Colorado Pool

Coconino County, Arizona · Near Grand Canyon
36.5090°N, 111.8520°W · 2,912 ft
86°F 58°F air · Good soaking weather 2,912 ft Short Walk Camping nearby (17.1 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Colorado Pool LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Colorado Pool
Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.

Colorado Pool is a warm thermal point in Coconino County that the record places at Grand Canyon itself, with no distance between the two. The water is tepid, in the mid eighties, below anything most people would call a hot spring. No owner is on record and nothing says who may go in. The USGS tracks the site, but no chemistry is listed and there is no picture.

Location

The nearest road, unnamed in the record, stops under a mile short, which the record calls a short walk. The pool sits under three thousand feet in ground that sees a foot and a half of snow most winters and little rain. Mid sixties is the annual mean. DeMotte is the closest campground shown, about seventeen miles away.

The record points to winter, December through February. Getting in means nearly a mile on foot from an unnamed road. DeMotte campground is the nearest on file. No one has written down who owns the ground or who may enter, and for a spot this close to the canyon that question comes before anything else. Nothing about the water temperature calls for a warning.

Terrain

Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Colorado Pool.

Setting
Canyon floor
Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
Highest ground nearby
1,012 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Heat Below
111 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 62% of the springs on this site.

Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.

Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.

Monthly Climate
40°
Jan
45°
Feb
53°
Mar
62°
Apr
73°
May
84°
Jun
88°
Jul
85°
Aug
78°
Sep
65°
Oct
51°
Nov
40°
Dec
Annual Precip: 10.1 in Annual Snow: 17.2 in
Best Time to Visit
January Air 40°F · Water 86°F · +46° contrast
December Air 40°F · Water 86°F · +46° contrast
February Air 45°F · Water 86°F · +41° contrast
January offers 48°F more contrast than July
Current Conditions
58°F
SW 25.2 mph 79% Good soaking weather
Tuesday 93° Low 66° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 30% precip
Wednesday 90° Low 65° Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 55% precip
Thursday 89° Low 64° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 33% precip
Friday 91° Low 62° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 14% precip
Saturday 90° Low 62° Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 15% precip
Where to Stay

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Nearby Camping
Demotte 17.1 mi away

Overview The DeMotte Campground is located within the North Kaibab Ranger District just seven miles north of the entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim. This is about 25 miles south of the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center on Arizona’s Highway 67.Recreation Visitors to the DeMotte Campground enjoy camping and picnicking, sight-seeing and wildlife viewing. Enjoy a visit to the North Rim from mid-May through mid-October; the road is closed during winter. Hiking trails, spruce-fir an...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
86°F
Warm Hot Boiling
Water Temp 86°F (30°C)
Avg Air Temp 64°F
Above Ambient +22°F
Mild soaking conditions September
Access
Road Access Short Walk
Distance to Road 0.9 mi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water temperature at Colorado Pool?
Colorado Pool has a water temperature of 86°F (30°C). This is a warm thermal spring.
Where is Colorado Pool located?
Colorado Pool is located in Coconino County, Arizona at 2,912 feet elevation, near Grand Canyon. Coordinates: 36.5090°N, 111.8520°W.
How do I get to Colorado Pool?
Colorado Pool has Short Walk road access (0.9 mi from the road).
Can I camp near Colorado Pool?
Yes, Demotte is located nearby (17.1 miles away).
Sources: USGS NWIS