Pagosa Springs, Mountain town in southwestern Colorado, United States
Pagosa Springs sits at 2,172 meters elevation in Archuleta County, surrounded by the San Juan Mountains and the San Juan National Forest. The small town spreads along the San Juan River, with the main street running through the center lined by low buildings.
The Ute peoples used the hot springs for centuries before European settlers arrived in the 1870s and established a settlement. The arrival of the railway in the late 1800s brought more residents and opened the area to travelers.
The name comes from a Ute word meaning water gathering place, pointing to the thermal springs that visitors use throughout the year. Many locals spend their free time in the public hot pools, where residents and travelers meet in steaming basins.
Visitors reach Wolf Creek Ski Area from here and find good conditions for skiing in winter. In summer, hiking, fishing trips, and rafting on the San Juan River are available.
The Mother Spring is considered the deepest measured geothermal spring in the world and supplies several bathing facilities with mineral water. The spring water rises from a depth of over 300 meters and reaches temperatures up to 57 degrees Celsius (135 degrees Fahrenheit).
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