This image is the cover for the book The Springs of Steamboat: Healing Waters, Mysterious Caves and Sparkling Soda

The Springs of Steamboat: Healing Waters, Mysterious Caves and Sparkling Soda

Steamboat Springs is world renowned for the ski mountain that overshadows the town, but it was the multitude of springs that drew Ute Indians and then the first white settlers to this valley. John Crawford, Steamboat's founder, envisioned a town where people traveled from around the world to take part in the healing properties of the waters. The various springs were believed to cure everything from rheumatism, gout and dyspepsia to virulent blood disorders and skin diseases. While some springs have disappeared and others were sacrificed in the name of progress, many--including Old Town Hot Springs and Strawberry Park Hot Springs--still beckon visitors to bask in their sparkling waters.

Dagny McKinley

Dagny McKinley has an MFA from Naropa in Boulder, Colorado. She has worked as a copywriter and content developer for companies from San Diego to Colorado. Her volunteer work includes the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, Wood River Animal Shelter and Yosemite National Park. She has been a member of the Steamboat Springs hot springs team since 2006.

The History Press