Cottonwood Hot Springs

Beautiful soaking pools, very cozy and quaint. Love it here. The pools are nice and large so you can actually swim around in them. There's plenty of space to not feel cramped at all. Came on a Monday night and it was quiet and peaceful. Something magical about soaking in the rain... Rooms are comfy and rustic. No frills.

I am an avid hot springer and I've been to almost every single one in the state of Colorado. I kind of forgot about this one, but as I was driving through cottonwood pass after a camping trip, I saw this place and immediately pulled a U turn and sped in. It felt like a sign from the gods and I am so glad I listened because I had a wonderful time here. It's $30 for a day pass and worth it. Much better than Mt Princeton in that it feels way less commercial and is very quiet, beautiful and peaceful. The pools were pristine. Absolutely gorgeous and relaxing soaking area with perfect weather, beautiful views and great sunshine. I only wish there'd been river access to do a cold plunge. Strawberry in steamboat is my #1, but this is a close second! The bathrooms are a little dirty and run down but who cares. I also love the kombucha they had there. I had a pumpkin was that was incredible. I would highly recommend this hot spring!

Made a first time visit on a Saturday afternoon in October. Though slightly busy, there were still parking spots available in the gravel lot. The woman who checked us in was friendly and provided a few tips for the best experience before pointing us towards several water coolers and the changing rooms. The pools themselves were relaxing and clean. The cold plunge was added fun and a little challenging. The ladder is a little rickety. We were slightly disappointed in the size of the sauna. It gets quite cozy with 5 people in there.

I've been coming here for years and it's my favourite hot springs. The rooms have been in a steady decline in quality and the prices are the same as much nicer hotels in the area. I will stay elsewhere in the future when I come to enjoy the hot springs.

This place is a Colorado classic and the bad reviews are not merited! As an avid Yelper I always check reviews first, and I will admit most of the reviews online are not good. My dad went to this hot springs a few weeks ago and assured me it was fine, so I figured let's give it a shot.I had been probably 7 or so years ago and don't remember getting any bad vibes. I also know if I have to pick between this hot springs and Mount Princeton, Princeton offers a much more commercial experience which isn't my thing, and it tends to be crowded.So, we took the trip from Denver to Buena Vista on President's Day, and let me tell you it was GREAT! The first pool we got in was a #4 (which was pretty cold around 98) so we were a bit concerned, it was windy and cold which isn't the hot spring experience you'd expect. We noticed others were staying in pool #1 and #2 and quickly realized that was the hot spot (literally)! So once we ventured into Pool 1 it was heavenly! In fact at 108 it was almost too toasty. We hung out in that pool the majority of the day with a few people coming in and out of the pool, but never were there more than 10 of us in the pool if that. It was steady, but definitely never busy or packed. In fact I'd say most people would stay an hour or two and then a new group would come in. They also offer a sauna and cold plunge which is an added bonus. The hot springs themselves were clear and clean and the whole experience being a quasi "nature" spring was very relaxing and nice vs. being in a swimming pool.It was nice to get into the cooler pools (#3 is around 100) which was better than #4 at 98 and cool down from the heat, and then have the option to head back into the hotter pools.I'd say based off the reviews a lot of the bad rap is about lodging, which duh. I mean I could quickly make a decision that this isn't the 5 star resort to sleep in. HOWEVER if you are coming for a Colorado outdoor, hot springs experience this is it. Don't waste your money on Mount Princeton, it's a commercial trap and super busy. 10/10

The water never works and I heard their two main guys telling each other the state of Colorado could go F themselves and they would fake the water samples from their new well.Love the place. Too bad Ms. Manning has been duped into trusting these douchebags with her legacy.

Cottonwood Hot Springs was such a great place to visit with the family while in Buena vista! Compared to Mt Princeton hot springs, this place has a more relaxed and less touristy vibe. (Although, we did go on a Thursday, so not sure how crowded it might get on a weekend). It's slightly cheaper than Mt Princeton as well (by about $5). Babies are free. There are pools of various temperatures, with the ones in the back being the hottest. The middle one is probably the most family friendly since it has steps and isn't all that deep, and the temperature is good for kids and adults. Doing the cold dip in the river is fun! There are signs around the pool saying no phones and no being loud/rowdy (not sure how strict they enforce that). It's a nice sentiment, I suppose- it makes things more relaxed, but as someone with kids in tow I was a little anxious about keeping them calm and quiet as to not disrupt the other hot springs visitors.A couple of things to know: the facilities could definitely use some updating. They have cubbies but no lockers that lock. The changing room is just one big room with no privacy. A lot of the bad reviews of this place are from people who stayed at the hotel, which I wouldn't recommend when there are so many airbnbs and places in Buena Vista. However, I will say the staff is super nice and helpful. We forgot my daughter's swim suit in the changing room and we paid for them to mail it back to us.

I see this place has kind-of a bad wrap on Yelp, but I also noticed most of the negative reviews are about lodging accommodations. We went just for the hot spring, as we have a few times now, and our experience each time has been phenomenal. There are 5 pools, each with their own temperatures. I was pleased to see they put up numerous sun shades in the hotter months to protect visitors from becoming overheated. They also have a few filling stations with cold potable water. I appreciate that the pools are all different shapes and depths, with unique nooks in each made from rocks so you can find the perfect spot. There's a river parallel to the pools with ice cold water you can use to cool down if needed. It's quite relaxing if you are able to hear the river's rush while you're soaking. I recommend bringing your own towel/sandals/water bottle, and you'll have an excellent experience. Employees are friendly and the pools are all crystal clear. Enjoy!

As locals we will never be going here again sadly. This is supposed to be a relaxing and quiet place. Parents and large groups are inattentive and allow their kids to yell, run, cry, and whine the entire time. As this is not a kids pool the children get bored and want to hop pools every 5 minutes leaving not a single pool safe and quiet. This place needs a children's pool or specified quiet hours for adults. Remember, if you're vacationing here in Buena Vista that doesn't mean you're on vacation from being a parent. People actually live here. The owners need to either figure out a way to keep it quiet and relaxing or just make this place a public pool because at this point it's just a chaotic public pool for $30 a person. Had to make a Yelp account for this one.

Make the rules known when people pay. It's always been a quiet zone without selfie sticks and speakers but recently, although the rules are posted people are so socially unaware and disrespectful that all of this is happening without consequences. Please make these people respect what you all put out there as your goal for disconnecting from devices and respecting the peace of others.