalk and the pools all walk. Mountain Express transit covers in-town trips and medical runs; the sights up the passes need a car.
- Airport
Scores
Good
- Rated by Route By Design.
- The other scores are estimated from the city’s size, attractions and transport links.
Where to stay
- Camping nearby
- Plenty
- Hostels
- None
2 places
ResortsPagosa River Domes1320 E Hwy 160 HotelsRiverWalk Inn260 E Pagosa St
Nothing listed yet for Motels, Airbnb and vacation rentals, Campgrounds, RV parks, Hostels, B&Bs & inns. Browse every place to stay in Pagosa Springs →
Things to do
4 places
AttractionsGoodman's Department Store402 Pagosa St Museums & galleriesPagosa Springs History Museum96 Pagosa St Parks & outdoorsPagosa Springs Town Park299 Hermosa St AttractionsVeterans Memorial Park220 Vista Blvd
Food & dining
5 places
RestaurantsColorado Roadhouse27 Talisman Dr Cafés & coffeeHigher Grounds Coffee189 Talisman Dr RestaurantsJunction Restaurant401 E Pagosa St Cafés & coffeeThe Lift Coffee House101 Pagosa St RestaurantsWild Finch323 Hot Springs Blvd
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Work remotely
Pagosa Springs scores 4.5 out of 10 for remote work (fair), in the top 94% of the cities we score.
1 place
CoworkingThe Studios550b Hot Springs Blvd
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Where to next from Pagosa Springs
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5 cities within 130 mi of Pagosa Springs by road.
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All 5 cities within 130 mi, with travel times
- Durango Coloradoabout 58 mi · about 1 h 6 min by car · estimated
- Telluride Coloradoabout 79 mi · about 1 h 29 min by car · estimated
- Ouray Coloradoabout 78 mi · about 1 h 29 min by car · estimated
- Gunnison Coloradoabout 111 mi · about 2 h 6 min by car · estimated
- Taos New Mexicoabout 126 mi · about 2 h 23 min by car · estimated
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