Penny Hot Springs: parking, fees and temperature

Penny Hot Springs is a free, roadside soak on the Crystal River a few miles north of Redstone, reached by a short scramble down the bank from a turnout on Highway 133. There's no fee and no reservation; the only facility is a portable toilet at the lot. It's part of our hot springs in Colorado guide alongside a dozen other soaks; see the full hot springs locator map for other states.

1 reviewed pick with directions and access notes

Fact box

Field	Detail
Location	West bank of the Crystal River, off Highway 133 near Redstone, across from Filoha Meadows Nature Preserve
Parking	Turnout on Highway 133 near mile marker 55; park in the turnout only, not on the shoulder (as of August 2026)
Access	Short, sometimes slippery scramble down the riverbank from the turnout
Temperature (source)	About 130°F entering, settling to roughly 100–106°F where it mixes with the river (visitor reports compiled by secondary sources, as of August 2026)
Temperature (NOAA archive)	About 133°F, historical estimate, base year 1980
Soak cost	Free (as of August 2026)
Facilities	A portable toilet at the lot; no changing rooms (as of August 2026)
Legal status	Public, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails (highway right-of-way)
Season	Open year-round, per Pitkin County (confirmed September 2026)

Getting there and parking

Penny Hot Springs sits on the west bank of the Crystal River, directly across from the Filoha Meadows Nature Preserve, in a parcel managed by Pitkin County's Open Space and Trails program within the Colorado Department of Transportation's right-of-way along Highway 133 (Pitkin County, Penny Hot Springs). Park in the turnout near mile marker 55, not on the highway shoulder; the county and CDOT have organized the turnout into a small number of defined spaces, roughly ten as of August 2026. From the turnout, a short, sometimes slippery scramble leads down to the pools.

Temperature and etiquette

Source water enters the pools at around 130°F and settles to roughly 100 to 106°F where it mixes with the Crystal River's current, a blend that shifts with the river's flow. Visitors move rocks in the informal wall between the hot inflow and the cold river to adjust the temperature, so expect the mix to feel different depending on who was there before you and how high the river is running. The NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive lists an independent historical estimate of about 133°F for the source, dated to 1980, close to the source temperature reported at the site today.

How this guide was researched

This page was compiled from Pitkin County's official page for Penny Hot Springs and the NOAA/NCEI thermal springs archive. We haven't visited this site ourselves. The county's open-space page confirms year-round access as of a direct check in September 2026; parking-lot rules, facilities and the pool temperatures are carried from earlier research dated August 2026, since the county page didn't give that detail when checked in September 2026. Conditions along the river change with runoff and weather, so check current conditions before you go.

Before you go

Spring runoff changes this soak more than any other season. As the Crystal River rises with snowmelt, typically through late spring, it can submerge the rock walls that hold the hot water separate from the current, cooling the pools or making them unreachable altogether; a lower, calmer river later in summer gives a more predictable soak. Test the water with your hand before easing in, since the mix near the hot inflow runs well above comfortable skin temperature, and keep your head above the surface: soaking in a natural pool like this is exactly the kind of warm freshwater exposure the CDC warns about for Naegleria fowleri, and the agency advises against submerging your head in it for that reason (CDC, Preventing brain infection when swimming). The risk is very low in absolute terms, but keeping your head above the waterline costs nothing. See our hot spring safety guide for more on both. There's no charge to reach or use these pools; see our free hot springs guide for other Colorado soaks with no cost to reach the water.

FAQ

Is Penny Hot Springs free?

Yes. There's no fee to park in the turnout or to reach the pools.

Where do you park for Penny Hot Springs?

In the turnout on Highway 133 near mile marker 55. Park in the turnout itself, not on the highway shoulder.

How hot is Penny Hot Springs?

Source water enters around 130°F and settles to roughly 100 to 106°F where it mixes with the Crystal River.

Is Penny Hot Springs open year-round?

Yes, according to Pitkin County. Conditions vary with the season: spring runoff can submerge or cool the pools.

Is Penny Hot Springs safe during spring runoff?

Use caution. Rising water from snowmelt can cover the rock walls that separate hot and cold water, cooling the pools or making the soak unreachable. Conditions ease later in summer as the river drops.

We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked September 2026. Read our full methodology.