Tiered mound of orange, red and black mineral deposits with wooded hills in the distance

Pinkerton Hot Springs

Primitive/backcountry · Durango

Pinkerton Hot Springs is a roadside hot spring beside U.S. Highway 550, about 14 miles north of Durango on the way to Silverton. What you see today is a brightly stained mound of stacked rock, colored orange by iron in the mineral water, with a small pool on the side away from the road. There are no buildings or facilities. A small dirt pull-off and an interpretive sign sit just steps away.

The spot has a long history. Judge James H. Pinkerton homesteaded the property in 1875, and by the late 1800s the spring water was bottled and sold around Durango. A resort called Pinkerton-in-the-Pines opened in 1925, known for 13 hot spring pools, cabins, a restaurant, a swimming pool and a dance hall. It was later renamed and then became the Golden Horseshoe Ranch and Resort, a popular Durango night out in the 1960s. Colorado Timberline Academy has occupied the site since 1978.

The water is rain and snowmelt that is heated underground and rises along faults; it carries calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and bicarbonate. The highway reroute in the 1970s cut off two of the four original springs, and in 2001 the Colorado Department of Transportation built a drain that moved the flow to the east side of the road and stacked the present mound. Since 2020 a sign warns visitors not to climb it, because the surface is slick.

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

Getting there

  1. From Durango, drive about 14 miles north on U.S. Highway 550 toward Silverton.
  2. Look for the colorful rock mound on the east (right-hand) side of the highway. There is no road sign pointing to it.
  3. Park in the small dirt pull-off and walk a few steps to the springs.

Amenities

Facilities

  • Interpretive sign

Parking

  • Small dirt pull-off

Before you go

Best time to visit: This is a roadside stop beside Highway 550, so reviewers visit in every season, and it works as a short break on the drive between Durango and Silverton. There is no sign of crowds. Daylight shows off the orange mineral mound best, and winter drives need the usual care on the highway.

  • Treat it as a short stop, not a soaking destination. Most reviewers spend a few minutes taking photos and reading the sign.
  • Check what you want first. If you are hoping to soak, a few reviewers say there is hardly anywhere to get in, and the water is only warm.
  • Look for the orange, iron-stained mound and the small pool on the side away from the road.
  • Pull off carefully. The parking area is a small dirt turnout right beside the highway, and traffic is close.
  • Combine it with other stops on the Durango to Silverton drive, since there is nothing else here.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Free and right off the road, with no hiking needed
  • Striking orange mineral deposits that make for good photos
  • Interesting history, with an interpretive sign on site
  • Easy quick stop on the scenic drive to Silverton
  • Warm water and a small pool to dip a hand or foot in

Cons

  • Not really set up for soaking, so some reviewers left disappointed
  • Small site with not much to do beyond a short stop
  • The water is only lukewarm for many reviewers
  • Highway traffic noise and a small parking turnout

Frequently asked questions

Can you soak in Pinkerton Hot Springs?

There is a small pool on the side away from the road, but many reviewers say it is not really a place to soak and that you can mostly dip your hands or feet. No source gives pool sizes.

How much does it cost?

Nothing. No fees are listed, and reviewers call it free.

How hot is the water?

Travel guides give about 95 to 105°F, but several reviewers say the water was lukewarm or only mildly warm.

Where is it and how do I park?

It is beside U.S. Highway 550 about 14 miles north of Durango, with a small dirt pull-off and an interpretive sign a few steps away.

How long should I plan to stay?

Reviewers describe a short stop of a few minutes to half an hour, mostly for photos and the history sign.

Are there restrooms or facilities?

No. There are no buildings or facilities, only an interpretive sign and the pull-off.

Nearby hot springs

Last checked October 28, 2026

Sources: durangoherald.com, coloradogeologicalsurvey.org, gregdisch.com, visitfourcorners.com, cdc.gov