The Wiesbaden Hot Springs is the oldest commercial hot springs in Ouray, Colorado. There’s a reason it’s been around so long: it is absolutely the best.
There are several places in Ouray, Colorado, where you can visit natural hot springs. I was surprised to find that most of them look like regular swimming pools that just happen to have hot water. Not so with the Wiesbaden hot springs. It’s totally relaxed, but absolutely spa-like and refreshing in a very luxury-granola kind of way. It may seem pricey compared to the public hot springs, but for what you get, it’s an absolute steal and the least expensive spa experience Brian and I have ever had – and that includes the time we went to Termas Cacheuta hot springs in Argentina!
Wiesbaden Hot Springs is also a quaint lodge. They offer a discount to the springs if you are a guest of the hotel but also welcome day customers, like Brian and me. There are three hot springs here: one that looks like a regular, outdoor swimming pool, an underground vapor cave, and the Lorelei, which is a private hot springs that you can reserve for an additional fee.
The Wiesbaden Pools
Lorelei: Private Hot Spring
The Lorelei is a small, outdoor pool with a gentle waterfall, surrounded by a deck with lounge chairs and a high fence. You’ll get a key to access the gate and once you’re through it, you’ll be in your own little private paradise. Bathing suits are optional, if you really want that Garden of Eden feeling.
The water in this spring is very hot. It would probably be perfect for a crisp fall or winter day but on a sunny day in June, we switched off a lot between being all the way in, and sitting on the side with our legs hanging over the edge. There was a little bit of tree cover for shade, which was nice. We had an hour in the Lorelei and that felt like the right amount of time. Bring water with you – you will want it!
The Outdoor Pool
The outdoor pool has a wonderful, medium-warm temperature: not too hot, but definitely a few notches higher than lukewarm. It’s about the size of someone’s backyard pool, and that was totally fine. When we were there it wasn’t crowded at all. There were at most 4 other people with us at any given time. Even better, the Wiesbaden is tucked further away from Main Street than the other hot springs, so the pool felt more relaxed and off the beaten path. They also provide noodles and other floaties, which any good pool should come with, hot springs or not.
The Vapor Cave
Surprisingly, this was my favorite part of the experience and one of the big reasons I’d recommend Wiesbaden over the other hot springs. This cave is underground and extremely hot. The pool in it is not for the faint of heart. I put my feet in, and lasted just a few seconds, but Brian was brave and submerged up to his chest for a minute or so. I realize that doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement, but stick with me.
The water is super hot, but there is plenty of room to sit around the pool and enjoy the sauna-like atmosphere without actually having to boil yourself alive. It is steamy, a little dark, extremely echo-y, and overall, a moving experience. The Ute Indians have long used vapor caves in Colorado for healing and rituals, believing them to be holy ground. There was definitely something special about being here.
Logistics & Other Details
Price
Non-guests of the hotel can pay $25 per person for two hours in the swimming pool and the vapor cave. But for $75 per couple, you get that plus an hour in the private Lorelei hot spring. So if there are two of you, for $25 more you can have the two hours in the pool and vapor cave, along with an additional hour in the private pool. It is hands-down a better deal to experience all three.
Facilities
When you descend to the basement level to access the underground vapor cave, you’ll see several signs to remain quiet in respect for the Ute Indians’ belief that the cave is sacred ground. The silence is welcome and definitely enhances the peacefulness of the experience.
This is also the level that has the changing rooms and showers. You are expected to shower before entering any of the pools in order to keep the mineral waters pure and free of lotions, hair products, etc. Towels are available for a fee ($5 I think) but we brought our own, which is also completely acceptable. The lockers in the women’s changing area have built in locks but they didn’t work. I left my phone in there anyway when I went into the vapor cave, and it was still there when I came back, hoorah!
There is a co-ed room adjacent to the changing rooms that has lounge chairs, fans, and cold water. It is a great place to relax after the intense heat of the cave.
Overall
The Wiesbaden hot springs reminds me of our time at the Termas Cacheuta spa in Argentina. Like at Termas Cacheuta, we had a choice between going to a public hot spring or booking a more expensive, but more spa-like experience, and like in Argentina, we thought the additional cost at Wiesbaden was well worth it.
There are several other hot springs in Ouray though, and if you have time for more than one, I’d give them a try too!
This looks lovely it reminds me of a place here in South Africa called Caledon Spa.
I love hot springs anywhere I can find them! Will add Caledon Spa to my list. 🙂