Centuries of Wellness in Every Soak
Hot Springs History
History of Iron Mountain Hot Springs
Long before Glenwood Springs had hotels, railroads, and bathhouses, they had hot springs. For centuries, Nomadic Ute Indian tribes and Coloradans came here to soak in the natural healing powers of hot, iron-rich mineral waters, drawn to the same things we still seek today: relief, restoration, and connection.
In 1897, Sheriff Bob Ware built the first bathhouse on this very stretch of the Colorado River. Over the decades, it became known by many names. The West Glenwood Health Spa. Wash Allen Bathhouse. Gamba Mineral Springs. Fort Defiance. But the ritual stayed the same with warm mineral waters, deep relaxation, and flowing conversations.
In 2015, Iron Mountain Hot Springs reopened this historic site, restoring the original spirit of Glenwood’s soak culture with modern mineral pools, open-air design, and sweeping views of the river, Iron Mountain, and Mount Sopris. In 2023, we expanded with a new 21+ area devoted to globally inspired mineral pools, a freshwater pool with a waterfall, cold plunge, and Sandbar Café, a new restaurant with elevated food and an expanded drink menu.
Today, you’re soaking in the same mineral heat that has been easing tired bodies and busy minds for more than a century.
National Natural Landmark Status
Iron Mountain Hot Springs is now a National Natural Landmark, recognized alongside Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park for the rare geothermal and cave systems that have been forming beneath Glenwood Springs for millions of years.
This landscape is a living record of the Earth in motion. As the Colorado River carved deeper into Glenwood Canyon over time, the springs shifted with it, creating the only known hot springs and cave system in the Southern Rocky Mountains formed by this unique combination of natural geothermal and underground processes. Today, our mineral waters rise through layers of ancient rock, carrying naturally occurring minerals and microorganisms found nowhere else in the region.
About the National Natural Landmark Program
Established in 1962, the National Natural Landmark Program protects places of outstanding geological and scientific importance. Iron Mountain Hot Springs and Glenwood Caverns are proudly part of that protected legacy. It means that our waters are not only deeply restorative but also geologically rare, scientifically significant, and carefully protected for generations to come.
“Glenwood’s caverns and hot springs are iconic Colorado treasures,” said U.S. Senator Michael F. Bennet. “I am pleased to see them recognized by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland as a National Natural Landmark and appreciate the Beckleys’ ongoing efforts to preserve these valuable resources for future generations.”