Glenwood Hot Springs Resort History Timeline

1888 - 1919: The pool, financed and built by Walter Devereux, opens to the public on July 4, 1888. Glenwood Hot Springs becomes a world-renowned resort and a playground for wealthy Victorians. During this time, the facilities include 42 sunken Roman baths, a men’s casino and a physician’s office. 

1920 – 1950: Just as the rest of the country experiences the economic hardship of the Great Depression, tough times fall on the hot springs resort. Frank Kistler buys the property in 1938 and operates it until 1943, when the U.S. Navy sets up a hospital and rehabilitation center for injured WWII servicemen. The Navy decommissions the facility in 1946, but a small hospital continues to operate until the early 1950s. 

1950 – 1970: Frank Kistler sells the hot springs to a group of local businessmen in 1954, and their families continue to operate the resort. The new owners begin massive renovations to the property including enlarging the big pool and creating the smaller and warmer therapy pool.

1980 – 2000: Glenwood Hot Springs Athletic Club opens in the 1980s, and Glenwood Hot Springs Lodge welcomes its first guests in 1986. The ozone filtration system is installed to reduce the pool’s reliance on chlorine sanitization. In 1994, the resort installs a heat exchanger device that harnesses the geothermal energy of the Yampah spring for use in snowmelt systems and the heating of domestic water supplies. In 2000, the resort adds two water slides and a miniature golf course at the west end of the pool.  

2008: Spa of the Rockies opens in the historic sandstone bathhouse building. Perhaps most significantly, the umbrella name for the entire resort, Hot Springs Lodge & Pool, is changed to the more all-encompassing Glenwood Hot Springs. 

2011: All 107 guest rooms at Glenwood Hot Springs Lodge undergo extensive aesthetic and technological renovations. 

2013: Glenwood Hot Springs celebrates 125 years in the business of helping people feel better and have fun. 

2017: The property updates its name to Glenwood Hot Springs Resort.

2019: Sopris Splash Zone replaces two large water slides and the miniature golf course at the west end of the pool. This family-friendly aquatic center features three distinct areas: Shoshone Chutes, Hanging Lake and Grand Fountain.