Entry No. 29 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: soak
Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs
Tucked along the Crystal River about two miles south of Redstone's Victorian coal-camp streetscape, Avalanche Ranch operates three tiered soaking pools fed by a 100-percent natural, chemical-free geothermal spring. The upper two pools run 103–105°F; the largest, anchored by a three-foot waterfall that curtains a rock grotto, hovers between 88–94°F. Fourteen dissolved minerals give the water a silky, subtly salty weight. The pools sit on half a mile of private Crystal River frontage, with Redstone Castle visible from the canyon road a short distance north. Cabins dating to the 1890s–1950s dot the property; day visitors get a four-hour morning or afternoon window in a small-group setting that keeps the pools genuinely quiet.
The move: Book the morning day-use slot, soak across all three pools while the canyon walls are still in shadow, then drive the two miles up to Redstone for lunch and a walk past the coke-oven ruins and the turreted castle before heading back over McClure Pass.
📍 Before you go Day-use admission runs roughly $15–25 per person; reservations required and slots fill weeks ahead in summer and fall foliage season. Pools are closed all day Wednesday for cleaning (lodge guests regain access Wednesday after 5 pm). Morning and afternoon four-hour windows are the only public options — overnight cabin guests have unlimited access. Highway 133 over McClure Pass can close briefly in winter storms; check CDOT before leaving Grand Junction. Drive time from Grand Junction is about 1 hr 45 min via I-70 and CO-133.
- 📍 Redstone
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoor or outdoor
Where: 12863 Colorado Highway 133, Redstone, CO 81623
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — 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: 2026-06-11