Paradise Warm Spring
Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
Paradise Warm Spring runs at the upper edge of soaking temperature, hotter than its name lets on. It is in San Miguel County, nineteen miles or so from Mountain Village, and high, close to 8,700 feet. No landowner is recorded and no public access status either, so treat the ground around it as unknown until you have checked.
Roughly a fifth of a mile on foot from the closest road; no road name is on record. The elevation puts it in serious high country. Snow here is heavy, around ten feet in an average winter, and the yearly precipitation is high as well. Cayton Campground is the camp on file, eight and a half miles off.
The listed best months are the heart of winter. That much snow means the road in may not be open then, so check before driving out. The water sits a touch above comfortable, so ease in. The chemistry sample is from 1976. Ownership and access remain open questions, and no fee appears on file.
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 Paradise Warm Spring.
- Setting
- Canyon floor
- Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
- Highest ground nearby
- 715 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the south
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.
That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 76% 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 Paradise Warm Spring is neutral (pH 6.8). It is notably rich in calcium (may support bone density and joint health), sodium (supports circulation and skin hydration), and chloride (natural antiseptic with skin health benefits).
Overview Cayton Campground is located along the San Juan Skyway (Colorado Highway 145) and the Dolores River. Visitors enjoy the area for its great fishing, hiking and scenic driving opportunities.Recreation The Dolores River is a popular fishing destination that can often be crowded on summer weekends. Anglers will find rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. The area boasts some excellent trails. The Colorado Trail follows the ridge across Bolam Pass. The Lizard Head and Cross Mountain Trails...
At 8,659 feet, Paradise Warm Spring 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 35% stronger here. Wear sunscreen even on overcast days and take breaks from the water to rehydrate.
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