# Browns Grotto Warm Spring, Colorado

Browns Grotto Warm Spring in Colorado. 73°F (23°C). Short Walk. Chaffee County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/browns-grotto-warm-spring
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Browns Grotto Warm Spring?

The water leaves the ground at 73°F, about as warm as a heated pool. It's a short walk from the road. We haven't confirmed whether it has a pool or charges a fee.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 73°F (23°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 8.0 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Elevation | 7,452 ft |
| Access | Short Walk, 0.1 mi from the nearest road |
| County | Chaffee County |
| Nearest town | Salida |
| Coordinates | 38.63400, -106.07200 |
| Best months to soak | January, December, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | ANGEL OF SHAVANO GROUP, 8.8 mi |

## About Browns Grotto Warm Spring

Browns Grotto Warm Spring, eight miles or so from Salida in Chaffee County, Colorado, is tepid, room temperature at best, at roughly seventy-four hundred feet. Access and ownership are absent from the file, so who controls it is the open question. A 1976 USGS sample gives alkaline water with iron and sodium in it.

Something under two hundred yards separates it from the closest road, which the record does not name, so finish on foot. High country; winters drop a good deal of snow and the yearly average sits in the low forties. Rain is modest. Land unit and designation: nothing given, so public status is unverified here.

Midwinter is what the record lists as the season, though for water this cool the season is more about getting there than the soak. Short walk. Angel of Shavano Group campground, a little under nine miles away, is the one listed, and the name suggests group sites. Fees: nothing recorded. The chemistry is old, 1976. Access is not on file; confirm before you go.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1976-06-01 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 8 |
| Calcium | 7.6 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0.1 mg/L |
| Sodium | 160 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 140 mg/L |
| Chloride | 55 mg/L |
| Iron | 30 µg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Buena Vista](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/colorado/buena-vista), 8 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Colorado](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado)
- [Browns Canyon Warm Spring, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/browns-canyon-warm-spring): 77°F source, pH 8.0, Roadside, near Salida, Chaffee County
- [Salida Hot Springs, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/salida-hot-springs): pH 7.4, Roadside, near Salida, Chaffee County, developed pools, $17 day pass, year-round
- [Aqua Hot Spring, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/aqua-hot-spring): TDS 143 mg/L, Roadside, near Buena Vista, Chaffee County, private, no public access, pools 101–108°F, overnight guests only, year-round
- [Mount Princeton Hot Springs, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/mount-princeton-hot-springs): 133°F source, pH 7.7, Roadside, near Buena Vista, Chaffee County, developed pools, pools 82–99°F, $40 day pass, year-round
- [Hortense Hot Spring, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/hortense-hot-spring): 181°F source, Short Walk, near Buena Vista, Chaffee County
- [Poncha Hot Springs, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/poncha-hot-springs): 160°F source, TDS 673 mg/L, Roadside, near Salida, Chaffee County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Browns Grotto Warm Spring?**
Browns Grotto Warm Spring has a water temperature of 73°F (23°C). This is a warm thermal spring.

**Where is Browns Grotto Warm Spring located?**
Browns Grotto Warm Spring is located in Chaffee County, Colorado at 7,452 feet elevation, near Salida. Coordinates: 38.6340°N, 106.0720°W.

**How do I get to Browns Grotto Warm Spring?**
Browns Grotto Warm Spring has Short Walk road access (0.1 mi from the road).

**Can I camp near Browns Grotto Warm Spring?**
Yes, Angel Of Shavano Group is located nearby (8.8 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Browns Grotto Warm Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. The pH is 8.0 (slightly alkaline).

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browns_Grotto_Warm_Spring