Mountain Paradise in Southwestern Colorado

 Dunton Hot Springs are within your room

Dunton Hot Springs, also known as Dunton, Colorado is a tiny huddle of log buildings that sits at 8,600 feet elevation on the West Fork road of the Dolores River in the San Juan Mountains. Dunton is 25-miles north of  Dolores, Colorado and 25-miles southwest of the Telluride Ski Resort.

http://www.duntonhotsprings.com/ Dunton Hot Springs 52068 West Fork Rd 38 Dunton, CO. 81323 (book on line or call 1-800-238-0767).

The Dunton Hot Springs has quite a history of land ownership; homesteaded by Joe Roscio in the 1880's. The Roscio children inheriting the property changed Dunton's name to Rancho Dolores and it was very popular with the families from the Four Corners region for fifty years. The Roscio's sold Dunton and its land in 1974, and these investors in turn sold the property in the 1990's to a group of investors affiliated with the Henkel family. Radically transformed, the Dunton Hot Springs marketed as "The #7 Luxury Resort in the U.S." (Retrieved: Wikipedia)

The busiest times of the year in this region of Colorado is during the spring and summer months as accessibility to Dunton and other attractions in the area as well. During the winter months, the West Fork Road (CR-38) is plowed and maintained just past Dunton Hot Springs Resort;

therefore, if you plan to travel south from Telluride you may not get access to CR-38 due to the inaccessibility of heavy snow.  

Travel Tip: If heading to Dunton in the spring or summer via the West Fork Road (CR-38) look for the trail marker sign Willow Divide. This is a four-wheel drive vehicles only recommended mountain passage, not for the faint of wilderness travel. You will have to open the gate for entrance onto the passage-way. I have firsthand experience traveling the Willow Divide and I can tell you that in its corridors, you will see some magnificent country, wildlife, and biotical displays only imagined. I would recommend getting a topographical map and talking with the aboriginals of Dolores before heading out onto the Willow Divide. You will not find a web site giving information about the Willow Divide, however; the following link has much information of surrounding areas within the San Juan Mountains. http://www.coloradodirectory.com/

Published by Anthony Heiman

Midwestern roots, thirty six years backpacking and hiking throughout the midwest and beyond. New uptake, photography "trying" to hone my skills. Enjoy good conversation, books, college basketball, and travel...   View profile