Salida Hot Springs

Chaffee County, Colorado · Near Salida
38.5250°N, 106.0094°W
58°F air · Good soaking weather Roadside Camping nearby (9.9 mi)
Aerial view of the ground around Salida Hot Springs LiDAR bare-earth view of the same ground around Salida Hot Springs
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.

Salida Hot Springs is a thermal point under a mile from the center of Salida in Chaffee County. The record leaves a lot blank: temperature, elevation, ownership, access. It does hold a pH reading from 1976 and a USGS site number.

Location

Roadside, under forty yards from the road. Salida's winters bring around four and a half feet of snow, and yearly precipitation is low. Ohaver Lake is the campground on file, roughly ten miles away.

There is no seasonal guidance on file. With no temperature recorded, nothing here confirms a soak. Being in town, check locally for what is at the site. Ownership and access are unverified.

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 Salida Hot Springs.

Setting
Open ground
Flat, open ground all around.
Highest ground nearby
19 ft above the spring
Within a quarter mile, to the west
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
136 milliwatts per square meter of heat flow

That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 87% 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
20°
Jan
23°
Feb
34°
Mar
42°
Apr
51°
May
66°
Jun
69°
Jul
67°
Aug
60°
Sep
46°
Oct
32°
Nov
20°
Dec
Annual Precip: 14.7 in Annual Snow: 53.4 in
Current Conditions
58°F
Clear NW 29.0 mph 56% Good soaking weather
Today 77° Low 51° Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 43% precip
Wednesday 73° Low 52° Slight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 83% precip
Thursday 70° Low 47° Showers And Thunderstorms 85% precip
Friday 76° Low 42° Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 38% precip
Saturday 75° Low 42° Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 39% precip
Water Chemistry Sampled 1976-04-22

The water at Salida Hot Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 7.4).

pH 7.4 Slightly Alkaline
pH influences mineral absorption through skin
Nearby Camping
Nearby Camping
Ohaver Lake 9.9 mi away

Overview The Forest Service wants your opinion on reserving sites at O’Haver Lake Campground. Please take a moment to fill out a brief survey at: https://forms.office.com/g/zFknf0tZbS  O'Haver Lake Campground sits at an elevation of 9,200 feet, with ponderosa pines and aspen. It is located on the shores of O'Haver Lake. This facility has 31 sites and is a very popular destination that is often full on the weekends. "First come, first served" does not necessarily mean that the site will be...

Reservable Yes
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
Temperature
No data recorded
Avg Air Temp 44°F
Access
Road Access Roadside
Distance to Road 116 ft
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Salida Hot Springs located?
Salida Hot Springs is located in Chaffee County, Colorado, near Salida. Coordinates: 38.5250°N, 106.0094°W.
How do I get to Salida Hot Springs?
Salida Hot Springs has Roadside road access (116 ft from the road).
Can I camp near Salida Hot Springs?
Yes, Ohaver Lake is located nearby (9.9 miles away).
What minerals are in the water at Salida Hot Springs?
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH. The pH is 7.4 (slightly alkaline).
Sources: USGS NWIS, Wikipedia