The Iron Mountain site has been a bathing destination since 1897, when Sheriff Bob Ware built the first bathhouse on this stretch of the Colorado River. Over the next century the property cycled through names (West Glenwood Health Spa, Wash Allen Bathhouse, Gamba Mineral Springs, Fort Defiance) before the bathhouse buildings were demolished in 1996 and the land sat dormant for nearly two decades.
The current ownership purchased the 13-acre riverside property in 2014 and opened Iron Mountain Hot Springs in July 2015. The original build had 16 mineral pools, the number that competitor sites still quote. The property has since expanded twice; as of 2026, Iron Mountain has 35 mineral soaking pools and the Sauna Summit, five globally inspired saunas (Finnish, Turkish, Russian, infrared, and salt) added during the most recent expansion.
The two-tier access model is what distinguishes Iron Mountain commercially. Select Access (18 pools, all ages) is the family-friendly tier and matches what most visitors picture as a Colorado hot springs experience: mineral pools at varying temperatures, families with kids, mid-day crowds. Premier Access (all 31 pools plus the Sauna Summit, 21 and over only) is the adult product: hotter pools, smaller crowds, full sauna rotation, evening soak vibe.
Practical positioning: Iron Mountain is 0.6 miles down the Colorado River from Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. The two are competitors but most Glenwood weekenders do both, treating Glenwood as the daytime swim and Iron Mountain as the evening adult soak. Reservations are required and enforced; walk-ins are not guaranteed. The on-site Sopris Cafe handles drinks and small plates, and downtown Glenwood's Restaurant Row is a 10-minute walk over the Grand Avenue bridge.
