Pumpkin Spring, Grand Canyon Colorado River

When one thinks of history and warm water, one probably would not picture the Grand Canyon or even the Colorado River. However, this national park has it all in the Pumpkin Spring. It has become a nightly and wintertime rest haven for both hikers and boaters, with water that is truly warm.

The Grand Canyon National Park is home to the Colorado River's famous Pumpkin Spring. It is a favorite spot for rafters who choose to spend the night in the backcountry and hikers who choose to wander down in winter months to warm up. In fact, it is a place made famous by the river's early explorer, John Wesley Powell.

The spring is actually a large pool that has remained after constant floods and rainfalls eroded the limestone cliffs. Some would even describe it as Mother Nature's hot tub. In fact, it is fairly isolated from the trails, though some do manage to get down to it, but most are rafters and kayakers who venture along the river's whitewaters, finally stopping to spend the night.

It is located ten feet above the raging waters, and is considerably warmer. In fact, during the cooler months, it has been described as a gigantic bathtub. Most spend a couple of hours soaking up the warming minerals and then set up camp as did John Powell over a hundred years ago.

It is not uncommon for hikers to get a whiff of cooking food from the canyon base, something that newcomers find difficult to explain. However, unlike Powell, most cooks that enjoy their meals by the river and spring have brought their own food. Sadly Powell was not modest about boasting about his theft of native squashes so he and his comrades could have a hot meal that night.