The City of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States.  The city known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA" had a population of 9,815 at the U.S. Census 2000. The town is an internationally known winter resort destination. The Steamboat Springs tourism industry is highlighted by the Steamboat Ski Resort, which is on Mount Werner in the Park Range just east of the town. It also contains the much smaller Howelsen Ski Area. It is located in the upper valley of the Yampa River, along U.S. Highway 40 just west of the Continental Divide at Rabbit Ears Pass. It is served by Yampa Valley Airport.

The Yampa Valley and surrounding area contain several geothermal hot springs, from which the city derives its name. The city is named after the Steamboat Spring, located near the present-day library. The spring itself was so named because its bubbling sounded like a steamboat to early settlers. Unfortunately, construction and blasting for railroad silenced the chugging spring in 1908. Locals take pride in the name of their town, as evidenced by the humorously named Steamboat Yacht Club, a local restaurant location on the Yampa River.

Though there are no steamboats in the town, except for an allegorical "steamboat" playground in West Lincoln Park, it does offer two hot springs that are open to the public. The largest is at the Old Town Hot Springs, with multiple pools and two slides. Located in the hills a few miles out of town is Strawberry Park Hot Springs, with two pools and natural rock features. Strawberry Park Hot Springs offers excellent stargazing opportunities due to the lack of ambient light.

The Yampa River flows through the middle of town.