Things to Do in Salida, Colorado

The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area is a 152-mile river park from Leadville to Lake Pueblo, with its headquarters in downtown Salida. Colorado Parks and Wildlife calls it one of the nation’s most popular stretches for whitewater rafting and kayaking. It also holds 102 miles of Gold Medal trout water.

★ Good to know The park is open year-round, but its visitor center at 307 West Sackett Avenue is closed on weekends.

President Obama designated this 21,586-acre monument along the Arkansas River between Buena Vista and Salida in 2015. Browns Canyon is known as the country’s most popular stretch for whitewater rafting, and it’s also good for fishing and hiking. Bighorn sheep, elk and golden eagles live here.

★ Good to know Most people see it from a raft with one of Salida’s outfitters; the BLM and Forest Service manage the land together.

This is one of the largest indoor hot springs pools in the country, run by the city at 410 West Highway 50. It was built in 1937 as a Works Progress Administration project that employed nearly 200 men. Spring water is piped in from 4.5 miles away. The 25-meter lap pool runs 82 to 84 degrees, and the leisure pool 97 to 100.

★ Good to know Private soaking baths are available too, and the diving board opens on weekends.

The Salida Downtown Historic District joined the National Register in 1984. The chamber calls it Colorado’s largest historic district, with 136 preserved buildings. In 2012 downtown became one of Colorado’s first two Certified Creative Districts.

★ Good to know The downtown beach sits on the Riverwalk path, so bring sunscreen and a snack on a warm afternoon.

Harriet Alexander, Salida’s first woman on city council, helped open this museum in 1954 in the front of the hot springs pool building. Her bequest paid for its own building at 406½ West Highway 50, next to the pool. The museum also looks after the Salida Smelter Smokestack and the Maysville School.

★ Good to know It’s next door to the hot springs, so pair the two on the same afternoon.

Monarch is a ski area 20 miles west of Salida on US 50, right on Monarch Pass at the Continental Divide. It has 54 trails, two terrain parks and an expert area called Mirkwood.

★ Good to know Buying lift tickets online saves money compared with the window, depending on the date.

This resort sits in Nathrop, between Salida and Buena Vista, at 8,250 feet below the Chalk Cliffs. You can soak in natural pools along Chalk Creek, where you mix cool creek water with odorless mineral water to set the temperature. Day guests are welcome year-round.

★ Good to know Summer adds water slides for day guests; check the resort’s hours and rates page before you drive.

Salida locals started FIBArk, short for First in Boating on the Arkansas, in the 1930s to show off local paddlers. It’s billed as America’s longest-running whitewater festival and has drawn as many as 30,000 people. River races share the bill with a music lineup.

★ Good to know It’s held once a year; check fibark.com for dates, tickets and river registration.