The hot springs that put the "Springs" in Idaho Springs

Idaho Springs got the second half of its name honestly. In January 1859, prospector George A. Jackson was drawn to this spot by clouds of steam rising off the ground where Chicago Creek empties into Clear Creek. He found placer gold there, and the gold rush followed. But the steam came first.

Those were the hot springs. As the Clear Creek County Tourism Bureau tells it, the miners who poured into the surrounding hills took advantage of the naturally hot water to bathe in, which would have felt like a real luxury in a rough early camp. Over the years the town tried on a few names before “Idaho Springs” finally stuck, and the springs are the reason the word is there at all.

You can still soak in that same geothermal water. It feeds a commercially operated resort in town, where the warm mineral water flows into pools, outdoor tubs, and bath caves carved back into the mountainside. It is a working business, so check current hours, prices, and whether you need a reservation before you drive up.

For the full origin story, including Jackson’s diary and the early bathing history, read the Clear Creek County Tourism Bureau’s “Hot History of Idaho Springs.”