Entry No. 151 — the Denver file — filed under: artesian-spring
Eldorado Springs Pool & Artesian Spring
A genuine 1905 canyon resort fed by 6,000-year-old artesian water that runs a bracingly cool 76°F year-round, where daredevil Ivy Baldwin walked a tightrope 582 feet above the canyon floor 86 times between 1906 and 1948. The pool opens each Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day plus September weekends, still drawing crowds into a setting of red-rock cliffs.
The story
If you’ve ever picked up a bottle of Eldorado Natural Spring Water at a grocery store, you’ve encountered the exact liquid you swim in here. Tucked into the throat of a red-rock canyon just south of Boulder, this historic resort opened on July 4, 1905, as Moffat Lakes Resort and quickly earned the moniker 'Coney Island of the West.' Its concrete basin is fed directly by a 6,000-year-old artesian spring, pouring out pure, mineral-rich water at an unheated, bracing 76°F.
The red cliffs surrounding the water carry a genuinely unhinged piece of Colorado lore. Between 1906 and 1948, a 5-foot-3 circus runaway named William 'Ivy' Baldwin strung a steel wire 582 feet above the canyon floor and crossed it 86 times without a safety net. His final walk was on his 82nd birthday in 1948. If you float on your back in the pool and scan the sandstone crags high overhead, you can still trace where his wire anchors were hammered into the rock face.
Over the past century, the resort survived 1920s land speculators who wanted to flood the canyon behind a massive dam, plus destructive fires and a 100-year flood. Today, it remains a stubbornly preserved slice of early-1900s roadside leisure, sitting at the mouth of a canyon inside a tiny unincorporated town that refuses to bend to modern suburban sprawl.
What it's like
Driving into the canyon, the sheer sandstone walls immediately cut off the sun and drop the temperature. The spring water hits your skin with a sharp, gasp-inducing chill before turning completely refreshing. Parking at the resort's 294 Artesian Drive lot is strictly limited, and the surrounding town of Eldorado Springs has zero public street parking—if you show up at noon on a midsummer Saturday without a plan, you will get turned away. The smooth play is arriving on a quiet weekday morning, or catching the free weekend Eldo Shuttle out of Boulder to dodge the canyon parking circus and shave a couple of dollars off your pool entry.
The move: Drive the scenic road into Eldorado Canyon, spend the afternoon swimming laps in the cold artesian pool while the canyon walls tower overhead, then hike the short trail to see the anchors from Ivy Baldwin's tightrope wire before grabbing snacks at the on-site snack bar — arrive on a weekday to beat weekend crowds, or take the free Eldo Shuttle from Boulder for a car-free outing.
📍 Before you go The pool sits in the tiny unincorporated town of Eldorado Springs at the mouth of the canyon, just south of Boulder — the resort grounds, not the state-park trailhead farther up the dirt road, so aim for the Artesian Drive address rather than "Eldorado Canyon State Park," which can misroute you. Parking is first-come on the resort lot; the town itself has no public parking, so go early. It's a summer-only spot, opening Memorial Day weekend, and weekend middays get crowded and hot — a weekday or the free weekend Eldo Shuttle from Boulder (which usually shaves a few dollars off admission) is the smoother play. Pair it with hiking, world-class climbing, or the canyon road in the adjacent state park.
- 📍 Eldorado Springs (unincorporated, just south of Boulder)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoor or outdoor
Where: 294 Artesian Dr, Eldorado Springs, CO 80025
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- License No. 1 — After swimming in 76°F artesian water beneath the cliffs, drive six miles into Boulder for Prohibition-era cocktails in the subterranean basement of the historic Hotel Boulderado.
- Fiske Planetarium Laser & Liquid Sky Shows — Trade staring up at Eldorado's red sandstone walls for looking up into deep space under the 65-foot dome on CU Boulder's campus just five miles away.
- Forsythe Canyon Waterfall Trail — If swimming at the canyon mouth leaves you hungry for mountain solitude, head six miles west up Magnolia Road to hike down to Gross Reservoir's shaded waterfall.
Good to know
Is Eldorado Springs Pool a warm hot spring?
No. Despite the name, the natural artesian spring water emerges at a cool 76°F year-round. It is a crisp, unheated summer swimming pool, not a hot soak.
When is the pool open?
It operates strictly for the summer season, opening Memorial Day weekend and running through Labor Day, with select weekend hours continuing into September.
Where do I park when visiting?
Park directly in the small designated resort lot at 294 Artesian Drive. Do not attempt street parking in the town of Eldorado Springs, as there is no public parking and local enforcement is vigilant.
Is the pool located inside Eldorado Canyon State Park?
No. The pool sits on private resort grounds right at the mouth of the canyon, just before you reach the state park entrance station. Map specifically to 294 Artesian Dr to avoid getting misrouted farther up the dirt park road.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · aboutboulder.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-07