Soaking and relaxing with a mountain backdrop view from one of Colorado's many hot springs pools.

Welcome to Colorado, where our mountains sing, our prairies whisper, and our rivers roar!

Colorado's Cozy Season - Chilly Days, Mountain Silhouettes, & Hot Springs Soaks

Colorado's leaf-peeping season is behind us and ski season is in the works (pray for snow), so what makes this season special? I first thought of the sun kissing our mountain peaks, creating the rosy blush known as Alpenglühen (Alpenglow). Colorado's late autumn isn't a fleeting moment. It offers a richer experience, an “Alpine-glow” that brings folks together. A time to slow down and relax in warm mineral waters, feeling the crisp mountain air, and noticing the warm glow of a welcoming cabin window. Listen to the breeze as the last autumn leaves fall and the trees settle in for winter. This is the glow waiting to be discovered in your next Colorado getaway.

Colorado's Alpine-glow Season!

November is the perfect time to trade your hiking shoes and picnic baskets for a warm mineral soak in a mountain town. I like to call this Colorado season Alpine-glow, when chilly afternoons call for sweaters rather than jackets, and a glowing cabin window feels like an invitation to stay awhile.

Here are a few of my favorite Alpine-glow Season Destinations.

Avalanche Ranch Cabins & Hot Springs is in the Crystal River Valley in northwestern Colorado. This natural hot spring destination features three Cascading pools surrounded by the natural landscape, with each pool offering limited visibility of the next. The third and largest pool is fed by a 3-foot waterfall! It's an intimate destination for guests staying in fully furnished log cabins, some featuring a wood stove or fireplace. Reserve dinner at the historic Redstone Inn for quiet moments together.

Antero Hot Springs Cabins is in the Buena Vista Area in south central Colorado. Settle into a historic creek-side cabin with its own private natural hot spring pool, and enjoy the crisp mountain air with your favorite people. Before the sun sets, stroll along the Arkansas River for some together time away from the glow of screens. Then head to Crave BV for their Bee Sting pizza with sausage, salami, jalapeño, burrata, and honey. I insist on jalapeños on only half! I love the bee, but not the sting.

Healing Waters Resort & Spa is in the heart of Pagosa Springs in southwestern Colorado. Let the land of healing waters soothe you and the breathtaking wilderness inspire you. Gather your favorite people for a getaway with time to soak, wander, and simply be together. Lodging guests relax in the hot springs swimming pool, outdoor soaking tub, and spa mineral baths. Book a massage, browse downtown for a keepsake, then settle back into the warm mineral water. Passing through? Day visitors are welcome too.

Hot Sulphur Springs Resort & Spa in north central Colorado. These hot springs are my Grand County destination. I stay in Kremmling or Grand Lake, so yes, I'm a day-use visitor. The local chamber calls it "Colorado's first hot springs and spa destination." The Arapaho and Ute peoples knew these sacred healing waters as "big medicine." Soak in 19 hillside mineral pools, including one tucked into the rocks with a small waterfall. Want to linger? Overnight accommodations are available.

Iron Mountain Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs in northwestern Colorado. Imagine a chilly afternoon in a warm pool, watching the Colorado River ramble by. Let the river set the pace as you find a pool to warm your soul and relax your body. For those 21 and older, WorldSprings offers a soak inspired by Iceland's Blue Lagoon or a float in salt-rich water inspired by the Dead Sea, all without leaving Colorado. Feel your body let go of stress. Now that is embracing Colorado's Alpine-glow Season to its fullest!

Ouray Hot Springs Pool & Fitness Center in Ouray in southwestern Colorado. Remember when getting everyone together didn't require a group text and time off work? Let a little Main Street wandering lead to an afternoon in warm mineral water, catching up with college friends scattered by jobs and everyday life. Trade walking shoes for swimsuits and settle in beneath the towering canyon walls. There's no rush to finish the story when soaking is the afternoon's plan. Stay nearby. Embrace Alpine-glow Season with old friends!

Maybe it's a quiet getaway for two, a few days with family, or finally getting those old friends together. Before the holiday rush takes over, make room for a warm soak, one more story, and an extra night away. That's the Alpine-glow I hope you find this season.