hot springs camping colorado

Sand Dunes Pool – Our Favorite Hot Springs Camping Colorado!

There are some pretty amazing hot springs in Colorado.  In fact, there are so many hot springs in Colorado that it would take you a few trips to drive around and explore them all. Road tripping around Colorado to visit all these different hot springs is high up on our list of things to do in this magnificent state.  And we’ve been fortunate during our time of living in Denver that we’ve been able to explore many of these hot springs and even do some camping in our RV But as we traveled around Colorado this last summer there was one place that really stood out to us as our absolute favorite place for hot springs camping in Colorado.  And that was the Sand Dunes Pool in Hooper, Colorado near the Great Sand Dunes National Park!

Why Hot Springs Camping in Colorado is GREAT! 

Of course, who doesn’t love a good hot spring?  Especially as we get older, Josh and I have noticed our bodies seem to ache more and more.  So we have really come to enjoy our visits to hot spring pools whenever we can.  There’s just something about unwinding after a long day of hiking by relaxing in a natural hot spring. All those minerals really do help with the soreness and help you to feel relaxed and refreshed! 

hot springs dunes pool hooper colorado

One of the best things about traveling in our RV is that we can spend even more time enjoying the hot springs.  It doesn’t have to be a day trip, it can be a weekend trip or even longer.  That was the case when we visited Sand Dunes Pool in Hooper, Colorado.  We were actually planning to spend one week in the Hooper area so that we could visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park.  That park had been high on our wish list of places to visit for a few years, and we were excited to finally be able to visit.  But we didn’t want to do just a day or weekend trip, we wanted to really be able to relax and enjoy the area.  

After doing some research on camping near the Great Sand Dunes, we discovered Sand Dunes Pool and that we could do some hot springs camping in Colorado. We were SOLD!

Sand Dunes Pool is AWESOME!

When you first enter the Sand Dunes pool, it seems to be a pretty standard outdoor hot springs.  They have a great kiddie pool area, some diving boards and seating all the way around.  They also have a great snack bar area that serves fantastic food!  There is also an even hotter small pool if you are up for it!

But we were surprised as we walked away from the building to discover that the grounds west of the pool toward the mountains were huge! In fact, there was a huge grassy area that you could walk around that had chairs, volleyball nets, and other games as well as some places for kids to play.  There was even a little stream flowing out from the pool that trickled down in a small waterfall that you could play in or slide down!

Dogs Are Welcome At the Sand Dunes Swimming Pool…Seriously!

We could bring our dog to the hot springs pool
Josh and Hana hanging out at the Hot Springs Pool!

If you have been following us for a while, then you know that our lil’ girl Hana travels with us everywhere!  Probably one of the coolest things about the Sand Dunes Pool is that they let us bring Hana inside the pool area with us!!!  She couldn’t swim, which is fine (she’s a Lab who hates water…ironic, I know).  But she really enjoyed hanging out with us on the grass and she was able to put her feet in the water of the hot stream that ran through the property.  

Hana loves being with us wherever we are, so it was really nice being able to take her into the pool with us and not leave her alone outside.

The Adult “Greenhouse” at Sand Dunes Pool is a MUST!

By far, the absolute best part of the Sand Dunes Hot Spring Pool is that they actually have an entirely separate area from the main pool.  The main pool is for families and can get pretty loud at times.  So if you are looking for a relaxing place to hang out…then you must go back to the Greenhouse.  

The Greenhouse area is an adult-only area that does have an additional fee.  But no doubt about it, the fee is totally worth it in every way!  Walking inside through some cool shipping containers with retro lights and music, you are welcomed into the Greenhouse.  This area is totally sectioned off from the other main pool and inside a type of Green House so you are also protected from the sun and winds (it’s quite windy in the area…hence the Sand Dunes nearby!).  

The Greenhouse is lush with all sorts of greenery and flowers, I actually really enjoyed strolling the walking paths and admiring the unique plants.  There are also multiple hot spring pools in this area.  There’s a main pool with a nice waterfall feature and lights that is the average temperature.  It’s zero-entry, which makes it really easy to stroll into your desired depth, and there may be some floaties around that you can grab too.

There are also a number of other hot tubs around the Greenhouse too at various temperatures.  Some of them are very hot, so be careful and test the water first.  It is nice to be able to hop around to different temperature pools depending on how you feel.

The Greenhouse (adults only) at Sand Dunes Hot Springs.

Music, Lights, Food, Drinks…and Relaxation in the Greenhouse

Since the Greenhouse area of the Sand Dunes Pool is for adults only, it’s quite a bit more relaxed and quiet.  They do have some music playing, but it was just loud enough to drown out any talking and give a nice peaceful atmosphere.  There are also some mood lighting that really looks beautiful just before dusk!

Another highlight of this area is the food and drink.  They have a number of tasty items on the menu served tastefully, in fact, this might be one of the nicest places to dine out in nearby Alamosa and it is pretty much the only place to eat in Hooper (it’s a really small town).  They also serve beer, wine, and other cocktails that you may enjoy.  

Lastly, if you want even more relaxation then they do have a massage therapist that is available to give massages on-site as well.  I must say, we enjoyed the Greenhouse more than anything at the Sand Dunes Pool.  We visited every single day of our trip.  Although we couldn’t bring Hana into the Greenhouse (she could only go to the main pool), we made spending the evening here a daily ritual. 

Camping at the Sand Dunes Pool Hot Springs

As mentioned, one of the reasons we came to visit the Sand Dunes Pool hot spring is because we could camp onsite.  There are about 10 RV sites that have electric and water hookups, and about 10 more RV sites that are dry.  We were able to get one of the electric and water sites, and they do have a dump station on-site so it wasn’t a real inconvenience.  They also have a number of other sites available for tent camping too as well as a couple of little cabin-type accommodations and a larger “hacienda” for groups with multiple bedrooms.

hot springs camping colorado
Water and electric sites at the Hot Springs Pool. Great camping with convenient access to the hot springs in Hooper, Colorado!

What We Loved About Camping at the Sand Dunes Pool

The best thing about camping at the Sand Dunes Pool as just the overall relaxation and convenience.  We loved having easy access to the hot spring pools every single day, and the fact that we could bring Hana inside with us so we didn’t have to leave her in the RV.  We also really loved that Green House area for adults-only.

Another perk about staying at the campground onsite at the Sand Dunes Pool is that guests receive half off the price of swimming!  This made it a great deal so that we could go swimming every day.  

How Much Does It Cost to Camp & Swim at the Sand Dunes Pool?

Prices for full hook up camping at the Sand Dunes Pool is super reasonable.  The price is only $30 per night, and you can get a weekly rate of $150.  The dry sites and tent camping is only $20 per night. Adult swimming prices are $15 per day, but again if you are camping then you can get 50% off the daily admission price. 

Hot Springs Camping in Colorado Near the Great Sand Dunes!

Sand Dunes Pool is located in Hooper, Colorado.  Just north of the town of Alamosa and right near the Great Sand Dunes National Park.  In fact, you can actually see the Great Sand Dunes laying up against the mountains off to the west of the Sand Dunes Pool (it looks pretty cool actually). 

Even though the Sand Dunes look so close, they are still actually a 30-minute drive in your car, so be sure to keep that in mind when you plan your visit to the Sand Dunes.  We really loved the fact that we could go exploring the national park during the day, then come back and go swimming that night in the hot springs.

** Check out our experience visiting the Great Sand Dunes National Park here!

Our Packing Picks!


Why Not Camp at the Great Sand Dunes?

Ah yes, a few people have asked us why we chose not to camp at the Great Sand Dunes because there is a nice campground at the Great Sand Dunes called Piñon Flats.  It is a good campground with good facilities.  However, it is your standard National Park Campground without any type of hookups.  It is only $20 per night and it does give the quickest access to Sand Dunes and trails nearby.  However, we decided that we wanted the fun of relaxing in the hot spring pools every day.  So we decided to stay at the Sand Dunes hot springs pool was a better option for us.

** Learn More and Book Your Spot to Camp at the Sand Dunes Pool **

 

 


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