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Unplugging in Buena Vista and Salida

The Upper Arkansas Valley runs down the middle of Colorado with the river in the bottom and the Collegiate Peaks lined up on the west side. Several of those peaks are over 14,000 feet, and a few are named after colleges, which is how the range got its name.

Down in the valley there are hot springs all over the place, two good small towns and a lot of public land. It's a couple of hours closer to Denver than the San Juans, and a lot less fussy than the ski towns.

See them on the map

Where to stay

Buena Vista is the smaller of the two towns and sits closer to the big peaks. Salida is a bit bigger and has a real downtown on the river. Both are good bases, and they're about half an hour apart.

BuffaloPeaks Lodge

★ 4.75

Buena Vista, CO

Hot tubHiking trailsHorseback riding
From $180/night · Nov 13–15

A small lodge in Buena Vista with mountain views, an outdoor fireplace and a hot tub. Breakfast is hot, and there's a coffee shop on site. Some rooms have a terrace.

What to do

Mount Princeton Hot Springs
Hot springs pools at the base of Mount Princeton, south of Buena Vista, with soaking spots right along Chalk Creek. It's the best-known soak in the valley.
Cottonwood Hot Springs
A smaller, more rustic hot springs west of Buena Vista up Cottonwood Creek, usually with fewer people.
Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center
A big indoor hot springs pool in Salida, run by the county. Not fancy, but warm and cheap, and good on a cold day.
Browns Canyon
A national monument on the Arkansas between Buena Vista and Salida. It's one of the most popular rafting stretches in the country, and outfitters in both towns run half-day and full-day trips.
St. Elmo
An old mining ghost town up the Chalk Creek road past Mount Princeton. A lot of the old buildings are still standing, and the drive up is pretty.
The Collegiate Peaks
Plenty of trailheads along the west side of the valley, from easy walks to all-day climbs up a fourteener. The Colorado Trail runs through here too.

The towns

Buena Vista sits at almost 8,000 feet. It's small, with a short main street, a riverside park and the mountains right there.

Salida is a little lower and a little bigger, with an old brick downtown on the Arkansas, galleries and good places to eat. Poncha Springs and Nathrop are barely towns, just a few buildings at a crossroads.

Before you go

  • It's roughly two and a half to three hours from Denver, depending on traffic and which way you come.
  • Book hot springs ahead on weekends. Some of them limit how many people can come in.
  • Rafting season runs roughly late spring through summer, and the water is highest and coldest early on.
  • You're at 7,000 to 8,000 feet in town and a lot higher on the trails. Drink water and take the first day easy.