Aqua Hot Spring

Chaffee County, Colorado · Near Buena Vista
38.7240°N, 106.1736°W
50°F air · Good soaking weather Roadside Camping nearby (2.7 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Aqua Hot Spring LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Aqua Hot Spring
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.

Aqua Hot Spring, about eight miles from Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado, has a USGS sampling site and a 1975 chemistry record. Little else. Temperature, elevation, owner, access: all blank. The name promises heat; the record does not back it up. Mount Princeton campground is under three miles away, which is the most useful thing on file.

Location

The spring is right beside a road, under forty feet from it, though the road is unnamed on file. High Colorado climate: average temperature around 39, five feet of snow in an ordinary year, summers brief. The August 1975 sample found a modest mineral load with calcium and iron among the constituents.

No best months listed. Snow makes winter a hard time to stand beside any road here. The nearest camping is Mount Princeton. No fee on record. Because temperature is blank, treat the hot in the name as unverified until someone measures it. Access unknown; a spring this close to a road could be on private ground, so look for signs.

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 Aqua Hot Spring.

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
53 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the northwest
Cross-section through the spring

A slice through the ground from west to east, about 0.6 miles end to end.

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

Heat Below
143 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 91% 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
16°
Jan
19°
Feb
29°
Mar
36°
Apr
45°
May
60°
Jun
63°
Jul
61°
Aug
55°
Sep
41°
Oct
26°
Nov
15°
Dec
Annual Precip: 16.3 in Annual Snow: 63.8 in
Current Conditions
50°F
Partly Cloudy W 33.0 mph 66% Good soaking weather
Today 73° Low 48° Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 43% precip
Wednesday 67° Low 49° Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 80% precip
Thursday 68° Low 44° Showers And Thunderstorms 83% precip
Friday 71° Low 38° Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 43% precip
Saturday 70° Low 37° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 32% precip
Water Chemistry Sampled 1975-08-15

The water at Aqua Hot Spring contains 143 mg/L total dissolved solids.

Higher mineral concentration for therapeutic soaking
Calcium 11 mg/L
May support bone density and joint health
Magnesium 1 mg/L
Known for muscle relaxation and stress relief
Sodium 40 mg/L
Supports circulation and skin hydration
Sulfate 47 mg/L
Traditionally used for skin conditions and inflammation
Chloride 4 mg/L
Natural antiseptic with skin health benefits
Iron 30 µg/L
Iron-rich springs may support circulation
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Mount Princeton 2.7 mi away

Overview Mount Princeton Campground is located in beautiful Chalk Creek Canyon in central Colorado. This popular facility is within 4 miles of a private hot springs resort, making it an ideal location for rest and relaxation. "First come, first served" does not necessarily mean that the site will be available when you get there. Someone may get there before you. This is a popular campground and is normally full starting on Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday, so plan accordingly. Recreati...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
No data recorded
Avg Air Temp 39°F
Access
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 37 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Aqua Hot Spring located?
Aqua Hot Spring is located in Chaffee County, Colorado, near Buena Vista. Coordinates: 38.7240°N, 106.1736°W.
How do I get to Aqua Hot Spring?
Aqua Hot Spring has Roadside road access (37 ft from the road).
Can I camp near Aqua Hot Spring?
Yes, Mount Princeton is located nearby (2.7 miles away).
What minerals are in the water at Aqua Hot Spring?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. Total dissolved solids measure 143 mg/L.
Sources: USGS NWIS, Wikipedia