Hot springs eternal - spas

By the time I ease into the soothing 94[degrees] water of the hot springs pool, stars are winking to life and the pines atop a nearby ridge are silhouetted against an indigo sky. Lit up, the large pool becomes a giant turquoise gem against the darkness. I have it and the smaller hot pool (105[degrees]) all to myself.

The waters envelop me as a few snowflakes land in my hair. I paddle about, listening to the faint plop plop of the burbling springs. My neck muscles begin to unkink and the canned music leaves my head. Then a hush descends, a silence as exquisite as any pause in a Debussy composition.

Lodge at Riggins Hot Springs is open year-round. It has 10 guest rooms, dining room, recreation room, two pools, sauna, and massage service (by reservation only). No telephones or televisions in the rooms; rates (from $265 double, $165 single) include all meals. In summer, inquire about guided raft and fly-fishing trips on the Salmon River, which flows past the resort. 9 miles east of Riggins; (208) 628-3785 or www.rhslodge.com. -- L.J.F.

More top spas

COLORADO

Glenwood Springs: Hot Springs Lodge and Pool

WHAT'S HOT: Doc Holliday came to Glenwood--on the banks of the Colorado River, 170 miles west of Denver--to take the waters, and President Teddy Roosevelt used the Hotel Colorado as a base for bear hunting. Today Glenwood's healing waters still fill the outdoor pool, and adjacent lodging includes both the historic Colorado and the Hot Springs Lodge. Down the road, Yampah Spa and Vapor Caves lure you underground to loll in steamy contentment; after lolling, head back aboveground to enjoy massages and other treatments.

WHERE: 401 N. River Rd.

WHEN: Year-round.

FYI: Yampah Spa and Vapor Caves is nearby at 709 E. Sixth St.; (970) 945-0667.

FACILITIES: Moderate.

COST: Day use $8; massage $68 per hour. Lodging: Hotel Colorado from $98; Hot Springs Lodge from $85.

CONTACT: (970) 945-6571. Hotel Colorado; (800) 544-3998. Hot Springs Lodge; (800) 537-7946. -- Peter Fish

Hot Sulphur Springs: Hot Sulphur Springs Resort

WHAT'S HOT: First used by Ute Indians, it became a resort in 1840, then a 1920s gangster hangout; since 1997, it's been tastefully renovated. It offers full spa services. The 20 pools (2 reservable) are 98[degrees] to 112[degrees] and most look out to the Continental Divide or the Colorado River. "We're not a European spa," says owner Charles Nash. "This is cattle and horse country, so what we try to provide is good water, a clean environment and Western ranch decor."

WHERE: 5609 County 20 (off U.S. 40, 30 miles northwest of Winter Park).

WHEN: Year-round.

FACILITIES: Moderate.

COST: $12, $10.50 ages 6-16; lodging from $74. CONTACT: (800) 510-6235, (970) 725-3306, or www. hotsulphursprings.com.

L.J.F.

Pagosa Springs: The Springs

WHAT'S HOT: In the San Juan Mountains at 7,070 feet, it has 15 hot pools--from 94[degrees] to 111[degrees]--atop a series of terraces and gardens, next to a modest lodge with 37 rooms and suites. You can get massaged or put your toes into the chilly San Juan River as it gurgles by the pools.