Mount Princeton Hot Springs
Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
Mount Princeton Hot Springs comes out of the ground hot, past the point where most people would want to sit in it straight from the source. It lies in Chaffee County about seven miles from Buena Vista, high enough that the air stays cool for much of the year. OpenStreetMap marks a fee at this location, so plan on paying to get in. Landowner and public access status are both blank on file.
The spring is effectively at the roadside, under fifty yards off the road, with no walk to speak of. High country, cold annual average. Winters drop a bit over five feet of snow, while the low yearly precipitation says the place runs dry once the melt is gone. Mount Princeton Campground is three and a half miles away, the closest camp in the record.
December through February are what the record lists as best, which makes this a winter soak, snow included. Access is roadside, so there is no hiking involved. A fee applies. The water arrives hot; check it before settling in. Chemistry was sampled in 1976 and nothing newer is on file. Ownership and access are unrecorded, so confirm with whoever operates the site before you go.
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 Mount Princeton Hot Springs.
- Setting
- Canyon floor
- Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
- Highest ground nearby
- 333 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the north
A slice through the ground from southwest to northeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
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.
See every spring on the geothermal heat map →
Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.
The water at Mount Princeton Hot Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 7.7).
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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...
At 8,142 feet, Mount Princeton Hot Springs is in high-altitude territory where the air is noticeably thinner. Soaking in hot water accelerates dehydration and can amplify altitude effects like headache and fatigue. UV radiation is roughly 33% stronger here. Wear sunscreen even on overcast days and take breaks from the water to rehydrate.
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Mount Princeton Hot Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water runs hot, so extra hydration is key. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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