- Trail
- 5 mi one way
- Fee
- none (no fees required at West Fork Trailhead)
- Hours
- Trailhead operational May - November
- Season
- Trailhead May - November (USFS); access currently affected by 2025 flood damage
- Coordinates
- 37.5111, -106.9456
- Status
- October 10-13, 2025 floods destroyed West Fork Trail bridges (replacement not expected until at least 2027) and closed FR 648 at the damaged West Fork Bridge by Forest Order 02-13-06-25-19 (alert end date Dec 28, 2028); road open to campground only (San Juan NF)
The NOAA Thermal Springs List gives a source temperature of 104°F (40°C) for this spring. The land is managed by San Juan National Forest, Pagosa Ranger District (USDA Forest Service). The usual route is 5 mi one way from West Fork Trailhead (end of FR 648). Fee: none (no fees required at West Fork Trailhead).
Rainbow Hot Springs lies along the West Fork of the San Juan River in the Weminuche Wilderness, northeast of Pagosa Springs in southwest Colorado. The San Juan National Forest's Pagosa Ranger District manages the area, and the U.S. Geological Survey places the springs in Mineral County. The Forest Service puts the springs at mile 5 of the West Fork Trail (#561), which continues to the Continental Divide Trail at Piedra Pass for a total of 11.6 miles, between 8,100 and 11,780 feet of elevation.
The usual approach starts at the West Fork Trailhead, at the end of Forest Road 648, about 2.5 miles off US 160; the turnoff is roughly 14.5 miles east of Pagosa Springs. The first mile of trail crosses private property, and the junction with the closed Beaver Creek Trail comes at mile 4.5. The trailhead operates May through November, has no fee, and has no restrooms or potable water. Access changed after severe flooding on October 10-13, 2025. A Forest Order closed FR 648 at the damaged West Fork Bridge, and the forest lists the road as open to the campground only. Wilderness trail bridges on the West Fork Trail were destroyed, and the Forest Service does not expect them to be replaced until at least 2027.
Camping near the springs is allowed only at 9 designated sites marked with numbered posts, and campfires are banned between the Beaver Creek junction and the next river crossing. Wilderness rules cap groups at 15 people and keep camps at least 100 feet from water. The 2013 West Fork Fire and a spruce bark beetle outbreak left many standing dead trees along the route. Pagosa Springs is the nearest town, and West Fork Campground sits along the lower part of FR 648.
Getting there and local rules
- Road: From Pagosa Springs about 14.5 mi east on US 160, then about 2.5 mi on FR 648 to the trailhead at road's end. Since Oct 2025 FR 648 is closed at the flood-damaged West Fork Bridge (open to campground only).
- Trail: West Fork Trail #561 in the Weminuche Wilderness; first mile crosses private property; Beaver Creek Trail #560 junction at mile 4.5 (Beaver Creek Trail closed); springs at mile 5; trail continues to the Continental Divide Trail at Piedra Pass, 11.6 mi total, elevation 8,100 to 11,780 ft. Post-flood bridges washed out.
- Camping: Camping in the Rainbow Hot Springs area only at 9 designated sites marked with numbered posts (within 1/4 mi of the river from the Beaver Creek Trail junction to the next West Fork crossing); dispersed sites elsewhere must be at least 100 ft from water. West Fork Campground lies on FR 648 (Recreation.gov).
- Camping only at the 9 designated numbered sites in the Rainbow Hot Springs area
- No campfires between the Beaver Creek Trail junction and the next crossing of the West Fork of the San Juan
- Group size limit 15 people; people plus stock 25
- No camping within 100 ft of any water source
- Dogs under control
- No motorized or mechanized equipment and no drones (wilderness)
History
- The 2013 West Fork Fire and a spruce bark beetle epidemic left many standing dead trees along the route (USFS).
- Severe flooding on October 10-13, 2025 destroyed wilderness trail bridges on the West Fork Trail; the Forest Service does not expect replacement until at least 2027.
- The Pagosa Ranger District closed FR 648 at the West Fork Bridge by Forest Order on October 24, 2025.
Weather by month near Rainbow
The nearest NOAA climate station with 30-year normals is Hermit 8 Se, about 19 miles away at 8,949 ft. Its average daily high peaks at 79°F in Jul, and the coldest nights average -1.5°F in Jan. Normal snowfall there adds up to about 55 inches a year. Conditions at the place itself can differ, especially with a large change in elevation.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34.3 | -1.5 | 0.56 | 9 |
| Feb | 37.6 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 10.1 |
| Mar | 44.6 | 11.3 | 0.94 | 9.6 |
| Apr | 52.7 | 20.4 | 0.71 | 5.7 |
| May | 62.3 | 27.8 | 0.77 | 1.3 |
| Jun | 73.9 | 33.8 | 0.65 | 0 |
| Jul | 79 | 41.1 | 1.89 | 0 |
| Aug | 75.7 | 40 | 2.39 | 0 |
| Sep | 69.9 | 32.5 | 1.68 | 0.2 |
| Oct | 59.3 | 23 | 1 | 3.8 |
| Nov | 46.6 | 11.1 | 0.97 | 8.1 |
| Dec | 35 | -0.1 | 0.52 | 7.2 |
Other springs within 60 miles
From the NOAA list, by straight-line distance from Rainbow. Most of these are not developed sites and some are on private land.
- Birdsie Warm Spring16 mi north86°F
- Antelope Spring17 mi north90°F
- Wagon Wheel Gap Hot Springs17 mi north135°F
- Pagosa Springs18 mi south136°F
- Piedra River Hot Springs26 mi southwest108°F
- Stinking Springs34 mi south81°F
- Shaw Springs38 mi northeast86°F
- Pinkerton Hot Springs47 mi west90°F
Sources: NOAA NCEI, Thermal Springs List for the United States (source temperature, about 1980); fs.usda.gov; fs.usda.gov; fs.usda.gov; fs.usda.gov; pagosatrails.org; carto.nationalmap.gov; NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020. Facts checked October 2026.
Source temperature from the NOAA Thermal Springs List (measured around 1980). Conditions, access and rules change; check with San Juan National Forest, Pagosa Ranger District before you go. This page is for trip planning only.