Take a road trip from Park City, Utah to one of these hot springs for some après-ski fun or off-season bliss. Some are perfect day trips, while others are best suited for an overnight stay.
Park City, home to some of the best skiing in the Rockies and the Sundance Film Festival, is a wonderful place to spend your vacation days any time of the year. With just 8,398 residents (in 2020), this alpine town is filled with the restaurant and entertainment scene of a much larger city.
If you’re looking for a side trip to take your mountain escape to the next level, look no further than these local springs.
Here at the hot springs near Park City, UT, listed in order of proximity:
Homestead Crater (Midway) Hot Springs – 18 miles
Head to Homestead Resort to take a dip in the Homestead Crater Hot Springs for a truly unique experience. This 65-foot-deep spring is covered by a 55-foot limestone dome that started forming over 10,000 years ago and has left a small hole at the top that allows sunshine and air to pour through.
Water that remains 90-96℉ year-round makes this the only warm water scuba destination in the US. Earn your certification, snorkel through the mysterious depths, soak up the minerals, or take an after-hours standup paddle boarding yoga class. You can even skip the water altogether and take a crater tour on foot.
Outside the natural dome, a world-class golf course awaits with two on-site restaurants and a snack shack. A variety of light and airy guest rooms are available for overnight guests (affiliate link). Other renovated pools and hot tubs will be ready for visitors in the summer of 2023.
Inlet Park (Saratoga) Hot Springs – 55 miles
Inlet Park—also known as Saratoga—Hot Springs is a rustic, free hot spring under an hour away from Park City. Follow a short path from the parking lot to three lovely pools with the warmest reaching 109℉. For those searching for something a bit cooler, head to the one closest to the lake.
Located in flat, wide-open, grassy plains, the distant snowy peaks are the only things that break up the horizon. It’s a quiet, relaxing place to soak and remains a local favorite. The three feet of water is just deep enough to come up to the shoulders of a sitting adult.
Be aware that the bottom of the pools are muddy, so bring a towel or something to clean off your feet if you don’t want to muck up your car. The mud is considered to be great for your skin though, so don’t be shy about getting dirty. Swimsuits are required, and alcohol is prohibited.
Fifth Water (Diamond Fork) Hot Springs – 73 miles
Fifth Water Hot Springs, aka Diamond Fork, is highly popular with the locals, so go during the week if you’re trying to avoid crowds. To get to the springs in the warmer months, you’ll have to take a beautiful five-mile round trip hike, 13.2 miles roundtrip in the winter due to seasonal road closures. You’ll also need expertise and specialized gear to hike through the snow.
You’ll smell the springs before you see them, and at the end of the moderately challenging hike, you’ll be rewarded with many different pools to choose from. They are all sizes and temperatures, but the closer you are to the waterfall, the warmer the water will be. It can be up to 120℉ at the source.
Take a dip in the icy river water nearby to complete your own DIY Nordic spa hot-cold circuits. This is a rustic spring without facilities or hotels nearby. You’re welcome to camp but just note that rattlesnakes can be an issue, so only spend the night if you know how to deal with them.
Old Indian Hot Springs – 99 miles
There are mixed reviews on Old Indian Hot Springs, sometimes called “Stinky Hot Springs” due to the serious sulfur scent it gives off. It’s in the middle of nowhere off the side of a highway just north of the Great Salt Lake. Three concrete pools are partially surrounded by a heavily graffitied, unstable-looking wall.
The dusty, treeless atmosphere with occasional rock formations gives off serious moon vibes, and while the rundown look of the place can scare off many visitors, the locals who soak here don’t mind. The owner of the private property is open to guests but draws the line at camping on his land.
Fans of Old Indian can enjoy water temperatures of up to 113℉. Guests may benefit from wearing water shoes here to avoid any potentially sharp debris.
Crystal Hot Springs – 99 miles
About one hundred miles north of Park City, the luxurious Crystal Hot Springs has a different pool for every desire, each with spectacular mountain views. There’s an Olympic-sized pool for swimming laps, a pool for children with a built-in grotto, three hot tubs, and a main soaking pool with submerged seating around the perimeter.
In the last of these pools, three waterfalls–hot, cold, and warm–allow guests to experience different temperatures and do a mini circuit. Two 360-foot hydro waterslides are open year-round with the staircases leading up to them enclosed and continually sprayed with spring water to keep them steamy and warm. It’s perfect for those snowy winter days.
Stop in here for the highest mineral content of any springs in the world without that sulfurous smell you often find with natural springs. The water here at the source is anywhere from 120° F to 134° F, but it gets cooled down to enjoy soaking.
Belmont Hot Springs RV Park – 115 miles
Garland, Utah plays host to Belmont Hot Springs RV Park amidst wide open spaces and majestic views of the mountains. As the name implies, this spring caters to RV users, and each of the many sites comes with access to water, sewage, and electrical hookups.
The community itself is full of amenities like complimentary wifi and a common area with a snack bar, games, books, and a convenience store. Guests can play nine holes of golf in between soaks, and long-term campers will appreciate the use of on-site laundry facilities.
Two spring-fed pools stay at a toasty 97℉ and 104℉ respectively. In one, scuba divers can train for their PADI certification in 30 feet of warm water while they explore the sunken ship that has been a major point of underwater entertainment. Meanwhile, on land, a fishing pond and the start of several trailheads encourage getting out in nature in other ways.
Baker Hot Springs – 153 miles
Baker Hot Springs is another primitive site in a rural area with great views. You’ll find three concrete tubs in the desert near Great Basin National Park in Juab. The hot water, 180℉ at the source, comes from Fumarole Butte, a volcanic area. Luckily, cold spring water can be added through PVC pipes strategically placed in the tubs.
The tubs aren’t huge, but you can squeeze three people in each if you don’t mind being close, and all three pools are directly next to each other. There is a bit of a sulfur smell, but it isn’t off-putting.
Jump in one of the ponds in the area if you’re up for a cold plunge, but don’t forget your sunscreen. There is no shade in or around the pools. Camping is allowed, and it’s a good gateway to a fun-filled weekend in the national park, but there are no facilities.
Park City is a picture-perfect destination any time of year. Whether you’re in town for some world-class shopping or a restful weekend away, you won’t regret adding a stop at one of these nearby hot springs.
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