Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility A Spa Partnership Shaped by Nature: Glacier Teams Up with Durango Hot Springs
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A Spa Partnership Shaped by Nature: Glacier Teams Up with Durango Hot Springs

Tucked away among soaring mountains and enchanting valleys, the Glacier community is all about embodying an intimate connection with nature. To bridge together a wide breadth of Southwest Colorado experiences and enhance our wellness offerings, Glacier is proud to partner with our neighbors of Durango Hot Springs Resort + Spa, a historic healing spring that has been redesigned and expanded by longtime Glacier owners and members Dan Carter and Bryan Yearout.

Within Glacier’s very own Fitness Center is one of our collaborative projects with Durango Hot Springs: a dedicated treatment area that offers mountain lifestyle inspired services as you gaze upon Hermosa Cliffs. With every spa session, Glacier members receive a complementary soaking pass to Durango Hot Springs Resort + Spa, where they may enjoy all of the healing properties of the mineral hot springs. Owners and members always enjoy 10% off all services all the time, and special monthly discounts all year long.

We sat down with Ken Stone, our Director of Membership Sales at Glacier, to learn more about this unique partnership, what it offers to Glacier members and what partnering with local businesses means to the Glacier team.

How did this partnership come to light?

Two of our long term Glacier homeowners/members, Dan Carter and Bryan Yearout, purchased the historic Trimble Hot Springs in 2020. They have invested in a major renovation and re-branding of the hot springs. Dan and Bryan then contacted Glacier COO Jim Goodman to discuss a partnership between Durango Hot Springs & Spa and Glacier. The hope for both companies is to form a long term relationship that will benefit Glacier Members and Durango Hot Spring through a number of high touch opportunities.

Could you tell us more about the spa and wellness treatment area in the back of the Glacier Fitness Center?

Through this partnership with Glacier, Durango Hot Springs now operates the spa services offered by Glacier in the day spa area of the Glacier Fitness Center. Spa services include a variety of massages and modalities from a traditional, relaxing, Swedish Massage to unique specialty massages such as Stone Cold Fire, which helps facilitate muscle recovery for athletes coming to Durango to play in the vast outdoors. The day spa at Glacier also has full nail care services.

What do locally owned and operated Colorado businesses mean to the Glacier community?

Durango Hot Springs is a good example of a locally owned and operated business that is woven into the community in many ways. The employees at the hot spring & spa all live and work in the area and spend the majority of their income locally. The hot springs also worked with local vendors and tradespeople in the redevelopment and renovations of the hot springs as much as possible. When you live at Glacier, it becomes a part of your lifestyle to frequent local businesses as part of daily interaction for services and goods. The locally owned shops and service providers connect you in a meaningful way to the greater Durango community and to Southwest Colorado culture.

Does the Glacier team have any amazing stories about Durango Hot Springs?

Durango Hot Springs has an amazing history that goes back before it first became a commercial enterprise as Trimble Hot Springs in 1884. The Animas Valley was a favorite hunting ground for the Ute People along with other Native American tribes that passed through the area and stopped to soak in the healing  waters. There have been many incarnations of the property which included several grand hotels and a gambling hall and guest ranch. In the 1950’s, many Western movies were filmed in the Durango area. Many of the stars of those movies swam and soaked in the hot springs including John Wayne, Clarke Gable and Marilyn Monroe. Durango Hot Springs is a destination where people from around the world come to soak. They may be here to ride the historic Durango Silverton Railroad, to visit the ancient Native American past of Mesa Verde or to drive the famous alpine loop of the Million Dollar Highway. Just ask any Glacier employee or Durango Native about the hot springs and you are sure to hear some interesting and memorable stories of the people they have met there.

What are some of the services that Durango Hot Springs offers?

The renovation includes 22 mineral soaking pools — three of which are family-specific with one that connects to the swimming pool children’s area. There are also six smaller soaking tubs with user temperature control that are refilled after each use. The new 25-meter, salt-water resort-style pool incorporates lap lanes with designated times for exercise and training. The new design creates spaces for privacy while also being able to host families and small events. Attention to ADA accessibility is also a large part of the design. 

Is there anything unique about the location of these springs and the water that runs through them?

Durango Hot Springs is located above some of the most naturally healing waters in the world. The blend of 21 minerals bubbling up from within the Earth will soothe even the weariest of bodies. Absent of any sulphuric odor, the water contains a unique mix of minerals that are characteristic of only this amazing place. They also uniquely utilize the AquaGen water system to infuse all pools with nanometer and micrometer oxygen bubbles.  Antimicrobial by nature, these oxygen bubbles provide an unparalleled cleanliness to the waters without introducing any foreign substances or chemicals. It also increases your body’s oxygen levels as you soak — a great way to acclimate when arriving from lower altitudes.

Are there any more special perks for Glacier members that usual hot spring visitors don’t have?

We are currently working on exclusive perks and programs for Glacier members which we hope to announce shortly.

Where are you looking to take this new partnership with DHS?

We hope to look at ways we can enhance the experience for Glacier Members at the Hot Springs facilities. We will be adding other activities such as horseback riding this summer and e-bike rentals. The hot springs has more than 65 acres of land to develop for all kinds of recreation, health related and cultural activities.

How is the historical and communal context of the land important to this partnership?

We respect and cherish the past with a passion for preserving what makes this such a special place. We also look to be a bigger contributor and benefit to the Durango and LaPlata  County community as we grow.

To book your treatment, please call the Durango Hot Springs at 970.247.0212

Photos courtesy of Durango Hot Springs Resort + Spa.