14 natural swimming destinations in Colorado.
Colorado has 14 swimming holes in our directory, including 1 river, 6 creek, 2 waterfall, 2 lake, 2 spring. Those counts come from our live U.S. swimming holes dataset. Use GPS distance sorting or city nearby lists when you already know your starting point.
Near major cities: Boulder · Colorado Springs · Denver · Fort Collins · Glenwood Springs
By water type: River (1) · Creek (6) · Waterfall (2) · Lake (2) · Spring (2) · Other (1)
Guides: Hidden gems (3) · Family friendly (6)
Hot springs: Colorado hot springs (3)
Guides: Colorado swimming holes guide · Swimming holes near Denver · Colorado lakes you can actually swim in
Most-searched spots — open each listing for directions, fees, and safety notes.
Dominguez Canyon near Grand Junction, Colorado is a river swimming spot on Gunnison River, Little Dominguez Creek. What people come for: Crystal-clear swimming holes along Little Dominguez Creek; Towering sandstone cliffs with dramatic colors. Access is free, and you will find camping. Best visited in June-August. Assess water conditions carefully.
View details
Cascade Creek is a river swimming spot on Cascade Creek near Durango, Colorado. What people come for: Series of cascading waterfalls; Crystal-clear mountain water. Access is free, and you will find camping. Best visited in June to September. Water currents can be strong, especially near waterfalls.
View details
Here, where the Gunnison River was once dammed to create this vast blue expanse, swimmers and wanderers arrive along Route 50 to find something unexpected: a landscape that feels simultaneously ancient and alive, where red-rock mesas drop toward turquoise water and bald eagles circle overhead.
View detailsDevil’s Punchbowl on the Roaring Fork River near Aspen / Glenwood Springs, Colorado is a free waterfall plunge-pool swim. Powerful current and cold water — expert caution only; many years see injuries.
View detailsDominguez Canyon near Grand Junction, Colorado is a river swimming spot on Gunnison River, Little Dominguez Creek. What people come for: Crystal-clear swimming holes along Little Dominguez Creek; Towering sandstone cliffs with dramatic colors. Access is free, and you will find camping. Best visited in June-August. Assess water conditions carefully.
View details
Durango-Animas near Durango, Colorado is a river swimming spot on Animas River. What people come for: Cool and clear waters of the Animas River; Lush riparian vegetation and wildlife. Access is free. Best visited in July. Skip swimming during high snowmelt / flood stages.
View details
Glenwood Hot Springs Resort in Glenwood Springs, Colorado is a paid commercial hot-springs pool complex on the Colorado River (world’s largest outdoor hot springs pool). Book tickets ahead in peak season — not a free wild soak.
View detailsCarved by Fourmile Creek over millennia, this dramatic natural amphitheater rewards the adventurous with emerald-hued water, soaring cliff walls, and an atmosphere that feels genuinely removed from the ordinary world.
View detailsSituated east of Grand Junction along the I-70 corridor, this officially recognized swimming area. Whether you're a family road-tripping through the Rockies or an adventurer chasing the next great .
View detailsMedano Creek near Pueblo, Colorado is a creek swimming spot on Medano Creek. What people come for: Seasonal creek with surge flow phenomenon; Located at the base of Great Sand Dunes. You will find camping and parking. Best visited in summer. Check current water flow conditions with the park visitor center before visiting, as the creek can be dry.
View detailsQueens Canyon Punchbowls near Colorado Springs, Colorado are free cascading granite pools used for swimming. Informal foothills access — check depth; flash floods possible after storms.
View details
Steamboat Springs Swimming Spots In Colorado lies in Colorado, where Varies - See Below moves through a wooded corridor. Few towns in Colorado have woven their identity so completely around water as Steamboat Springs.
View detailsFlowing through BLM land between the communities of Naturita and Grand Junction, this remote creek winds beneath dramatic sandstone cliffs sculpted by centuries of wind and water.
View detailsManaged by the nonprofit Orient Land Trust, this clothing-optional retreat draws visitors who value wild beauty, ecological stewardship, and the simple, soul-restoring act of sinking into hot mineral water under an open sky.
View detailsStrawberry Park Hot Springs near Steamboat Springs, Colorado is a private, reservation-required mineral soak on County Road 36 — not a free wild spring. Expect steep unpaved access, limited parking, cash-only day rates, and clothing-optional hours after dark; book ahead on strawberryhotsprings.com.
View details