Entry No. 40 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: outdoor
Penny Hot Springs
Geothermal water seeps out of the canyon wall at roughly 133°F, trickles down the bank, and pools in a shallow stone basin about twenty feet across before spilling into the Crystal River. The spot sits directly below the granite cliff band called Hell's Gates, on the east shoulder of Highway 133 just north of Redstone, framed by the narrow canyon the Crystal River has been carving for millennia. Because the source is scalding, soakers rearrange the loose rocks at the pool's edge to open or close the cold-river channel — dialing in the temperature themselves. Capacity is roughly ten to twelve people; the water typically settles between 100°F and 106°F once mixed. Admission is free, there is no staff, and a single porta-potty is the only infrastructure.
The move: Drive the canyon at dusk, find a gap in the rocks, and lower yourselves into a pool you tuned by hand. The river rushes a few feet away, the cliff wall goes orange in the last light, and no one is collecting your information or selling you a robe.
📍 Before you go Free and open year-round, but spring snowmelt (roughly late April through early June) can flood or entirely submerge the pools — check Crystal River levels before driving out. The scramble down the bank is steep and slippery when wet or icy; wear shoes you can get wet. Parking fits about 20 cars roadside on the highway shoulder. No camping. Clothing optional. Source water reaches 133°F — do not enter directly at the outlet pipe. Weekends fill fast; a weekday morning or winter evening visit is markedly quieter.
- 📍 Carbondale
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoor or outdoor
Where: CO-133 at mile marker 55, east shoulder — approximately 3.2 miles north of 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