Child floating in a shallow, steaming hot spring pool beside a river, with rocky banks and a steep wooded canyon behind

Penny Hot Springs

Primitive/backcountry · Redstone

Some soakers may be nude

Penny Hot Springs is a roadside natural hot spring on the west bank of the Crystal River, in the Crystal River Valley between Carbondale and Redstone. There is no bathhouse or built pool. Visitors stack river rocks into soaking pools beside the river, so the layout changes every year after spring runoff. According to the county, the pools are usually about 15 to 20 feet across and around 2 feet deep, and soakers move rocks to control the water temperature.

The springs sit partly on a tiny Pitkin County open space parcel, bought in 1991, and partly on state highway right of way. You park in a roadside pullout and follow a steep, eroded path about 20 feet down to the river. The pullout holds roughly 21 vehicles with no marked spaces, and it is shared with climbers and wildlife watchers, so it often fills up. The county has counted as many as 40 people on the bank at busy times.

The county found no signs or other improvements at the pullout, and restrooms were still only a proposal, so plan to carry out everything you bring. The county's 2020 management plan lists no dogs, no camping, pack-in and pack-out, no glass and no amplified music as the rules it intends to teach visitors. The plan was written to manage crowding, so check with Pitkin County before you go for any newer rules or changes.

Water safety

Naegleria risk

Naegleria fowleri is an ameba that can live in warm fresh water, including naturally hot springs. Infection is rare, but it is almost always fatal, and it happens when water goes up the nose. The CDC advises keeping your head above the water in hot springs, holding your nose shut or using a nose clip if you jump or dive in, and not stirring up the sediment on the bottom.

Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Hot water

Visitors shape and rearrange Penny's rock pools to control the water temperature, so how hot any one pool is depends on where the rocks sit that day. Test the water with your hand before you get in, and check it first before letting children in.

Source: Pitkin County Penny Hot Springs Management Plan

Etiquette

No official rule on clothing was found, and some visitors soak without swimwear. Keep your phone and camera put away near the pools, never photograph other people, and expect others to be undressed. This is general etiquette, not a posted rule.

Getting there

  1. From Carbondale, drive about 12 miles south on Highway 133 toward Redstone.
  2. Look for the roadside pullout on the east side of the highway, just before mile marker 55 (about 3 miles north of Redstone).
  3. Park in the pullout, which holds roughly 21 vehicles and is shared with climbers and wildlife viewers.
  4. Take the primary footpath about 20 feet down the steep, eroded bank to the river and the pools.

Amenities

Parking

  • Unmarked highway pullout (about 21 vehicles)

Before you go

Best time to visit: Reviewers praise the springs most in the cooler months, when the hot water feels best beside the cold river, and say early mornings and late evenings are quietest. Spring runoff can reshape or wash out the rock pools each year, and afternoons and weekends are the busiest.

  • Go early in the morning or late in the evening. Reviewers say these times are quietest, and afternoons and weekends are busiest.
  • Wear shoes with grip for the steep, eroded path down to the river, and be careful in the dark or in winter.
  • Bring a swimsuit and a warm change of clothes. Reviewers note the shoulder of the road and the walk back can be very cold in winter.
  • Bring your own towels and water, and pack out all trash. No fees or facilities are listed by the county.
  • Move between the warmer inner pools and the cooler outer pools or the river to find your temperature. Reviewers say the pools change from year to year.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Free, roadside and easy to reach from Carbondale or Redstone
  • Rustic rock pools beside the Crystal River with mountain views
  • Natural contrast between hot spring water and the cold river for a cold plunge
  • Great for cold-weather soaks, sunrises and late-night stargazing
  • Looked after by locals who rebuild the pools each year

Cons

  • Often crowded at busy times, with a parking pullout that fills up
  • No bathrooms and little in the way of changing facilities
  • Clothing practices vary and some reviewers with kids felt uncomfortable
  • The path to the river is steep and can be slippery, especially in winter
  • The pools change every year, so temperature and size are unpredictable

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything to soak at Penny Hot Springs?

No fees are listed by Pitkin County, and reviewers call the springs free.

Are there bathrooms or changing rooms?

The county found no improvements at the pullout and restrooms were only a proposal. A few reviewers mention a small changing cabin or a portable toilet, but others say there are no bathrooms, so plan on none.

When is the best time to go?

Reviewers like cooler months and early mornings or late evenings, when it is quieter. Afternoons and weekends are the busiest.

Is it crowded?

It can be. The pullout holds about 21 vehicles with no marked spaces and the county has counted as many as 40 people on the bank at busy times.

Is it clothing optional?

No source gives a rule. A few reviewers say some people soak without swimwear, and a few families were uncomfortable, so be prepared for either.

How hot is the water?

The pools are built from river rocks, so the temperature depends on how the rocks are arranged. Reviewers say outer pools can be cooler, and you can step into the river to cool off.

Nearby hot springs

Last checked October 28, 2026

Sources: pitkincounty.com, cdc.gov