Idaho Springs

About Idaho Springs

Idaho Springs, is the most populous municipality in Clear Creek County, Colorado. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 1,782. Located in Clear Creek Canyon in the mountains upstream from Golden, it lies some 30 miles (50 km) west of Denver. The town is known for being home to the highest paved road in the Northern Hemisphere, the Mount Blue Sky Scenic and Historic Byway, which is a 14,266-foot (4,348 meter) mountain located about 28 miles south of town. The road to the peak is a 14-mile ascent.

THe town was founded in 1859 by prospectors during the early days of the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush. Today, it’s squeezed along the north side of Interstate 70, with a historical downtown in its central portion. It also serves as a bedroom community for workers at the Loveland Ski Area, which is farther up the canyon.

Indian Hot Springs is also located here, which were originally used by the Ute and Arapahoe peoples, and these hot springs have long been used for their therapeutic benefits. Unique to these hot springs are geothermal caves that were carved out in the early 1900s.

Idaho Springs has a continental climate (Koppen: Dfb) with moderately cold winters and warm summers with cool nights. Annual snowfall is on the heavy side, averaging 72 inches (183 cm). It’s record high temperature was set in June at 95°F (35°C) and it’s record low is -32°F (-36°C), set in the month of January.