Penny Hot Springs sits on the bank of the Crystal River along Highway 133, a short stretch south of Redstone in Colorado's Crystal River Valley. There's no gate, no ticket booth, no building to mark it. You just pull off the highway, pick your way down to the river, and look for the rock-walled pools where hot mineral water seeps up through the riverbed and mixes with the cold current. It's one of the few truly free, unregulated hot springs left in Colorado, and that informality is both the draw and the catch. Unlike developed springs such as Glenwood Hot Springs Pool or Iron Mountain Hot Springs twenty-some miles north, nobody manages the pools at Penny. The soaking experience here is assembled by hand, one cobble at a time, by whoever got there before you.

Why Penny Hot Springs Matters

What makes Penny Hot Springs worth the stop isn't polish, it's the opposite. The pools exist because people keep rebuilding them. Soakers drag river rocks into rough circles and walls along the bank, damming just enough of the Crystal River's flow to trap the hot spring water seeping up from below, then crack the wall open a little when it gets too hot. The result is a soaking spot that's different every time you visit, depending on who was there last, how hard they worked, and how much water the river is pushing down from the mountains above.

That variability is the whole point for a lot of people. There's no uniform temperature, no posted depth, no guarantee the pools will even be there when you arrive. It rewards a wait-and-see attitude more than a checklist mentality. Compare that to Glenwood's chlorinated lanes or the terraced concrete pools at Iron Mountain, and you start to see why some travelers drive right past those in favor of a muddy scramble down to the Crystal River.

Quick Facts

• Location: beside Highway 133, near Redstone, in the Crystal River Valley of Colorado
• Cost: free, no admission or reservation system
• Setting: rock pools built directly into the bank and shallows of the Crystal River
• Water source: natural hot springs mixing with cold river flow
• Access: a roadside pullout, then a short scramble down to the riverbank
• Clothing: clothing-optional use has a long history at this spot

Getting There

Penny Hot Springs is directly off Highway 133, on the route between Carbondale and Redstone in the Crystal River Valley. If you're coming from Carbondale, it's a drive of roughly twenty minutes south along the river. From Redstone, it's just a few minutes north. The springs aren't signed in any official way, so keep an eye on the river side of the highway for a small pullout and a worn path down the bank.

Parking is limited to that pullout. Don't leave your car on the highway verge, both because it's a narrow stretch of road with real traffic and because it draws attention from anyone enforcing parking rules in the area. Once you're parked, the walk down to the water is short but can be steep and slick depending on recent rain or snowmelt, so wear shoes that can handle loose rock and mud.

The Layout and Experience

There's no single defined pool at Penny. What you'll find is a stretch of riverbank where hot spring water surfaces through gravel and rock, and where soakers have piled stones into small enclosures to slow the cold river just enough to let the heat concentrate. Some years there might be two or three distinct pools. Other times it's a single larger pocket, or barely anything identifiable at all.

The temperature is a negotiation with the river. Too much cold flow and the pool is lukewarm at best. Too little, and you're sitting in water hot enough to make you move fast. Regulars often rearrange rocks on arrival, shifting stones to let in more or less river water until it feels right. It's common etiquette to leave the pools in reasonable shape for whoever comes next, though don't expect to find them exactly as a guidebook might describe.

During spring runoff, typically May into June depending on the snowpack, the Crystal River can run high and fast enough to wash the pools out completely. If you're visiting during that window, there's a real chance you'll find nothing but river where the pools usually sit. Lower, calmer water in late summer and fall tends to give the best conditions for soaking.

Best Time to Visit

Late summer through fall is generally the most reliable window, once spring runoff has eased and the river has dropped to a gentler flow. Winter can also work, with the contrast of cold mountain air against hot water being part of the appeal, though ice and snow make the scramble down to the bank trickier.

Spring is the riskiest time to plan around, since high water from snowmelt can bury or scatter the rock pools for weeks at a stretch. Weekday mornings tend to be quieter than weekend afternoons, when the pullout can fill up with cars from both soakers and people road-tripping along the scenic stretch of Highway 133 toward Redstone and Marble.

Facilities and Preparation

There are no facilities here. No changing rooms, no restrooms, no trash cans. Pack out anything you bring in, including bottles and food wrappers, since there's no maintenance crew picking up after visitors.

Bring water shoes or sandals you don't mind getting wet and muddy, a towel, and layers for after your soak, especially if you're visiting in cooler months when the temperature swing between the hot pools and the open air can be sharp. Because the pools are clothing-optional by long-standing local custom, it's worth knowing that going in before you arrive, whether you plan to participate or not. It isn't universally practiced by every visitor, but it's common enough that you shouldn't be caught off guard.

Combining with Nearby Attractions

Penny Hot Springs sits naturally on the route to Redstone, a small historic coal-mining town just a few minutes south with its own cluster of early 1900s buildings, including the Redstone Castle. Heading north, the highway continues toward Carbondale, where you can pick up supplies, food, or a place to stay if you don't want to camp along the valley.

Marble, known for the quarry that supplied stone for the Lincoln Memorial, is a further drive south past Redstone and makes a good extension if you're spending the day exploring the valley. Many visitors pair a stop at Penny with a hike or drive elsewhere in the Crystal River Valley, treating the springs as a mid-trip soak rather than the sole destination.

Practical Tips

• Park only in the designated pullout, not along the highway shoulder
• Check river conditions before you go, especially during spring runoff from roughly May to June
• Bring water shoes, since the riverbed is rocky and slippery
• Pack out all trash, there are no bins on site
• Be prepared for clothing-optional soakers, it's a long-standing norm here
• Visit on a weekday or early morning for a quieter experience
• Bring a towel and warm layers for the walk back to your car

FAQ

Is there an entrance fee for Penny Hot Springs?
No. There's no admission charge, no gate, and no staff on site. You park, walk down, and soak at your own risk.

Will there definitely be a pool when I arrive?
Not necessarily. The pools are rebuilt by hand out of river rock, and high water, especially during spring runoff, can wash them out completely. What you find depends on recent conditions and who's been there before you.

Is it clothing-optional?
Clothing-optional soaking has a long history at Penny, though it's not mandatory or universal. It's common enough that it's worth knowing in advance.

How far is it from Redstone or Carbondale?
It's a few minutes north of Redstone and roughly twenty minutes south of Carbondale along Highway 133.

Is the water too hot to soak in comfortably?
It varies by pool and by how much cold river water is mixing in. Some pockets run quite hot, others are more lukewarm, and regulars often adjust the rock walls to find a comfortable balance.