Yampah Spa and Vapor Caves
Host | 22 January 2007
The Yampa Vapor Caves are underground caves formed from natural geothermal steam bathts. These naturally formed caves were first discovered by the Ute Indians and recognized for their healing properties. In fact, Yampah meant “big medicine” to the Native Americans.
The hot springs and mineral caves in Glenwood Springs are not only a prime attraction to tourists today, but were a main reason for the settlement of this city.
Glenwood Springs Yampa Vapor Caves and Spa is a recommended stop! Even if you don’t feel like getting a massage or other spa treatment, you can spend some time relaxing in the cave.
(6 votes, average: 2.5 out of 5)
Loading …Today the Vapor Caves consist of three adjoining underground rock chambers. Visitors descend small stairway inside the main building and pass through a stone corridor into the caves. An atmosphere of well-being pervades throughout the soothing stillness of the caves. Relax on slab marble benches in the rocky alcoves, and inhale the natural steam vapor in the warm, dimly-lit cave chambers. Stress and tension melt away effortlessly.
Cave temperatures average 110 -112 degrees F and cold water and small tubs are also available for cooling off in the caves.
The hot springs source is in the hillside behind the spa. The natural, untreated therapeutic water contains 34 minerals and trace elements, and is especially high in sulfate, nitrate, zinc and potassium. The hot springs water flows through the caves at a simmering 125 degrees F. by way of narrow, shallow channels.
In addition to the revitalizing vapors of the underground cave chambers, the spa features a full range of contemporary health and beauty treatments: massage, facials, herbal body mud treatments, private natural mineral baths, and complete personal care for hair, facial, skin, nails and waxing.
Map and Directions to Yampah Hot Springs Vapor Caves and Spa
Yampah Spa & Salon
The Hot Springs Vapor Caves,
1 (970) 945 0667
709 E. Sixth St.
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 am
The Yampah spa is a great place to treat yourself and relax. They usually offer a special package that includes a massage, body wrap and entrance to the caves. I love treating myself to an afternoon at the spa whenever I can. I also highly recommend their pedicures, the best in the valley I’ve found so far and they exclusively use Aveda products.
January 24th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
I don’t know about the Pedicures… I tend to go hang out in the caves, and the solarium, while my wife gets a spa treatment.
March 7th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Just a word of warning. My mother bought me a gift certificate for $100. I was unable to get to the spa for a year and a half, and was unable to get the spa to honor the dollar value of the gift certificate. I’m a former resident of Glenwood and WAS a regular patron of the spa. There is a note on the certificate that it is only good for a year and I understand that they cannot provide the services that are listed on the certificate since that value may have changed. But not to credit me the dollar value toward a purchased service is unethical. They did collect the money for absolutely nothing provided. In some places they call that theft. Anyway, I’ll get my spa treat somewhere else.
May 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
OK, first of all, this spa is not managed well at all. the vapor caves are a nice treat but that doesn’t require any service from the actual spa. i bought the energizing foot treatment for my husband on our 3yr ann. and he didn’t even get a real therapist. she didn’t even know what she was doing and she felt bad about it, stating that she was sorry and that the spa didn’t know what they were doing. i made an appointment for a facial and held it with my credit card info (which afterwards worried me due to the lack of professionalism) then they changed it to a shoulder massage. me being a certified massage therapist with over 10 yrs experience and plenty of other CMTs to trade with., did not want what i already trade for however they had no other option open for me, either wait 30 minutes for my husband’s unprofessional foot treatment or do the shoulder massage. afterwards my husband requested a Walmart foot treatment because he got ‘a crap treatment’) they made us pay before the unprofessional treatment (which I being a CMT would have at the very least explained how i felt). they wanted tips to be given up to the front desk probably never to be seen by the workers. and to top it off no one even said a good bye or anything while we left the spa. talk about NO SERVICE. we left the spa feeling completely ripped off and dirty. thank god the hot springs pool nearby was still open. i’m not saying to not experience the natural wonder of the caves (it would be best if you bring something to cover your feet)… but please do yourself a favor and just do the caves .. avoid the spa treatments unless you enjoy throwing your money away.. i know what a spa should be like and this spa was shady and seedy and dirty. go spend your money on food instead or the caverns…
August 4th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
I would NEVER recommend the Yampa Spa to anyone! Considering that they are supposed to provide a relaxing experience for their clientele, the employees are sadly lacking in both manners and attitude. The building itself is old, the carpet appears worn and dirty, and the whole atmosphere is rushed and impersonal. When we went into the dressing rooms to change, they were extremely cramped and tiny. There was absolutely no privacy! Lockers are provided, but you will pay 25 cents every time you need to access your belongings. (Pretty cheap considering they charge top dollar for their spa services!) Apparently some of the facials are performed by massage therapists, not aestheticians. In addition, spa services are promised for a certain length of time, but not one single person in our group received services for the entire time they were supposed to. The front desk requested that we pay for the services BEFORE they were performed, but we refused to do so. They ran our credit cards at the end, then very curtly asked how much of a tip we wished to add to the final amount. We were astounded at how unprofessional and mercenary everyone was! We were not greeted warmly when we arrived, we were treated like cattle and rushed through everything, and the whole experience was a major disappointment. Because of the apathetic personnel and filthy surroundings, I personally felt worse when I left the appointment than before I arrived! Definitely not relaxing, and absolutely not worth the money. I suppose they mainly deal with tourists who won’t be returning anyway, so the staff at the Yampa Spa do not feel the need to be friendly or professional. It’s a shame that the state of Colorado has to be represented this way!
August 5th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Teri R. - I agree that the spa is very cramped, tiny, in need of some major renovation, some customer service lessons, and real therapists. But if you have to say that one itty bitty spa on the edge of I-70, that has been there since the gun slinging days, formed by natural elements of the earth(not man made), is representative of the entire state of Colorado, you really need to get out more.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:59 am
I was in Glenwood Springs within the last 10 days..always drive there from my stay in Snowmass,Colorado, because I love the natural underground cave and it’s God given geo-thermal detoxing abilities..the Indians were smarter than we are!! However, I cannot believe that whoever “owns and manages” this incredible God given asset doesn’t have any sense of pride..the spa itself is filthy dirty and I completly agree with the aformentioned negative comments. What a shame, it’s not any different than all the other pollutions, we are contributing and living in this abundant planet our Creator endowed us with. Take note and clean it up, treasure the gift for it soon will be gone, and done away with just like the indians. Yvonne
October 5th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
THE MOST WONDERFUL, HEALING PLACE I’VE BEEN TO IN YEARS…….The vapor caves truly are the most theropeutic, healing place in Colorado. It is hard to stay down there more than about 20 minutes because it is hot. You can cool off upstairs. Stay at least one hour and have a healing, peaceful experience, especially for your lungs. If we could have a little vapor cave therapy everyday, we could live much longer. I MUST SEE,