Flipping through a worn photo album, I found photos of my parents decked in 90’s clothes, supporting overly stuffed backpacks with a metal lining, and grinning in the glorious Aspen sun. My dad later revealed to me that these backpacking photos were from one of the first dates he took my mom on. The date was to Conundrum Hot Springs and ever since this magical Colorado hike has been on my bucket list. Almost 30 years have passed since my parents first date to the luxurious hot springs, and since then Conundrum has grown in extreme popularity.
The low down:
This hike is based out of Aspen, Colorado and has gained insane attention as the hiking scene has grown. The trail is a mild and mostly flat walk for about 8 miles and picks up in incline towards the end. The trail enters various meadows filled with aspen trees fluttering in the wind, millions of wild flowers, and various views of the most famous Colorado mountains. The hike itself is absolutely stunning, but the real reward is the natural hot springs that you can dip in as a post-hike treat. The hot springs not only feel incredible but offer the most incredible view of Colorado’s rich colors of lush greens and deep blues.
While the trail is doable in a day, and many Aspen trail runners easily complete it in a single morning, for an average hiker, camping is a must. Along the first 6 miles, you can disperse camp freely, but the best non-permitted spots are around mile 7. Near the actual hot springs, there are 20 official campsites. These campsites are super difficult to come by and the permit process is a intense, but completely worth it to protect this gorgeous space.
The Permit Process:
Like a highly anticipated concert, getting a permit to Conundrum is not easy task. After missing the first round of permits this season, I set an alarm for the second set of dates. Logging on immediately at 8 AM, Recreation.gov immediately began running slowly, and I began to worry I wouldn’t get a permit. I would continue to add to my cart a date I wanted, and it would disappear. After logging in a few times, I finally gained access to a date that worked with my schedule and checked out as fast as I could.
While initially I was shocked how many people got permits and a little discouraged by how quickly they went, after experiencing Conundrum, the permit process is a must. This gem needs to be protected, and so many swimming holes in Colorado have become trashed due to overuse. This permit allows for a less crowded experience, and if people miss out on the permit, they can still camp further from the springs and experience its magic.
My dad boasts that when he used to do the hike (note he lived in Aspen in the 70’s…so 50 years ago), he would get the best campsite right next to the hot springs, and never had to deal with getting a permit or crowds. I reminded him since then, 800,000 people have now moved to Denver and that permits actually allow for preservation of this incredible place.
Chatting to someone in the springs, he said even 3 years ago before the permit process, there would be 60 people in the springs and it would be completely trashed in the mornings. The permits are only $6 which allows most people from different economic backgrounds the opportunity to enjoy such an incredible spot.
Tips for getting a permit:
Being flexible with your dates is a huge plus. It’s much easier to get a permit for a week day rather than a weekend. And with personal experience, going on on a Friday was much less crowded than Saturday.
If you miss the initial days to get a permit, join Colorado Facebook groups. I’ve seen lots of posting of people offering their Conundrum permits or people having extra spots for their reservations.
And finally, check the website weekly to see if anyone has cancelled and you can plan a last minute trip to camp there.
Worst case, if you don’t get a permit, you can still absolutely do this incredible hike and simply not camp directly by the hot springs. For the first 6 miles of the hike you can freely disperse camp where you find a spot. Then, you can do a day hike to the hot springs and still get to experience its greatness.
The Actual Hike:
We drove up on a Thursday night and decided to camp in the actual parking lot. The parking lot choice is not for everyone, but we weren’t the only ones to do try this method. Because we arrived late at night and wanted to ensure we got a parking spot, we decided to camp in the lot. If there had been cars trying to park, we would have moved but since no one came we felt comfortable doing this, and saw some of the most incredible stars in the world.
Early the next morning, we packed up and headed out around 7 AM. At this time, multiple cars began showing up and starting their trip as well.
This trail was super ideal for a backpacking trip. It was mainly flat and offered beautiful views the entire way. The wild flowers were absolutely insane at this time of year and every part of the trail was sprinkled with various types of beautiful plants. As you walk this trail, rolling hills surround your every step, and very early on in the hike the sights of Aspen’s insanely beautiful mountains come into view.
My group continued to dread the infamous last 2 miles of this trail, hearing that it was the most difficult part. But truthfully, the trail never got that steep. Yes, the incline picked up a decent amount, but I didn’t find the hike itself all that hard, just difficult because of the heavy weight of my pack.
Once we arrived to our beautiful campsite, we set up our tents, threw on our swimsuits and walked up to the famous hot springs. The campsites are numbered 1-20, 1 being the closest and 20 being the farthest. Our site was 14 and was a small walk up to the springs, but completely manageable.
We dipped into the springs, shocked at how hot it actually was. I wasn’t sure if I was expecting luke -warm water or something else, but the water is definitely warm but not an over powering heat. We enjoyed the sun, the views, and the company in the hot springs all afternoon. We finally headed down back to our campsite, cooked a delicious carbonara pasta, and played some card games.
We returned to the springs for sunset and felt like we were at a luxury spa. With the insane views of Aspen, the soothing naturally heated water, and the intimate group of people sharing this amazing experience, this was one of the most special backpacking moments I’ve ever witnessed. As the sun set, slowly but surely the brilliant stars began appearing. I’ve truly never seen the milky way until this moment and got to witness so many shooting stars.
The next morning, we were feeling great after our hot tub sesh, packed up our gear, and headed down. Truthfully the way back was worse, even though it was mostly downhill, the excitement of the first day had worn off, and we just wanted a good meal. The way back is still stunning though, weaving through wild flowers, thousands of aspen trees, and Colorado’s iconic summer hues, this hike is seriously incredible!
Is it worth the hype?
After planning this trip for months, I was so excited to finally experience these incredible hot springs. While the actual hot springs were much smaller than I expected, it truly lived up to the hype. I’m constantly spoiled by Colorado and this experience was the icing on the cake. The hike itself is absolutely stunning and the infinity hot tub is the ultimate post backpacking treat. In addition to having so much fun with my group, we were able to meet tons of awesome people soaking up the glorious views with us. I would definitely recommend doing it, even if you don’t have a permit, you can find camping elsewhere and still experience this incredible spot.
With packs filled with perhaps too much alcohol, weaving up and down delicate Aspen trees, being spoiled with thousands of wildflowers at every turn, and absorbing the views of Aspen’s most famous mountains, this trail gave my chills. This backpacking trip reminded me of the beauty in no phone service, the deliciousness of sausage and cheese and crackers after hiking for 8 miles, and the importance of connecting with people in nature.
Have you ever done Conundrum? What were your thoughts?
Hailee Boyle Social Media Management 