Inside Dunton Hot Springs, a Colorado Ghost Town Turned Luxe Resort

Stay Here For

A way-out-there experience without any of the fussy formalities you might expect from a luxury stay.

High in the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado, where the West Dolores River fissures and forks, is a smattering of log cabins that appears like an apparition along a dirt road. At night, the warm glow of the saloon is a beacon for travelers craving remote, outdoorsy adventures—and a reminder that this formerly abandoned 19th-century mining settlement is, once again, very much alive.

Now known as Dunton Hot Springs, the property is renowned for its secluded location and natural, mineral-rich hot springs that punctuate the grounds. There are just 14 cabins, making it feel like the other guests you join for communal meals and see around the property are familiar neighbors. Still, there are a dizzying number of diversions on offer for guests who are looking to slow down and connect with their surroundings.

The miners might be long gone, replaced by high-speed Wi-Fi. But the appeal of Dunton Hot Springs is that you can so easily embrace a gentler pace, spending hours playing pool, unwinding at the spa or navigating one of the many on-site trails by foot or horseback, only to return in the evening to warm your toes by a wood-burning stove or slip into the source of the resort’s namesake hot springs. You might even feel drawn out of your cabin at night to take a deep plunge into the steaming waters, best enjoyed under the ghostly glow of the Milky Way—light nearly as ancient as the cosmos itself.

The Essentials

The Room

Though there are only 14 cabins, each accommodates an array of different traveling types, from families with young children to couples looking for a relaxing, romantic retreat.

There are 14 cabins at Dunton Hot Springs, all individually designed. The Well House, for example, has a private hot spring and a cold plunge bath, while the Potter House has a wraparound deck. Many have gas or wood-burning stoves and fireplaces; all contain an eclectic mix of historical artifacts and antiques, plus items and artworks the owners have collected on their travels.

The Major Ross cabin, for example, dates back to the late 1800s, though its original layout certainly didn’t include an oversize bathroom with hand-dipped tiles, a soaking tub designed to look like a barrel or a private outdoor shower—not to mention hot running water. The decor combines period pieces and flourishes—wood beams, denim-inspired fabrics, a vintage lasso, black-and-white photos of cowboys—with contemporary elements. But the highlights are a wood-burning stove at the foot of the bed, a writing desk overlooking the property and direct access to the source of the hot springs.

The Location

Nestled in the foothills of the mountains, the property offers acres for outdoor activities and exploration.

Dunton Hot Springs is in southwestern Colorado—two hours from Telluride, the nearest major airport—and though the hotel can provide transfer services for a fee, your best bet is to rent a car upon landing. That way, you can easily take advantage of the area’s spoils: an untold number of hiking trails, and multiple national monuments and parks, such as Mesa Verde and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

The Bars and Restaurants

It’s easy to imagine mine workers gathering in the saloon, the hotel’s sole kitchen turns out three square meals a day. And they no doubt would have been delighted to call this their dining hall. Here, hotel guests—many of whom are repeat visitors—can elbow up to the chef’s counter, sit apart from the group at the dance hall tables or join other guests around a long communal table.

But unlike when this was a mining town, meals are now a fancy affair: Dinner might feature pan-seared branzino with potato Robuchon, caviar-topped truffle risotto and chocolate praline with coffee anglaise, all accompanied by glasses of wine. Breakfasts are cooked to order and might include avocado toast topped with trout roe and whipped crème fraîche or herby French omelets. Even lunch comes with a set menu (think: salmon en papillote with fennel salad), unless you give the kitchen a heads-up that you’ll be out on an adventure. In that case, they’ll pack you a picnic lunch to go.

But nowhere do the past and present snap together more clearly than at the original bar, which is marked by a century’s worth of signatures and inscriptions—even Butch Cassidy, who reportedly passed through Dunton after his first bank heist in 1889. Order a crystal-clear Ghost Town Negroni and enjoy it by the wood-burning fireplace. Make that two.

The Standout Feature

The steamy bathhouse pool is the perfect place to unwind after a day of sightseeing or exploring the grounds.

The property’s multiple iron-rich calcium bicarbonate hot springs: the source, the outdoor pool and the one inside the restored 19th-century bathhouse. They range in temperature from 85 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit and are the perfect place to soothe sore limbs after a day of hiking, horseback riding and exploring.

The Time to Go

Even in mud season—aka springtime—there’s plenty to do; if there’s still snow and ice, you can hike or snowshoe. Once the landscape thaws, it’s time for fly-fishing, archery and horseback riding. The best times to visit are summer and winter, when the range of activities widens. Either way, you’re in good hands: The property has guides and equipment for adventures in every season.

The Vibe

Request morning coffee service, delivered to your cabin, in lieu of a standard wake-up call.

An unforgettable wake-up call: You’ll wake to a gentle knock on the door at the time of your choosing when your daily coffee service is delivered, including milk and accoutrements of your choice.

The tale you’ll tell everyone when you get back home: You took a yoga class inside a former Pony Express station, which now has heated floors and an adjacent spa.

Why everyone feels like an old neighbor: Guests aren’t even given keys to their cabins, because the concept of locking up your belongings seems strange out here, surrounded by all this wilderness.

What guests are reading: Monographs, German history texts and expedition journals borrowed from the eclectic on-site library.

What you should pack: Shoes you don’t mind getting dirty, and plenty of flannel.

Everything Else