# hot springs anywhere???



## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

So I hope you don't take this like a hunting honey hole question. But I am looking for some hot springs somewhat close to home to go soak in. I have found a few online like the one below, but have never been to them yet. We have Crystal hot springs and Stinky springs up here in Northern part of the state, but want to try some new places that are not to "as the wife puts it" gross to get into. We would like to find some to hike into. Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

Here is one I was looking at on line:

Fifth Water hot springs, Diamond Fork Canyon

Anyone every been to these before? Any more info that you could give me on these hot springs? How hot are they?

Thanks in advance.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

If they are well known and reasonable accessible my guess is they are going to be "gross".

Fifth water is unindated with people mostly there to party. Probably not what you are looking for.

There are some good ones up the Greys river in Wyoming. And if you want a super awesome experience do a float trip on the middle fork of the Salmon river in Idaho.

You can probably find a guide on line if you look around.


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## pollo70 (Aug 15, 2016)

Idaho..Lava hot springs.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

Mystic Hot Springs....Monroe, Utah. I don't know if they are gross or not even though I live in Monroe because I have never used them.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

wyoming2utah said:


> Mystic Hot Springs....Monroe, Utah. I don't know if they are gross or not even though I live in Monroe because I have never used them.


Place had a rundown 70s feel the times we went but that could have changed. They host a ton of jam bands that come through on off days for tours to record live music; never been to a show but I hear it can get crowded.

They have a handful of clawfoot tubs on the hillside for soaking; pretty neat to see all the mineral buildup in them. And then they have 1-2 pools that are mud bottomed.

Pretty much every known Utah warm and hotspring will be crowded on a weekend. And most of them are known as we just don't have the thermal activity like Idaho.

A ton of roadside hot springs in Idaho = less crowded. But they are further away. A decade ago a friend and I spent 4-5 days in the winter living out of the truck and visiting 2-3 hotsprings a day. There are just that many.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

A rundown 70s feel makes sense...a pretty psychedelic crew up there. But, the city has taken over some of the area and is turning it into a park. Should improve.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I always thought the best hot springs is the one in Mt Pleasant. Its on private ground so its not over-run / trashed. Good clean water.


-DallanC


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

wyoming2utah said:


> A rundown 70s feel makes sense...a pretty psychedelic crew up there. But, the city has taken over some of the area and is turning it into a park. Should improve.


Wow, that's a big change. Thx for update.


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

Heard there's one in Spanish fork canyon


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

7MM RELOADED said:


> Heard there's one in Spanish fork canyon


They did something to ruin the one along hwy 89 when they expanded the highway when they did the road up over Billys Mt (after thistle flood). Early 80s you could sometimes spot naked people along the highway there just east of covered bridge... lol

-DallanC


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

Fifth Water Hot Springs fits your needs nicely.


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

Went to the one at the mouth of Ogden canyon. Saw about 4 bikes in the parking area. Walked back there and found all the bikers and the gals all buck naked siting in the pot. I figured good for them. WE left, did want to intrude. Went back a few days later a saw a few homeless guys taking a bath in it. Haven't been back since. Hence looking for one a little farther in. I will have to keep doing some online research. thanks for the good pointers. I was telling the boss lady at home about Fifth water springs. She said that we should go check them out. In the mean time I will do some more exploring up in Idaho as well. Lava is a great place, but way over crowded. I don't blame anyone. that water is great, specially in January.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

There is one below Meadow Ut. When I was a tyke we would go there, I think that its more popular now.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Pah Tempe? Lot's of controversy there. Not sure if they are open to the public or not...

Veyo is nice, but it can get busy -- it's a "swimming pool" type pay-to-play place. Definitely clean and "nice".

My personal favorites, but might be too far to fit your request: Liard Hot Springs and Banff hot springs.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

hunting777 said:


> Went to the one at the mouth of Ogden canyon. Saw about 4 bikes in the parking area. Walked back there and found all the bikers and the gals all buck naked siting in the pot. I figured good for them. WE left, did want to intrude. Went back a few days later a saw a few homeless guys taking a bath in it. Haven't been back since. Hence looking for one a little farther in.


Last I heard Rainbow Gardens (who owns the property) fenced the area and posted it No Trespassing. Caused quite the ruckus in the local paper.

They did it to correct the problems you noted above.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The one in Spanish Fork Canyon was Castella (sp). It was across from Covered Bridge before the turn off for Diamond Fork. At one time it was a resort with its own RR station and stop. I can't remember if it burned down or was torn down but for year all that was left of it was a cement type of block house with cement benches. The Utah County Sheriff got tired of all the drugs and other things that went on in it so they blew it up.

That hot spring was pure sulphur and stunk so bad that I have no idea how anyone could stand to be in it.

The best one that I have seen was up by Cascade, Idaho. It had two ponds that were about 2-3 feet deep. The upper pond was almost too hot, but the lower one just right. Sadly the county up there experienced the same drug and other problems so they took some dynamite to it also.

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

PBH said:


> Pah Tempe? Lot's of controversy there. Not sure if they are open to the public or not...
> 
> Veyo is nice, but it can get busy -- it's a "swimming pool" type pay-to-play place. Definitely clean and "nice".
> 
> My personal favorites, but might be too far to fit your request: Liard Hot Springs and Banff hot springs.


Liard Hot Springs is amazing! Haven't been back in like 18 years though. Gas was $.99 back then and was much cheaper to drive the AlCan. Still hoping to get back up that way and drive North to explore the Tombstone Range at some point. One should always dream.

Now I'm stuck in a nostalgia loop.


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

hunting777 said:


> ...did want to intrude.


Freudian slip?

I don't think there's a public hot spring anywhere in the world where a little nudity doesn't happen occasionally, some folks just seem to be wild and free.


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

I have been googling all these places that everyone is mentioning. These are just beautiful. that banff hot spring, the location is amazing.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Banff is a beautiful town. Like many areas of Canada, it has a "european" feel. The hot spring there is basically a big swimming pool full of hot water. There is quite a bit of thermal activity in that area. Cave and Basin National Historic site is here also, which is a big hot spring. It was closed when we were there, so we couldn't see much of it. The marsh was interesting. Due to the hot springs keeping the marsh waters warm, non-native "pet" fish thrive. Mollies, Jewelfish, mosquitofish...

The Banff hot springs sit up the hill and to the south of the Fairmont:









There is another really neat place called Miett Hot Springs up closer to Jasper. It has the "swimming pool" type area, but also has other "natural" pools along the river.

It would be a pretty great setting to be at either in the middle of the winter.

nostalgic loop. Yep.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

PBH said:


> Banff is a beautiful town.
> 
> The Banff hot springs sit up the hill and to the south of the Fairmont:


Wow, that is beautiful. Wonder how pricey it is.

-DallanC


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Wow, that is beautiful. Wonder how pricey it is.
> 
> -DallanC


~$800+ per night. But that's Canadian. You can afford it.

There are numerous other places to stay in Banff, for those on a smaller budget than Dallan.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

My most expensive budget while staying in Banff was alcohol; $8-10 pints add up fast when you think you stand a chance with the French Canadian women vacationing from colleges nearby. Lesson learned: camping is cheap, playing out of your league is expensive.

Banff has more complicated memories for me than Liard. But we got stopped at the border for 4-5 hours while they searched our vehicle and dove into our records (nothing to find). Evidently 2 long haired guys in their early 20s living out of their truck fit the profile for G8 protestors back then. They were disappointed we were just dirt bags heading up to Alaska to backpack and do some simple mountaineering. 

Liard on the other is just bliss. But Banff is one of the best national parks I've ever been to, even if the glaciers have largely receded by now.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Canadian border patrol: Do you have any alcohol or tobacco?
me: no
Cbp: do you have any cigarettes?
me: no
Cbp: do you have any beer or wine?
me: no
Cbp: do you have any smokeless tobacco?
me: no
Cbp: do you have any snuff, or chew?
me: NO! I do not have any alcohol or tobacco products!


USA border patrol: Hi! Welcome back! headed on to Texas?
me: no. Utah.
USAbp: Why do you have a Texas license plate?
me: I don't. It's a Utah plate.
USAbp: It looks like Texas.
me: They don't snow-ski in Texas.
USAbp: Have a safe trip!



Cbp: if that vehicle behind you doesn't stop I'm going to have to use my sidarm to disable his engine block!
us: :shock:
Cbp: Tell him to stop!
us: how?


Cbp: Where have you been?
us: fishing on the ______ River.
Cbp: Really! Man, I love fishing up there! Last time I was up there.....
us: :-|

Those border crossings are always an adventure!!


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

You been to one near Chicken? Poor guy.


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## bowdude (Aug 11, 2019)

I visited the one in Diamond Fork Canyon two years ago. We were chaperones for a Girls Camp and we hiked in for a day adventure. It is a 2+ mile hike in. There were a few other people there, not part of our group, that made the trek. The water and site was very clean.

Lots of clean pools at Yellowstone. The last group of kids that I know of that used one were severally burned. A couple of them died. Not recommended.


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