Although little Ouray was established as a silver- and gold-mining town, it's the area's geothermal hot springs that have helped turn it into a small but thriving tourist destination. You'll find hot springs throughout region, but the most famous and easily visited are at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool and Park (U.S. 550 at the north end of downtown, 970-325-7073), located just off Main Street (U.S. 550) at the north edge of downtown. Here the public is welcome to swim, soak, and frolic in a huge outdoor pool where the waters hovers around 100 degrees.
The town pool is great on a few counts - from it you can not only rejuvenate tired muscles, you can also soak up the views of the mesmerizing San Juan mountains that surround Ouray. Also, the springs here have no sulfur in them, and so are basically odorless. The pool is divided for lap swimming and diving, and there's also water volleyball and a slide - this tends to keep the kids in one section, leaving other areas for adults who'd rather not be part of the splashing. Most days the pools aren't overly crowded, although weekends tend to be the worst - arrive early afternoon or on weekdays if you'd rather avoid the crowds (hours are generally from late morning until 9 pm - check the site for exact schedule). Daily admission is $10, and that includes access to the adjacent fitness center. You can also book a massage treatment at the pool's spa facility.
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