# Conundrum Hot Springs, Colorado

Conundrum Hot Springs in Colorado. 100°F (38°C). Hike · Public Land. Gunnison County.

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

## Can you soak at Conundrum Hot Springs?

Yes. Conundrum Hot Springs has natural, undeveloped pools that run from 100 to 102°F. You pay for parking or a permit. It's open Jul-Sep. Reaching it takes a hike.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 100°F (38°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| Total dissolved solids | 1,910 mg/L |
| Elevation | 11,229 ft |
| Access | Hike · Public Land, 1.9 mi from the nearest road (Forest Road 129.1 Montezuma) |
| Land | White River National Forest, US Forest Service |
| County | Gunnison County |
| Nearest town | Crested Butte |
| Coordinates | 39.01200, -106.89100 |
| Best months to soak | December, January, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Maroon Bells Amphitheatre, 6.2 mi |

## Plan your visit

| | |
|---|---|
| Type | Primitive pools |
| Cost | Parking or permit fee. overnight camping permit via recreation.gov; $10 per reservation reported in 2018; current price not found; day hikers need no permit |
| Season | Jul-Sep |
| Reservations | Not needed |
| Pool temperature | 100–102°F |
| Clothing | Clothing optional |
| Getting there | 8.5 mi one way, about 2500 ft gain to 11,200 ft |
| In winter | trailhead inaccessible early Oct to late June, avalanche hazard |
| Operator | US Forest Service, White River National Forest (Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness), https://www.recreation.gov |

Checked October 2026. Sources: https://www.hotspringsguides.com/hot-springs/conundrum-hot-springs-colorado, https://www.kunc.org/environment/2018-04-17/going-camping-at-conundrum-hot-springs-dont-forget-your-permit, https://fs.usda.gov/r02/gmug/recreation/conundrum-trail-981

## About Conundrum Hot Springs

Conundrum Hot Springs is a backcountry spring in the White River National Forest, Gunnison County, Colorado, inside the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. Crested Butte is the nearest town on record, eleven miles off. The water is at bath temperature, the kind you can stay in. Access is open. It sits above eleven thousand feet and is about two miles from the nearest road, so it is a hike.

Forest Road 129.1 Montezuma is the nearest road on file, with about two miles between it and the spring. This is wilderness under the Forest Service. The climate figures are cold: a yearly average around freezing and snow totals north of eleven feet in a normal year, with heavy precipitation. Wikipedia calls it remote.

Wikipedia describes Conundrum as a geothermal spring in a remote section of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, in the White River National Forest of the Colorado Rockies. The USGS has a site record, with a sample dating to September 1975. OpenStreetMap carries the same name.

Oddly enough, the record prefers December through February. At eleven thousand feet with that snowfall, a winter trip is a serious undertaking; read the climate chart before choosing. Hike access, open. Maroon Bells Amphitheatre is the campground on record, about six miles away. There is no fee on record. The water chemistry dates to 1975 and shows a heavy mineral load. Bath temperature, so no burn risk.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1975-09-26 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total dissolved solids | 1,910 mg/L |
| Calcium | 500 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 1.4 mg/L |
| Sodium | 44 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 1,300 mg/L |
| Chloride | 8.6 mg/L |
| Iron | 80 µg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Crested Butte](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/colorado/crested-butte), 13 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Colorado](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado)
- [Cement Creek Hot Spring, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/cement-creek-hot-spring): 77°F source, pH 7.2, Short Walk, near Crested Butte, Gunnison County
- [Ranger Hot Spring, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/ranger-hot-spring): 81°F source, pH 7.4, Short Walk, near Crested Butte, Gunnison County
- [Penny Hot Springs, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/penny-hot-springs): 133°F source, pH 7.4, Short Walk, near Carbondale, Garfield County, primitive pools, free, year-round
- [Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/avalanche-ranch-hot-springs): pH 8.6, Roadside, near Carbondale, Garfield County, developed pools, $34 day pass, year-round
- [Cottonwood Hot Springs, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/cottonwood-hot-springs): 136°F source, pH 8.5, Roadside, near Buena Vista, Chaffee County, developed pools, $45 day pass, year-round
- [Lower Waunita Hot Springs, CO](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/colorado/lower-waunita-hot-springs): 167°F source, pH 7.7, Roadside, near Gunnison, Gunnison County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Conundrum Hot Springs?**
Conundrum Hot Springs has a water temperature of 100°F (38°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Conundrum Hot Springs located?**
Conundrum Hot Springs is located in Gunnison County, Colorado at 11,229 feet elevation, near Crested Butte. Coordinates: 39.0120°N, 106.8910°W.

**How do I get to Conundrum Hot Springs?**
Conundrum Hot Springs has Hike road access, with the nearest road being Forest Road 129.1 Montezuma (1.9 mi from the road).

**Is Conundrum Hot Springs free to visit?**
Conundrum Hot Springs has Open access. It is managed by US Forest Service.

**Can I camp near Conundrum Hot Springs?**
Yes, Maroon Bells Amphitheatre is located nearby (6.2 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Conundrum Hot Springs?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. Total dissolved solids measure 1,910 mg/L.

## Sources

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