Healing and gratitude in the thermal waters of Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Before checking in for a three-day stay in early June at The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colo., I had never heard of the term “robe culture.” 

But as the front desk attendant explained the term – that swimsuits and robes are the requisite resort wear at this sprawling property dappled with more than four–dozen soaking pools and cold plunges of varying temperatures and capacities – I knew it was my kind of place.  

Swimsuits and robes are the requisite attire at The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colo. Kristin Finan photo

What I didn’t realize, however, was how badly I needed this three-day stay, during which I would not only decompress from an overwhelming May that included a bad car accident and the flurry of end-of-school activities inherent with having six kids between the ages of 9 and 16, but also discover healing and gratitude within the resort’s thermal waters.  

Healing waters

Wandering the resort’s soaking pools, which are nestled in the shadow of the majestic San Juan Mountains and overlook the rushing San Juan River, is like traipsing through a choose-your-own-hot-tub-adventure daydream.  

Except, unlike hot tubs, these pools contain 13 elements and minerals with scientifically proven therapeutic benefits. The resort takes its healing properties so seriously that it even employs its own medical director, Dr. Marcus Coplin, who advises on the science-based use of therapeutic thermal mineral hot spring water and health resort programming.  

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On sunny days, the soaking pools create a blue-on-blue-on-blue contrast with the adjacent sky and river, ideal for the sunglasses-and-margarita set. On overcast days, moody clouds loom overhead, making for cozy dips amid the possibility of instantaneous downpours and, if you’re lucky, as I was, subsequent double rainbows.  

Each soaking pool has its own name and is marked with its current temperature, which spans anywhere from 48 degrees in the cold-plunge pools to as high as 111 degrees. The pools are open 24 hours and every day of the year for resort guests, making stargazing, snowy swims and holiday outings always within the realm of possibility. Some pools are considered family friendly while others are marked adults only.  

The soaking pools at The Springs Resort overlook the San Juan River and the town of Pagosa Springs, Colo. Kristin Finan photo

My favorite pool was Osprey’s Perch, where I spent a magical hour during an evening downpour, the frigid droplets on my face offering a rejuvenating and unforgettable contrast to the steamy 106-degree water that enveloped my body. 

Taking the plunge

While I love all types of water, I am by no means a fan of being cold. So when I heard that the 48-degree Warrior Plunge was a rite of passage for guests at The Springs Resort, I was conflicted.  

Created to bring out our “inner warriors,” this plunge – which is led by resort staff and offered daily at noon – involves soaking in a warm pool and then plunging into the aptly named Cold Rush pool, which is actually a rock-lined area of the San Juan River. The San Juan River, I might add, consists of snowmelt. 

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The Cold Rush pool at The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colo., is 48 degrees. Kristin Finan photo

According to Dr. Coplin, who led my group’s Warrior Plunge, the benefits of cold plunging can include decreased inflammation, muscle soreness and pain, as well as a strengthened immune and stress response, improved sleep and relaxation. But what about the drawbacks, I couldn’t help thinking, like hypothermia? 

Bolstered by Dr. Coplin’s knowledge and the encouragement of the mixed-aged group of fellow travelers who were also participating, I soon found myself stepping into and then submerging in the river water. My breath instantly escaped my body as the freezing water surrounded my skin. 

Dr. Coplin advised us to put our arms up and take deep breaths, which allowed me to last about two minutes in the water. When those minutes were up, I scampered onto the river’s rocky bank, my shaking legs threatening to give out under me like those of a baby giraffe. The experience had been painful, shocking, and yes, undeniably empowering.  

After warming up in an adjacent pool, we each received a beaded bracelet – as does everyone who participates in the Warrior Plunge – meant to serve as a tangible reminder of our accomplishment and our new induction into the “warrior” community.  

Nourishing the body

Although I would have been more than happy to spend my entire three days dipping in and out of the soaking pools, I couldn’t resist experiencing the rest of the resort’s offerings, too, including its multifaceted food and beverage program.  

From delightful breakfast options such as avocado toast and crepes at The Cafe to delicious lunch standards like burgers at the Barefoot Bar – yes, swimsuits, robes and bare feet are indeed welcome there – the resort’s F&B programming was impressive and diverse. Families could easily order up hot dogs and chicken fingers for hungry little swimmers, and those seeking to unwind with a cocktail, a glass of wine or a beer had ample options. But the resort also caters to those seeking more health-focused and locally sourced fare.  

The menu at Wild Finch is primarily gluten free. Kristin Finan photo

At Wild Finch, the resort’s brightly lit signature restaurant, the menu showcases entirely gluten-free options and a slew of inventive mocktails in addition to wine and cocktail offerings. Helmed by Chef Daya Myer-Hurt, who revitalized Galveston’s dining scene with restaurants such as The Lunchbox Cafe and Fish Company Taco before joining Wild Finch, the restaurant aims to blend fresh ingredients with globally inspired flavors.  

Standout dishes include Tooth & Gill polenta, featuring locally sourced mushrooms; chicken-friend elk served with African curry and greens; and a surprisingly hearty grilled cabbage wedge with chili crisp. Myer-Hurt’s desserts were also incredible, including the tangy Lime in the Coconut (coconut granita, shortbread crumble and chantilly creme) and the spectacular Campfire Girl (smoked chocolate, meringue, vanilla ice cream and potato chip crumble).  

The Thermal Spa at The Springs Resort, where I experienced a facial so relaxing that I found myself dozing off, was another highlight of the trip. Designed to harness the healing power from the earth, the two-story Thermal Spa offers everything from a panoramic sauna to an adults-only relaxation terrace to a Mother’s Mud treatment that uses the natural minerals in mud to detox and cleanse the body. In addition to treatments, the resort offers a variety of wellness classes such as aqua yoga, sound healing, and forest bathing.  

The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colo., offers a variety of renovated rooms. Kristin Finan photo

But the focus on wellness doesn’t stop there. Each night when I retired to my beautifully renovated room – which came complete with unlimited towels and, yes, robes – I enjoyed using my included deep-sleep tray, a collection of sleep aids curated by Dr. Coplin that included earplugs, an aromatherapy sleep stick, relaxing lotion, and cell phone sleep sack.  

Finding gratitude 

While the entire resort exhibits mystical qualities, its heartbeat is the Mother Spring, which was discovered hundreds of years ago by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and is revered for its healing powers. The world’s deepest geothermal hot spring, Mother Spring now feeds all of the resort’s other thermal pools.  

The Mother Spring at The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colo., is the heartbeat of the property. Kristin Finan photo

Every day at 4 p.m., the resort hosts a Moment of Gratitude ceremony at Mother Spring that includes a brief guide to the history of the spring and encourages guests – many of whom attend wearing their robes – to pause, immerse in the moment, and enjoy the view.  

During our ceremony, we were asked to state our intention for our stay – mine was “peace.” Next, we were handed a piece of dissolvable paper and a pen and told to write on the paper what we were grateful for. Finally, we were handed a little jar of water taken from the Mother Spring, told to place our paper in it, and reminded that once we got home, we could look at the jar whenever we needed to remember this moment of beauty, and gratitude.  

Donning my warrior bracelet reminding me that I can do hard things and holding my little jar from the Mother Spring containing all the things I am thankful for, I arrived home from Pagosa Springs relaxed, rejuvenated and, yes, grateful.  

Grateful for my family. Grateful for life. And grateful for an unforgettable three days in a truly magical space.