Even Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid thought Dunton Hot Springs was the perfect getaway. After they held up a bank in Telluride, the two high-tailed it out through the Calico Ridge and holed up at Dunton, an old mining town deep in the Colorado Rockies. (Butch and Sundance carved their names into the original hardwood bar, still put to good use at the Dunton Saloon.)
A remote and uniquely beautiful place, Dunton is also a journey back in time. For anyone who yearns for a taste of the old West, this is as close as it gets. Strap on your riding boots, breathe in the piney air, and enjoy some of the most beautiful hiking, mountain biking, and fly fishing in the world. Long a ghost town, the 22 log cabins were transformed into stylish, luxury retreats. But perhaps the biggest draw is the natural mineral hot spring that bubbles up from the Source, where temperatures reach 108 degrees, the Outdoor Spring, and the Bath-House, where waters are rich in manganese and iron oxide.
A yoga studio features classes daily, and you can get a relaxing massage at the tiny spa. In season, help the chefs forage for mushrooms, which you’ll enjoy for dinner. Delicious food from a nearby farm is served outdoors under the stars, or in the main Saloon. And, for a bit of privacy—a wedding, family reunion, or your very own hideout—you can rent the entire town. duntonhotsprings.com