Valley View Hot Springs Summer of 71'

Valley View Hot Springs is probably the best kept secret in the whole of south central Colorado. During the boom of the 1st World War, Colorado Fuel and Iron Works opened a iron ore mine called The Orient at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. This hot springs is a few miles north of the mine site. At that time, it was developed as resort for the miners to spend their money. It had an bar that was built in the shape of an octagon. And a whorehouse that was painted pink on the inside. One long hallway down the middle and cribs on either side of the hall. The developers dug out the springs {There are several}, and lined the walls with rock. That whole thing had fallin' into a state of decay by the 1970's, and was home to a couple who were care takers in exchange for a place to live. I think it was like 50 cents to use the springs. The " Small Pool " in these pictures was just big enough to hold a couple. It had a sand bottom. Sitting in it, the water came just to my chin. The water temp was perfect, and bubbles came out of the sand and tickled your ass.