Should I take my kids to Strawberry Park Hot Springs?
The short answer:
At night: No!
During the day: Yes!
The long answer:
Strawberry Park Hot Springs, aka the "hippie hot springs," is just outside Steamboat. It's up a beautiful road that turns to dirt but is easy to navigate in the summer (other seasons 4WD is recommended, there are also year-round shuttles if you don't want to drive). The setting is amazing, very rustic with dirt paths and stone steps and the cutest little buildings imaginable, trees and flowers all around, the pools of course and a beautiful little river. I took my 4-year-olds there in the spring and again last week (high summer), and here's my advice for other parents:
You can't go at night
First off, it's clothing optional at night, and kids are not allowed, so if you're going to take your kids it's got to be during the day.
Some pools are hotter than others
There are pools that the kids loved and they could in theory stay in for hours (the 2 closest to the bridge seem to be best). The other pools get hotter, and some may be too hot for little ones.
Some pools are bigger and deeper than others
Some pools are super shallow and small and felt very safe...and were favorites for my kids...others were bigger and deeper and I felt better with life jackets on.
Bring a picnic
There are lots of chairs and picnic tables and some shady spots...bring a meal, drinks too...
Make friends
Everyone is so ridiculously friendly, truly everyone, but especially other moms and dads and the kids seem to congregate around one another, so go ahead, share your toys and snacks (like my son especially likes to do) and make some new friends.
There's more to the hot springs than the hot springs
Especially in the summer when the air is warm, my kids like searching the river and the cool pools for fish, watching bugs, scrambling around on the rocks...you know how kids are not linear, it's fun to see how for them the hot springs are more than just the hot springs.
This is a Steamboat spot not to be missed! Enjoy!
XOXO
