Mother Nature’s Hot Tub: Mystical Secrets of Steamboat Springs

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Steamboat Springs Hot Springs

Photo courtesy of the Colorado Tourism Office

Every ski town seems to have its own appeal. It’s easy to get to, or it’s isolated and exclusive.  It’s snowboarder heaven, or it’s snowboard-free. It a great place for beginners, or  it’s dominated by advanced-level runs and black diamond-lovers don’t have to navigate around skiers like me.

Steamboat Springs in northwestern Colorado is known as an exceptionally family-friendly town. It’s known for lots of programs for children, kids-only lifts, and play areas and parks designed with juveniles in mind.  But,  the area has a unique natural feature with special appeal for adults: mystical natural hot springs where skiers, snowboarders, and hikers can relax and soak away tired muscles and aches and pains.  Click here for a look at these therapeutic wonders and a gorgeous new vacation home listing in Steamboat Springs:

Steamboat Springs

Photo credit: Shannon Lukens

Steamboat Springs, population 12,000, is in the Yampa Valley and is home to the Howelson Hill ski area and the Steamboat Resort. The town’s strong Western heritage is well-evidenced in decor and events.   Activities available in the area include year-round festivals, spas and shopping, and tubing, hiking, horseback riding, hot air balloon tours, fishing and, of course, snow sports: alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, dog sledding, and snowmobiling.

 

Steamboat Springs

Photo credit: 2017 Larry Pierce for Steamboat Springs Ski Resort

And 150 geothermal hot springs permeate the area. Two spots of special interest are Old Town Hot Springs, a public facility in downtown and Strawberry Park Hot Springs, a private park in the mountains.

 

Steamboat Springs

Photo courtesy of Old Town Hot Springs

Old Town features a kiddie pool, waterslides, and a rock-climbing wall for kids, and a lap pool, tennis courts, a fitness center and adults-only hot springs pools, as well:

Steamboat Springs

Photo credit: Matt Stensland

An alternative is  Strawberry Springs Park, a private facility located in an aspen grove in the mountains, with several hot springs pools of varying temperatures fed by mineral  water springs and Hot Springs Creek in a natural setting with cabin and teepee facilities for changing.  There are also massage services, picnic grounds and campsites, rustic sheep wagons, and cabins available for visitors to rent.  The park is about 15 minutes from downtown by vehicle, or accessible via hiking trail.

“We always enjoy hiking up Mad Creek to Strawberry Springs Park Hot Springs, It’s about 4 miles up and back,”  said Judy Rowan of Dallas, whose family has owned a vacation property in the area for 20 years. “It’s  really a unique feature of this lovely  mountain town.”

 

 

Strawberry Hot Springs. Photo credit: Noah Wetzel

Strawberry Hot Springs. Photo credit: Noah Wetzel

Especially with steam rising off the surface in winter, it’s easy to see why the springs were revered by Native American and pioneers and became a gathering place for a therapeutic reboot of body and spirit:

Steamboat Springs Hot Springs

Photo courtesy of the Colorado Tourism Office

 

But of course, we must share house candy photos of a home in the area: Here’s a  t0-die-for property that was just listed for sale:  32375 County Road 38, a six-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath, 7, 798-square-foot home on 18.54 acres two miles from downtown Steamboat.

Steamboat Springs

All photos by Dan Tullos.

Note the pretty stone walls and large covered front porch. To the right is a three-bay garage, with extra depth space large enough to accommodate big trucks.

 

Steamboat Springs real estate

Surrounded by pasture and tall trees, the house is set on a ridge affording gorgeous views of Strawberry Park, Emerald Mountain, and the Howelson Hill ski area. The house was extensively renovated and remodeled in 2015.  It’s an example of how modernizing an updo can be:

Steamboat Springs

32375CR38den2

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Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs

 

Steamboat Springs

 

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Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs

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The house is listed by Cameron Boyd of Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty for $4.625 million.

valeriejarvie

valeriejarvie