Steaming hot spring pool with a wooden deck, stone edge and green shrubs, with misty wooded hills behind

Orvis Hot Springs

Resort · Ridgway

Clothing optional · No electronics

Orvis Hot Springs is a clothing-optional hot springs retreat just outside Ridgway, near Ouray and Telluride. Its water is described as natural, unheated and untreated, and rich in lithium. The site was a healing place for the Tabeguache Utes long before the current resort.

There are ten soaking areas, seven outdoors and three indoors, plus a sauna. The main Pond is about 40 feet across and up to 5 feet deep, with a redwood deck and a wooden flume that gives a back massage. Smaller outdoor pools include Island Pond with a waterfall, the 8-foot Smokers Pond (the only place smoking is allowed), the very hot Lobster Pot at 108–114°F, a 62°F cold plunge and a silent Watsu Pool. Indoors you'll find a shallow pool at about 98°F and two private tubs. Temperatures across the site run from 62°F to 114°F.

A day pass costs $35 for adults and $12 for children 4 to 12, and kids 3 and under are free. The hot springs and office are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and late soakers must arrive by 8 p.m. Adults 18 and over may go clothing optional in the outdoor areas and sauna, while children must wear swimsuits and stay with an adult. Phones, cameras, glass and alcohol are banned from the soaking areas.

You can stay in six remodeled rooms or camp, and both include 24-hour access to the pools. Massage and watsu are offered by appointment.

Visitor policy

Outdoor soaking areas and the sauna are clothing optional for adults 18 and over; anyone under 18 must wear a swimsuit. Cameras and electronics may not be used anywhere in the soaking areas, and guests who bring them in are asked to leave without a refund. Lodging guests and campers can keep their devices in their rooms or campsites only. Bathing suits are required in the indoor pool during posted hours, and a towel, robe or modest cover is expected in the main building hallways.

Source: Orvis Policies & Information

The pools

    Outdoor

    62–127°F

    Clothing optional for adults 18 and over

    • The Pond · 40 ft across and up to 5 ft deep, with a redwood deck, a wooden flume and an attached cooler plunge
      100–106°F
    • North Pond · 30 ft across and 4 ft deep, behind the main Pond
      About 100°F
    • Island Pond · 20 ft long, 8 ft across and 2 ft deep, with a cascading waterfall
      Fed by 127°F water
    • Smokers Pond · 8-ft round pool with a waterfall. The only area where smoking is allowed.
      103–107°F
    • Lobster Pot · The hottest tub, with a privacy fence and flagstone patio
      108–114°F
    • Cold Plunge · Next to the sauna
      62°F
    • Watsu Pool · 16 ft across and 4 ft deep. A silent area with non-chlorinated water, used for watsu bodywork.

    Indoor

    98–110°F

    Bathing suits required in the indoor pool from 7 am to 9 pm

    • Indoor Pool · 3 ft deep, in a timber frame building with a waterfall
      About 98°F
    • Private Tub 1 · River stone bottom and tile walls
      102–110°F
    • Private Tub 2 · Tile and woodwork with a window for natural light
      102–110°F

    Amenities

    Facilities

    • Sauna
    • Massage yurts
    • Watsu bodywork
    • Towel rental
    • Community kitchen (guests)
    • Gardens and stargazing grounds

    Lodging

    • 6 remodeled rooms
    • Tent and vehicle camping
    • RV parking (30 ft max)
    • 24-hour pool access for guests

    Parking

    • On-site parking
    • RV and camper parking

    Before you go

    Best time to visit: Reviewers soak here in every season, and many praise cold evenings and starry nights in the outdoor ponds. The site lists late soaking until 9 p.m. and overnight pool access for lodging guests. Weekends and warm days are busiest, so a weekday or evening is calmer.

    • Come as a first-timer if you are curious. Reviewers say the clothing-optional rule is relaxed and respectful, and swimsuits are fine in the shared areas. Children must wear suits and stay with an adult.
    • Leave your phone and camera in the car or your room. Cameras and electronics are not allowed anywhere in the soaking areas.
    • Try the pools in turn. Reviewers like moving between the very hot Lobster Pot, the main Pond, the sauna and the cold plunge.
    • Go on a weekday or in the evening for fewer people, and arrive by 8 p.m. if you want a late soak.
    • Stay overnight if you can. Lodging and camping guests get the pools around the clock, and many reviewers say staying on site is worth it.

    Pros & cons

    Pros

    • Beautiful, quiet grounds with mountain views and stargazing
    • Many outdoor ponds at different temperatures, plus a sauna and cold plunge
    • Relaxed, welcoming and respectful atmosphere
    • Friendly staff praised by many reviewers
    • Massage and watsu bodywork on site
    • Lodging and camping with 24-hour pool access

    Cons

    • Can feel crowded at busy times, with some noise from splashing groups
    • Rooms are older and basic for some reviewers
    • The clothing-optional, adults-focused atmosphere is not for everyone

    Frequently asked questions

    Is Orvis Hot Springs clothing optional?

    Yes, for adults 18 and over in the outdoor areas and the sauna. Swimsuits are required for children and in the indoor pool until the site's posted hours. Reviewers describe the atmosphere as relaxed and respectful.

    How much does a day soak cost?

    Adults pay $35 and children 4 to 12 pay $12. Children 3 and under are free. Towels rent for $3.

    Can I bring my kids?

    Kids are welcome with an adult and must wear swimsuits. But the outdoor ponds and sauna are clothing optional for adults, and there are no kid-focused pools, so we don't recommend it for families. Reviewers say the atmosphere is mostly adults.

    Are phones and cameras allowed?

    No. Cameras and electronics may not be used anywhere in the soaking areas, and glass and alcohol are not allowed on the grounds. Lodging guests and campers can keep devices in their rooms or campsites only.

    Can I stay overnight?

    Yes. There are six rooms and tent and vehicle camping. Guests get 24-hour pool access, and many reviewers say staying is worth it.

    Is there a sauna or cold plunge?

    Yes. The site lists a sauna and a cold plunge next to it, plus a very hot Lobster Pot and several ponds.

    Nearby hot springs

    Last checked October 26, 2026

    Sources: orvishotsprings.com