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Springtime at Iron Mountain Hot Springs
on Apr 29, 2026 | 4 minutes
Spring is a fresh start; it’s always surprising and overflowing with possibilities. It’s also one of the best times of the year for riverside relaxation at Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Find out all the reasons we’re addicted to springtime vibes. Every season has its own highlights, but of the four, spring tops our list for visiting Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Verdant, moody, and indecisive, it keeps us on our toes but always captures our hearts. When it comes to spring, these are a few of our favorite things: A slower pace. Technically, a shoulder season, spring is the calm inhale before Memorial Day, the unofficial start to the summer season. Between now and then, the kids are still in school, and there are fewer visitors overall. That means the pace is a little slower, the vibe is more laidback, and you can settle into the simple joy of moving from pool to pool. There are 35 pools in all, each one a slightly different temperature and offering its own perspective on the river and mountain panoramas. Choose Your Experience. Iron Mountain pricing allows you to enjoy the waters your way. Our Premier Access pass includes admission to the entire property—the 21+ WorldSpring waters, the newly opened Sauna Summit, two cold plunges, two mineral-intensive pools, as well as access to all the original Geothermal Hot Springs. Guests also have the option to purchase Select Access passes for the original springs area only. With 16 geothermal soaking pools, a Family Zone with a freshwater pool, a cold plunge, and a fire pit, it’s the ideal spot for parents and children to unwind together. Baby birds. Spring is baby time! Waterfowl abound at Iron Mountain Hot Springs. They like the river views just as much as any of us. We guarantee you’ll be delighted to see a mama mallard and her retinue of fuzzy ducklings queuing up to waddle around the campus or wade into the river. In addition to ducks of all varieties, you might spot eaglets, bald-headed vulture chicks, and even—on rare occasions—a cygnet gliding alongside her long-necked swan mom. It’s these kinds of quiet, unscripted moments that pair perfectly with a long soak. River rats return. Don’t worry—we look forward to the return of these lively river regulars every year. “River rats” is a term of endearment for those who like to play on the water—anglers, rafters, and paddle-boarders. They can’t get enough of it, and for those soaking in the pools along the terraced banks, they add a bit of local color to the experience. One minute you’re watching the steam rise off the water, the next you’re waving at a crew of rafters floating by. Moody days. Spring is notoriously unpredictable, and that’s exactly what we love about it. Every day is different, and every day is a great day to soak, no matter what kind of mood Mother Nature is in. Mornings are especially beautiful—low-lying clouds hugging Red Mountain, steam rising from the pools permeated by a quiet calm before the day gets going. And when those quick mountain storms roll in? There’s no need to retreat. Just sink a little deeper into the warm mineral water or make your way up to Sauna Summit, featuring the resort’s five new globally-inspired saunas.The contrast of heat and cool air feels especially invigorating in spring’s shifting weather. Lounging in sunshine. Most days, however, spring leans into its brighter side—sunny, warm, and just right for lingering a little longer than planned. This is the season for claiming a lounger, closing your eyes, and letting the combination of fresh air and mineral water do its thing. It’s also the perfect excuse to ease into an unhurried afternoon with a light bite and drink from the Sopris Café or the Sandbar Café. Spring Into Iron Mountain Hot Springs Spring days won’t last long, enjoy this budding, but fleeting season now. Learn more and make reservations to visit Iron Mountain Hot Springs today!
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New Sauna Summit Turns Up the Heat on Wellness Therapy
on Mar 30, 2026 | 4 minutes
Iron Mountain Hot Springs’ new Sauna Summit features five globally inspired saunas that add international panache to the wellness experience. Visitors can now complement their globally inspired soaking experience with the therapeutic benefits of sauna, also drawn from cultures and traditions around the globe. Each of the five new saunas takes its cue from cultural wellness practices from around the world. But First, Why Sauna? Spending a spell in a sauna has more benefits than you may realize. The heat, whether wet, dry, or infrared, triggers a natural relaxation response in the body. That alone can make sauna an effective stress reliever, especially in a world that never ceases to demand more of our time and attention. Traditional cultures from Finland to Turkey have embraced regular sauna sessions as part of their wellness heritage for centuries. Reported benefits of sauna include pain relief, improved cardiovascular and respiratory health, reduced inflammation, and overall support for longevity. Sauna is a natural addition to any wellness routine and is now available at Iron Mountain Hot Springs with Premier Access (21+) ticket. Inspired by Saunas Around the World Like the globally inspired pools, Iron Mountain Hot Springs’ Sauna Summit take its cue from wellness traditions around the world. The Steam Room Inspired by the Turkish Hammam, the Steam Room offers visitors a deeply relaxing environment with warm, 100-percent humidity. With the scent of lavender permeating the space, this sauna experience is designed to quickly soothe the body and mind. It is ideal for sore muscles and immune system recovery. Rooted in centuries of Ottoman bathing culture, our Hammam-inspired sauna is designed to purify the body while promoting relaxation, circulation, and deep skin cleansing. The Traditional Sauna Sauna culture is an essential part of daily life in Finland and the inspiration for our Traditional Sauna. The hottest sauna on the property, it ranges between 190˚ and 194˚F. It is designed to elevate the heart rate, encouraging the body to sweat and release toxins. With the detox comes deep muscle relaxation, muscle recovery, improved circulation, and cardiovascular conditioning. Add a small amount of water to the rocks to raise the humidity and temperature. In Finnish tradition, sauna is more than a sweat; it’s a ritual of renewal, typically followed by an icy Nordic cold plunge! The Sauna Intermission: Contrast Therapy No authentic sauna experience would be complete without contrast therapy—alternating between hot and cold temperatures. Almost all cultures with sauna traditions incorporate contrast therapy into their wellness practice. In addition to a new cold plunge pool, the Sauna Summit has also added two mineral-infused pools that further enhance wellbeing. The Potassium and Magnesium plunges, along with a cold plunge, are all conveniently located just steps away from the saunas. Dissolved in the water, potassium promotes skin health, while magnesium encourages deep muscle relaxation. The Aromatherapy Sauna Inspired by the Russian banya, the Aromatherapy Sauna will invigorate the senses. With all the underlying benefits of traditional sauna, this sauna adds soothing essential oils into the mix. Sweet Orange is known to energize the body and promote elevated mood; Eucalyptus aids in respiratory healthy; and, Lavender coaxes the body into a deep state of relaxation, encouraging better sleep. The Salt Sauna Taking its cue from salt mines of Poland, this tradition draws on the belief that microscopic salt particles can support respiratory and skin health. The Salt Sauna temperature varies between 184˚ and 192˚F. The deeply relaxing atmosphere comes from the large salt wall, which provides a soothing ambient glow to the space. Like the salt mines of Eastern Europe, by emitting negative ions (which is actually a positive for health-seekers) salt walls are known to purify air, reduce stress, and improve mood and sleep. The Red Light Clay Sauna One of Korea’s oldest sauna traditions is the inspiration for the Red Light Clay Sauna, which ranges between 160˚ and 168˚F. It is the lowest temperature sauna at Iron Mountain Hot Springs. The low heat is ideal, allowing visitors to linger longer, enabling guests to soak in all the benefits of red light therapy, including increased collagen production, cellular regeneration, and tightening and toning skin. Experience the Sauna Summit for Yourself The new Sauna Summit adds yet another health-boosting dimension to the inspired wellness offerings at Iron Mountain Hot Springs. To experience the new Sauna Summit, make your reservations today!
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Recover Like an Olympian at Iron Mountain Hot Springs
on Feb 10, 2026 | 3 minutes
From cold plunge to heat therapy, Iron Mountain Hot Springs will have you channeling your inner Olympian and primed for your next adventure in no time! All eyes are on Italy and the Olympics, the globe’s biggest sports stage, this February. The world’s top athletes have trained for the events they’ll compete in for most of their young lives. Used to pushing their bodies to the limit, elite athletes also understand the importance of scheduling an intentional break to recover physically. Fortunately, at Iron Mountain Hot Springs, you don’t have to be a world-champion sports star to enjoy an Olympic-worthy approach to caring for both body and mind after a day of adventure in Glenwood Springs. Whether you’re flying through the air and down the mountain like reigning Olympic freestyle skiing gold medalist Alex Hall, or carefully snowplowing down beginner runs, either way, your legs will be screaming and your muscles begging for a break. Olympic Level Recovery Training hard takes a toll. Top athletes, from figure skaters to hockey players, know that after a grueling workout, recovery isn’t optional; it’s necessary. Contrast therapy is a go-to remedy for a physical reset. Alternating heat and cold helps the body to heal faster, enabling athletes to level up for their next competition. The same tactics apply to amateur athletes. Sore muscles deserve time and attention so you can get back out there tomorrow, even if it’s just on the bunny slopes. Bring on the Heat You don’t have to be a top-tier athlete to know warmth feels good after a day of adventuring. Heat has a way of relaxing muscles, increasing circulation, easing joint stiffness, and calming the nervous system. It’s just what an Olympic coach would order after a rigorous workout. At Iron Mountain Hot Springs, there are 30+ pools to choose from. Each one is a different temperature, so you can easily find the heat level that suits you best. What elite athletes might not have, but visitors to Iron Mountain Hot Springs do, is water that is teeming with minerals, which adds to the therapeutic experience. The pools on the Select Access side feature geothermal water from deep underground springs, while those on the 21+ Premier Access side are inspired by world-famous mineral pools from around the globe, including the Chiancianco Therme in Italy. In addition to heat therapy, the Italian pool mineral profile is touted to detoxify the body and reduce gastrointestinal disorders. Talk about setting a new record for rejuvenation! Iron Mountain’s new saunas will be opening soon as well, adding even more options for therapeutic heat recovery. Cold to the Rescue Cold, on the other hand, may make your teeth chatter, but frigid water has its benefits, as any athlete knows. Cold water immersion reduces inflammation and muscle soreness, speeds recovery, and even offers a mental reset after high-impact or endurance training days. So don’t be shy about taking the plunge! While the focus at Iron Mountain is on warm-water soaking, both Premier and Select Access offer refreshing dips in cooler temperatures. Premier’s Cold Plunge is a chilly 55˚F, and bathers are encouraged to stay in just a minute or so. Remarkably, that’s all it takes for the body to benefit from the icy water. Another option is to alternate soaking in the hotter pools with quick dips in the cold plunge. Select Access features its own cooling options for post-workout recovery. After immersion in the geothermal soaking pools, which range in temperature from 98–108˚F, guests can now incorporate a refreshing cold plunge into their contrast therapy routine. The brisk temperature may feel invigorating at first, but as your body acclimates, you’ll experience the revitalizing benefits of hot-to-cold immersion: boosting circulation, easing muscle soreness, and leaving you feeling both relaxed and re-energized. In addition to the cold plunge, the freshwater family pool offers another way to cool down at a more gradual pace, allowing guests to tailor their recovery experience to their comfort level. A Gold Medal Finish Just as Olympic athletes need intentional rest for high performance, Iron Mountain Hot Springs delivers the perfect gold-medal finish to any day of outdoor recreation in Glenwood Springs. Learn more and make your reservations to soak at Iron Mountain Hot Springs today!
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Resolve to Relax at Iron Mountain Hot Springs - Iron Mountain Hot Springs
on Jan 17, 2026 | 3 minutes
Rethink resolutions in 2026. Resolve to relax and reset at Iron Mountain Hot Springs, no willpower required! In our culture, heralding a new year is synonymous with making resolutions. Top resolutions for Americans are to eat better, move more, and save money. But even the most resolute goal-maker tends to succumb to defeat just days later. In fact, January 17 is officially National Break Your New Year’s Resolution Day, a tongue-in-cheek reminder that most resolutions get dropped faster than a deadlift barbell at Gold’s Gym, never to be picked up again… at least until next January. But not all cultures thought of “resolution” as a white-knuckle test of willpower. Doing a little digging into the origin of the word resolution leads us to the ancient Romans, and an etymology lesson that feels especially relevant this time of year. The word resolution comes from the Latin resolutio, rooted in resolvere. The prefix “re” means “back” or “again,” while “solvere” means “to loosen, untie, dissolve, or release.” In other words, originally, a resolution wasn’t about tightening your grip, gritting your teeth, or powering through; it was about loosening what’s bound up and releasing what no longer serves you. Which brings us to Iron Mountain Hot Springs. What if, this year, you reclaimed the original meaning of resolution? Not as something you muscle through on sheer determination, but as something you return to, joyfully. A resolution that unties knots instead of creating new ones. A resolution that doesn’t require a tracking app or a guilt spiral. At Iron Mountain Hot Springs, your resolution can be as simple as easing into the resort’s therapeutic warm waters and letting the minerals and heat go to work, teasing out the tension ever so gently from mind and body. Between Select Access and Premier Access, Iron Mountain offers 30+ soaking pools for variations on relaxation. No reps and no willpower required. From a wellness standpoint, it’s the minerals that do the heavy lifting, not you. Rich in 14 minerals including iron, sulfate, chloride, sodium, calcium, and more, the infused and inspired waters help soothe sore muscles, improve circulation, and promote overall relaxation. Going back to the earlier definition of resolution, think of it as dissolving stress at a cellular level. Add in Iron Mountain’s riverside atmosphere with steam rising from the pools on cold winter days, along with the sight and sound of water moving past in the Colorado River, and suddenly “doing nothing” feels passively productive and objectively restorative. To loosen things up even further, you don’t have to leave the pool to rehydrate. Guests soaking with Premier Access (21+) can enjoy poolside delivery straight from the Sandbar Café, with refreshing beverages delivered directly to them for the ultimate soaking experience. There’s a full menu of seasonal and house specialties as well, perfect for enjoying between soaks. Those soaking with Select Access can still keep relaxation front and center by ordering from the pools and “skipping the line” at the Sopris Café. Simply pick up your order when it’s ready and get right back to unwinding. Soaking at Iron Mountain Hot Springs this year, is a resolution you won’t break. It’s one you can revisit, “return” to, again and again. One that loosens, unties, dissolves, and releases, just as the ancient Romans intended when they invented the word “resolution.” So, this year, instead of resolving to do more, resolve to relax. Learn more and make your reservations to soak at Iron Mountain Hot Springs today! Happy New You!
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Après-Activity Relaxation Begins at Iron Mountain Hot Springs - Iron Mountain Hot Springs
on Dec 11, 2025 | 4 minutes
Winter may be late, but it has arrived in full force. The flakes are falling, and Glenwood Springs is covered in a glorious blanket of winter white. At Iron Mountain Hot Springs, that translates to steamy soaks, the perfect setting for any après activity relaxation. Snowfall transforms Glenwood Springs from a charming mountain town to a spectacular Colorado winter playground for skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, Nordic skiing, fat biking, snowshoeing, and ice-skating! Sunlight Mountain Resort is Glenwood’s go-to choice for classic Colorado skiing with a vintage vibe—plenty of discoverable powder stashes all day long, always free parking, and affordable food and drinks at the lodge for between-run refueling. The resort is also home to Babbish Gulch, a network of groomed backcountry trails perfect for snowshoeing, skinning, cross-country skiing, and even fat biking. The winter escapades continue with ice skating at the Glenwood Springs Community Center. Drop in for a game of pick-up hockey or hit the oval for an afternoon of romantic pairs couple’s skating or a slippery, giggle-filled free-for-all with the kids. Picture it: After a day on the slopes, the trail, or the ice, you sink into the warm waters at Iron Mountain Hot Springs and feel your sore muscles untangle from head to toe. The water’s temperature and minerals work in tandem to usher in deep relaxation that teases away tension, leaving you feeling deeply restored and rejuvenated. Between the two sides of the property—Select Access featuring 16 geothermal pools, a large family mineral pool, and a jetted spa at one end and the globally-inspired pools of Premier Access for those 21 and over at the other—you can choose from pools that range in temperature from a pleasant 98˚F to a toasty 108˚F. One of the most enticing aspects of après at Iron Mountain Hot Springs in winter is when the hot water meets the cold air, steam forms, enveloping you in a magical cloud of vapor that comes and goes with every breeze. Trust us when we say, experiencing this natural phenomenon never gets old. Both sides feature unique extras, too. Families with children will appreciate Select Access with its freshwater family pool that offers a cooler temperature and a spacious place to play in the water. For families with older, more independent children, parents can easily keep an eye on youngsters from the vantage point of an attached and elevated jetted spa that overlooks the family pool. Along with mirroring the mineral content of famous geothermal locations around the globe, the Premier Access side also features a cold plunge pool as well as a high-saline pool, dubbed the Dead Sea Pool, where you can effortlessly experience the effects of zero gravity. Like the Dead Sea, the high salt content makes your body naturally buoyant, allowing you to float without a worry in the world. You haven’t experienced relaxation Iron Mountain style until you’ve soaked in this pool. Throughout the resort, you’ll find classic après fare as well, from appetizers and mains to cocktails and snacks at either the Sopris Café or Sandbar Café. A nice feature, especially in winter, is cashless ordering. Just scan the QR code near the pools to peruse the menu and place your food or beverage order. We’ll text you when your order is ready for pick up or deliver it right to you if you prefer. While eating in the pools is prohibited, enjoying a beer, a glass of wine, a cocktail, or a non-alcoholic beverage is perfectly suited to the Colorado apres-ski lifestyle. Soak in Après-style at Iron Mountain Hot Springs Whether you spent your day skiing Sunlight, skating with the kids, or exploring snowy trails, cap it off with a soul-soothing soak. Come experience après-activity the Glenwood Springs way—at Iron Mountain Hot Springs! Make your reservations to soak today.
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Soak in the Night Sky at Iron Mountain Hot Springs
on Nov 25, 2025 | 3 minutes
Come for a soak and stay for the stargazing. Iron Mountain Hot Springs is one of the most relaxing places to ponder the beauty of the night sky. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, settling into the mineral pools at Iron Mountain Hot Springs becomes a front-row seat to th e awe-inspiring cosmos. Even if you’re not an amateur astronomer, the beauty of the firmament is a landscape worth admiring, especially while soaking! How to Enjoy the Heavenly Sights With the shift back to standard time and that familiar “fall back” one-hour clock change, we’re entering the darkest stretch of the year. For stargazers, that means prime viewing time arrives early. In Glenwood Springs from late November through January, last light happens between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. By 6 p.m., depending on the moon’s phase, the sky can turn pitch black—perfect conditions for spotting stars, constellations, and planets. The stars are so bright this time of year, that even the ambient lighting emitted at the resort and in the surrounding area doesn’t hold a candle to the light show overhead. For a seat at the evening’s best show in the galaxy, make your soaking reservations a little later in the evening. It’s the easiest way to double-dip in both the hot mineral waters and the winter starlight. What to Look for in the Night Sky Now Through January Most of us can pick out the Big and Little Dippers, those dual cosmic ladles that act as celestial landmarks. But winter skies offer so much more. Look for Cassiopeia, a formation of five bright stars near the dippers. Crisp cold nights also bring into focus winter constellations like Orion, with his unmistakable belt; Taurus, marked by the fiery glow of Aldebaran; and Gemini, the twin stars Castor and Pollux. Don’t forget to look for Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, a shimmering cluster of distant stars. Planets put on a dazzling show too this time of year; most notably the largest two in our galaxy—Jupiter and Saturn. And of course, the sheer size of the moon makes it a showstopper for months to come. The next full moon on Dec. 4, the Cold Moon, and the Wolf Moon on Jan. 3 will both be supermoons—full moons that occur near the moon’s closest point in its elliptical orbit around Earth. Supermoons appear noticeably larger and brighter, sometimes up to 30 percent bigger than a typical full moon. Imagine soaking in the warm mineral waters as moonbeams dance across the pools. Pure magic—Iron Mountain Hot Springs style! Download A Stargazing App If you’re interested in knowing more about the night sky, consider downloading a stargazing app. Many popular ones, like Sky Tonight, Night Sky, and Stellarium Mobile, are free and perfect for budding astronomers. These handy tools help you identify stars, constellations, and planets in real time—just point your phone at the sky! More Night Moves Nighttime at Iron Mountain Hot Springs is a special time to soak, and there are two ways to enjoy the waters. Premier Access offers those 21+, an adults-only soaking experience in globally-inspired soaking pools, while visitors with Select Access can enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere of the Legacy Pools at Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Either way, both offer the perfect setting for stargazing. Wherever you soak, the Sopris Café and Sandbar Café are open in the evenings, serving snacks, cocktails, mocktails, and drinks, ideal for sipping while admiring the artistry of the night sky. Star Light, Star Bright! Winter nights are calling. For an out-of-this-world experience, let the cosmos become part of your soaking experience at Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Make your evening reservations now and discover just how heavenly a hot springs night can be.
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