Entry No. 55 — the Durango file — filed under: hot-springs-wellness

Rainbow Hot Springs

There are no fees, no attendants, and no address — just a set of rock-walled soaking pools that anonymous hikers have been rebuilding by hand each spring on the banks of the West Fork of the San Juan River since anyone can remember. The pools exist because visitors haul rocks back into place after every high-water season to keep the ~95°F mineral water corralled; if enough people stop caring, the springs go back to being just a warm seep. It takes a 10-mile round-trip hike into the Weminuche Wilderness to find out whether this year's walls held.

The move: Pack a dry bag, drive up West Fork Road out of Pagosa Springs, hike five miles into the Weminuche Wilderness, and soak in a pool your predecessors built for you.

📍 Before you go West Fork Trailhead is off US-160 about 14 miles east of Pagosa Springs; the road to the trailhead is paved but parking is limited and fills early on weekends. The 5-mile trail gains roughly 900 feet and crosses the river multiple times — bring trekking poles and expect wet feet. High snowmelt can flood the trail through early summer; check conditions before going. No permit currently required but Weminuche Wilderness rules apply (no dogs in some zones, Leave No Trace).

• 📍 Pagosa Springs
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Indoor or outdoor

Hours: Added 2026-06-21 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-21