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Conundrum Hot Springs Permit
Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness · Colorado
Booked one camp per night, in order
Natural hot springs at 11,200 ft in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness—one of Colorado's most popular and competitive backcountry destinations.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Conundrum Hot Springs were gone within 10 minutes.
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Conundrum Hot Springs Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelExtremely High9/10
SeasonJuly - September
Cost$10 per person, per night (May 1-Oct 31) + $6 non-refundable reservation fee
Max Group Size6 people
Conundrum Hot Springs Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Conundrum Hot Springs in Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Conundrum Hot Springs is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The permit season for Conundrum Hot Springs runs July through September.
- The Conundrum Hot Springs route covers 17 miles with 2,500 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate.
- Cancelled Conundrum Hot Springs permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
SeasonJuly - September
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level9/10
LocationElk Mountains, Colorado, CO
Pro Tips
- •Check each site's group-size cap before you book - nine of the twenty take only two people
- •Sites 17 and 18 are the only ones that fit a group of six
- •Sites 1 and 2 are closest to the water, about 300 and 400 feet, and they go first
- •This trailhead needs no parking or bus reservation, which makes it simpler to reach than the Maroon Scenic Area
- •Release mornings are February 15, June 15 and October 15, all at 8am Mountain Time
- •Canceled permits reappear online within 24 hours, so keep watching after the release sells out
- •No fires at any site - pack a stove and warm layers for the post-soak chill
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
17 miles
Elevation Gain
2,500 ft
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
2 days
Difficulty
ModerateElevation Range
8,700 - 11,200 ft
Highlights
- •About 17 miles round trip to springs at roughly 11,200 feet
- •A reserved numbered campsite, not a zone - 20 sites in total
- •Group-size caps that vary by site: nine sites cap at 2, nine at 4, and only sites 17 and 18 at 6
- •Sites 1 and 2 closest to the water, about 300 and 400 feet away respectively
- •No campfires at any designated site, and no toilets anywhere in the wilderness
- •A trailhead that needs no parking or shuttle reservation, unlike the Maroon Scenic Area
Best Time to Visit
July through September, which the Forest Service names as the best time to visit the wilderness generally. From early October to late June the campsites and trails are snow covered, avalanche hazards exist, and the trailhead may be inaccessible.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Altitude - the springs are at roughly 11,200 feet and the approach gains steadily
- !Getting chilled after a soak, with no fire allowed to warm up by
- !Afternoon thunderstorms in the upper basin during summer
- !From early October to late June the trail and campsites are snow covered and the trailhead may be inaccessible
- !Bears, which is why the container rule carries a ticket and an ejection
- !Hot water hot enough to scald in the upper pools
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a Recreation.gov account
Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
2
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
3
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
4
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
When to Go
Peak: July through SeptemberShoulder: Late June and early October
Conditions
Snow covered into late June, with the upper valley holding drifts long after the trailhead melts out.
Crowd Level
LowAdvantages
- +Sites are easy to reserve
- +Very few people at the springs
Challenges
- !Snow covered trail and campsites
- !Avalanche hazards in the upper basin
- !Trailhead may be inaccessible
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand3/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk2/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation1/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment2/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Backpackers who can cover 8.5 miles with a full pack and camp comfortably above 11,000 feet.
Recommended Experience
One prior overnight backpacking trip is enough. The trail is straightforward; the distance and the elevation are the work.
Not Recommended For
Anyone unacclimatized to altitude, and anyone expecting a short walk to a roadside hot spring.
About This Permit
Conundrum Hot Springs sits at about 11,200 feet in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, roughly 8.5 miles up the Conundrum Creek valley. Overnight permits are required and come only from Recreation.gov.
Unlike the Four Pass Loop zones, Conundrum is booked by numbered campsite. There are 20 of them, and the Forest Service rule is explicit: permit holders "must camp in their reserved zone each night, or at their reserved campsite at Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake, and Capitol Lake." Each site carries its own group-size cap - nine sites take a maximum of two people, nine take four, and only sites 17 and 18 take six.
Permits are released in three rolling windows each year at 8am Mountain Time: February 15 for April 1 through July 31, June 15 for August 1 through November 30, and October 15 for December 1 through March 31. There is no lottery.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Conundrum is the one corner of this wilderness where the Forest Service abandoned the zone model entirely. There are 20 numbered campsites, each with its own group-size cap, and you camp at the one you reserved. The sites are small on purpose: eleven of the twenty take a maximum of two people, and only sites 17 and 18 take six.
The Route
The trail runs from the Conundrum Creek Trailhead up the valley to the springs at about 11,200 feet, roughly 17 miles round trip. The trailhead is outside the Maroon Scenic Area, which means you do not need a parking or shuttle bus reservation to get here - but the Forest Service still asks you to carpool, because the parking is limited.
Booking is site-specific. The 20 numbered campsites carry individual group-size limits: sites 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 16 cap at two people, sites 3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19 and 20 cap at four, and sites 17 and 18 cap at six. Site 1 sits about 300 feet from the hot springs and site 2 about 400 feet, so the numbers closest to the water go first.
The rules at the springs are stricter than elsewhere in the wilderness. Dogs are prohibited in the designated campsites here, campfires are prohibited at all of them, and overnight pack and saddle stock are not allowed at any designated campsite in the Conundrum Hot Springs permit zone.
The Feeling
The walk in is long and steady rather than steep, following the creek up the valley. Then you top out and there is steam coming off the rock. You get your site, set up, and go soak while the light drains off the peaks above. There are no toilets up here, so you handle that yourself, and no fires at any of the designated sites - it is a stove-and-headlamp evening, which suits the place.
Trailhead Information
Conundrum Creek Trailhead
8,700 ft elevationThe only access to the hot springs, about 8.5 miles below them.
Restrooms
No water
No Service
Parking
You do not need a parking or shuttle bus reservation to access the Conundrum Hot Springs trailhead, but you do need to carpool - trailhead parking throughout the wilderness is limited.
Getting There
Reached from Aspen, separate from the Maroon Creek Road corridor and its shuttle system.
Nearest Services
Aspen has full services.
Rules & Regulations
- •You must camp at your reserved campsite, not anywhere you like around the springs
- •Each numbered site has its own maximum group size - check it before you book
- •Dogs are prohibited in the designated campsites at Conundrum Hot Springs; elsewhere in the wilderness they must be on leash
- •Campfires are prohibited at all designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs
- •Overnight pack and saddle stock are not allowed at any designated campsite in the Conundrum Hot Springs permit zone
- •Food, trash and any scented items must be stored in an IGBC approved bear resistant container - visitors without one will be ticketed and required to leave
- •There are no toilets: use a WAG bag or dig a cat hole six to eight inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails, and pack out toilet paper
- •Permits are limited to two per person per calendar year, with a maximum stay of seven nights
- •Permits are only available through Recreation.gov; ranger stations will not issue them
Gear Checklist
Required
- IGBC approved bear resistant container
- WAG bag or trowel - there are no toilets in the wilderness
- Stove, since campfires are prohibited at every designated site here
- Warm layers for evenings at 11,200 feet
- Water treatment for the walk in and for camp
Recommended
- Quick-dry shorts or a swimsuit for the pools
- Camp shoes for walking between your site and the springs
- Headlamp for the evening soak
- Trekking poles for a long, steady 8.5-mile approach with a full pack
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Conundrum Hot Springs
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Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Guide Services
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Key Landmarks
↑
2,500ft
Gain↓
2,500ft
Loss⛰️
11,200ft
High📏
8.5mi
Distance📐
5.6%
Avg GradeClick on a marker to view details•5 landmarks
Landmarks (5)
Safety & Planning
Conundrum Hot Springs FAQ
Do you book a campsite or a zone at Conundrum Hot Springs?
A campsite. Conundrum has 20 numbered designated campsites, and the Forest Service requires that you camp at your reserved campsite. That is different from the Four Pass Loop zones, where you reserve a zone and pick an established site inside it.
How many people can camp at a Conundrum Hot Springs site?
It depends on the site. Nine of the 20 sites have a maximum group size of 2, nine have a maximum of 4, and only sites 17 and 18 take 6. Check the cap on the specific site before booking.
Is there a lottery for Conundrum Hot Springs permits?
No. Permits are released in three rolling advance-reservation windows at 8am Mountain Time: February 15 for April 1 through July 31, June 15 for August 1 through November 30, and October 15 for December 1 through March 31.
Which Conundrum campsites are closest to the hot springs?
Site 1 is approximately 300 feet from the hot springs and site 2 approximately 400 feet. Both have a maximum group size of 2.
Can you bring a dog to Conundrum Hot Springs?
No. Dogs are prohibited in the designated campsites at Conundrum Hot Springs. Everywhere else in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness dogs must be on leash.
Do you need a parking reservation for the Conundrum Creek Trailhead?
No. The Forest Service states you do not need a parking or shuttle bus reservation to access the Conundrum Hot Springs trailhead - unlike the Maroon Scenic Area. You do need to carpool, since trailhead parking is limited.
Are campfires allowed at Conundrum Hot Springs?
No. Campfires are prohibited at all designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, along with Crater Lake and Capitol Lake. Bring a stove.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Photography Guide
Golden Hour
Steam off the pools at first light, before anyone else is up, with the peaks above catching the earliest sun. It is the only time the springs are both lit and empty.
Best Light
Overcast is kind here - the steam reads better against flat light than against hard sun, and the pools stop being a mirror.
Beat the Crowds
The site cap does the work: with eleven of the twenty sites limited to two people, the total population at the springs stays low. Early morning and late evening are when the pools are quietest, since day hikers are on the trail during the middle hours.
Classic Shots
- 📍Steam rising off the pools at dawn with the peaks behind
- 📍The creek valley on the walk in, with aspens turning in late September
- 📍Camp at one of the numbered sites, well back from the water
- 📍Night sky over the springs at 11,200 feet
- 📍Wildflowers in the upper basin in July
- 📍The pools themselves, shot without anyone in them
Can't Get a Conundrum Hot Springs Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Four Pass Loop
Same AreaThe 26-mile circuit over four passes above 12,000 feet in the same wilderness, booked zone by zone rather than site by site.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A much bigger trip on the same permit system, but you reserve a dispersed zone for each night instead of a numbered campsite.
Crater Lake designated sites
Similar ExperienceEleven numbered campsites close to Maroon Lake, booked the same site-specific way as Conundrum.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A far shorter walk in and the classic Bells view, but no hot springs, and it needs a Maroon Scenic Area parking or bus reservation.
Capitol Lake designated sites
Same AreaNine numbered campsites at Capitol Lake, on the same permit and the same rolling release windows.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Quieter than Conundrum and no soaking, with the same no-fire and no-stock restrictions at the designated sites.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Conundrum Hot Springs trip
Very HardIn Demand8 sitesDeerlodge Park Campground
Dinosaur National Monument
Book campsite
Very HardIn Demand55 sitesRocky Mountain National Park Aspenglen Campground
Rocky Mountain National Park
Book campsite
Very HardIn Demand147 sitesRocky Mountain National Park Glacier Basin Campground
Rocky Mountain National Park
Book campsite
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