Eldorado Springs Pool

What to expect

Set your expectations first: Eldorado Springs Pool is a warm swimming pool, not a hot soak. The artesian spring behind it comes out of the ground cool by hot spring standards, and the operator keeps the pool at roughly 79-82°F26-28°C, adjusting for the weather. On a 90-degree July afternoon at the foot of the Flatirons, that is exactly what you want. On a cool evening in September, it feels brisk.

What makes it worth the trip is the setting and the history. The pool sits in the tiny community of Eldorado Springs at the mouth of Eldorado Canyon, with sandstone walls rising straight up behind the deck and climbers often visible on them. The resort opened on July 4, 1905, as Moffat Lakes Resort and built the present pool in 1906, advertising it as the biggest swimming pool in the country. In its heyday the Colorado and Southern Railroad ran several trains a day out from Denver, and the resort was nicknamed the “Coney Island of the West.” Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower honeymooned in a cabin here, and the tightrope walker Ivy Baldwin crossed the canyon on a wire 582 feet up, on and off from 1906 to 1948.

Today the pool belongs to Eldorado Artesian Springs, the company that bottles the spring water, which bought the resort and its water rights in 1983. It closed for a major renovation, the first since it opened, and reopened on August 1, 2024. The water is chlorinated, as state health rules require, but the operator says it keeps levels low.

The pools

• Main pool: about 25 yards long, running from a 3 ft 6 in shallow end to a deep end of up to 10 feet, with a diving board. There are no lap lanes.
• Baby pool: a separate shallow pool, about 14 inches deep.
• Deck and extras: a snack bar selling food, ice cream, Eldorado spring water, sunscreen, floats and towels, plus a beer garden. Private upper-deck rentals are available on request.

Getting there

The pool is at 294 Artesian Drive, Eldorado Springs, on Colorado 170 (Eldorado Springs Drive) just before the gate of Eldorado Canyon State Park.

• From Boulder: Head south on CO 93 and turn west onto CO 170. Follow it into the canyon to the resort.
• From Denver: Take US 36 toward Boulder and exit at McCaslin Boulevard. Follow signs for CO 170 west, which becomes Eldorado Springs Drive. The state park lists Highway 170 as about 7.4 miles from the turnoff to the canyon.

The road is paved to the pool. The resort’s own lot is first come, first served, and it fills on hot weekends. There are five accessible spaces, two near the pool entrance. Do not plan on parking in the village or inside the state park for a swim: the park uses timed entry on summer weekends and says parking is not available in Eldorado Springs.

The easiest option on weekends is the Eldo Shuttle, which runs from Boulder about every 20 minutes during summer. Show proof of your ride for $5 off each pool ticket that day.

When to go

The pool is a summer operation. In 2025 it opened on May 24, ran daily through Labor Day, and then opened only on weekends through the end of September. Dates and hours for 2026 had not been posted at the time of writing, so check the website before you plan a trip.

July and August are the main season and the warmest water. Weekday mornings are quietest. Hot weekend afternoons bring families and climbers coming down off the walls, and the lot can be full by late morning. The late-day discount (4pm to 6pm, Monday to Thursday, not holidays) is good value if you just want an hour in the water after work or a hike.

Prices and booking

Prices below are for the 2025 season:

• Adults and teens (13+): $25
• Children (12 and under) and seniors (60+): $15
• Late-day discount: $15 adults, $10 children and seniors, sold at the gate only
• Veterans, first responders and active military: $5 off
• Season passes: $500 adult, $300 child or senior

Buy tickets online through the resort website or at the gate. Unused tickets can be moved to another day within 10 days if you ask before your visit date. There are no refunds once you are inside.

Rules and etiquette

• Waivers: everyone 18 and over signs one. A parent or guardian signs for anyone younger.
• Children: kids 12 and under need an adult at the pool. Children under 7 need a parent in the water within arm’s reach. Children 12 and under must pass a swim test before using the deep end. Life jackets are free at the front desk. Swim diapers are required for little ones.
• Coolers with outside food and soft drinks are allowed and are checked at entry. No glass, and no alcohol in coolers. Beer and wine are sold in the beer garden to guests 21 and over with ID, three drinks maximum, and must stay in that area or the snack bar.
• Banned: pets, grills, personal tents and shade structures, smoking, vaping and marijuana, drugs, and weapons.
• Diving board: one person at a time, one bounce, feet first, no reverse dives.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging at the pool, and Eldorado Canyon State Park is a day-use park open sunrise to sunset. Most visitors stay in Boulder, which has the nearest hotels and is a short drive north, or in the Denver suburbs along US 36 such as Louisville and Superior.

Safety notes

• Deep water: the deep end reaches 10 feet, which matters more for small children than water temperature does. Keep non-swimmers in the free life jackets and within reach.
• Sun and altitude: the deck is exposed and at well over a mile high. Use sunscreen and drink water.
• Canyon trips: if you hike or climb in the state park first, carry water and watch for afternoon thunderstorms, which are common in summer.
• Cell service is poor in the canyon. Save tickets and park reservations on your phone before you arrive.

Nearby stops worth adding

Eldorado Canyon State Park starts a few hundred yards up the road and has about 17 miles of trails, and its sandstone walls are a major rock climbing area. Vehicles entering the inner canyon need a free timed-entry reservation on summer weekends and holidays from May 1 to October 1, as well as the park’s daily vehicle pass. A morning hike followed by an afternoon swim is the classic day here.