At a glance
Closest free soakInlet Park Hot Springs
Best with kidsCrystal Hot Springs
Most iconic hikeFifth Water Hot Springs
Only divable craterThe Crater at Homestead
Free natural poolsMeadow Hot Springs
1
Inlet Park Hot Springs (Saratoga Hot Springs)
📍 Saratoga Springs (about 40 minutes south)
A quick, free soak close to home
The closest natural soak to the Valley, and it is free. A short path from the Inlet Park lot leads to warm pools right on the edge of Utah Lake, where geothermal water seeps up through the muddy floor. Locals love it because it is an easy after-work or weekend trip with no long drive and no entry fee.
Tip: Swimsuits are required and the rule is enforced. Bring water shoes, the bottom is muddy, and go on a weekday if you want it calmer.
2
Mountain Point Lake & Hot Springs
📍 Bluffdale, Salt Lake County (about 25 minutes south)
A private group soak without leaving the county
The only real hot spring inside Salt Lake County, tucked near the Point of the Mountain. A naturally heated mineral pond sits next to a private five-acre lake with a sand beach and a two-story dock. It is a private rental, not a walk-up, so you book it for a group or an event and get the whole place to yourselves.
Tip: This is rental only, booked in time slots, so plan it for a birthday, a reunion, or a group day out rather than a spur-of-the-moment stop.
3
Fifth Water Hot Springs
📍 Diamond Fork Canyon, near Spanish Fork (about 1.5 hours south)
Pairing a real hike with your soak
The one every Salt Lake hiker has on their list. A 2.5-mile trail along a creek drops you at milky blue pools stacked below a waterfall, each a slightly different temperature so you can find your perfect spot. The mix of the hike, the falls, and the steaming water makes it the most photographed soak in the state.
Tip: Go on a weekday morning since the trailhead lot fills fast. Check the state water advisory and Forest Service status before you drive, and never dunk your head or get the water in your mouth.
4
The Crater at Homestead
📍 Midway (about 1 hour east through Provo Canyon)
A bucket-list soak, dive, or paddleboard session
A geothermal spring tucked inside a 55-foot limestone dome, with mineral water that stays warm year-round. A tunnel leads you right to the water's edge. It is the only spot near here where you can scuba dive or do paddleboard yoga inside a hot spring, which is what makes the drive worth it.
Tip: Activities are by reservation only and slots sell out, especially in winter, so book your soak or dive time well ahead.
5
Crystal Hot Springs
📍 Honeyville (about 1 hour north)
Families and a no-hike day
Some of the highest mineral content of any hot spring in the world, in a developed setup with hot tubs, a big soaker pool, a cool freshwater pool, and water slides. Pools range from cold to very hot, so everyone in the group finds their temperature. With parking right there and no hike, it is the easy win when you have kids in tow.
Tip: The slides run seasonally, so call ahead if that is the draw. It is quietest on a weekday afternoon, and they rent towels and suits if you forget yours.
6
Meadow Hot Springs
📍 Meadow, near Fillmore (about 2 hours south)
A free, quiet natural soak
Three deep, clear pools on private land that the owner keeps open to the public for free. A short walk on a graded path gets you there, and on a winter weekday you might have it to yourself. The water is a comfortable warm temperature, and the clarity is wild.
Tip: Leave no trace, since the free access depends on people respecting the land. The deepest pool drops off fast with no shallow end, so watch kids closely.
7
Red Hill Hot Springs
📍 Monroe (about 2.5 hours south)
Free soaking with red rock scenery
A free string of natural mineral pools set into striking red rock, each one a little cooler as the water flows downhill so you can pick your heat. It is open around the clock and recently got an improved road and a small lot, which makes it easier to reach than it used to be. A great pairing with a Mystic trip since both are in Monroe.
Tip: The red dirt stains clothing and towels, so leave your nice gear at home and pack out every bit of trash.
8
Mystic Hot Springs
📍 Monroe (about 2.5 hours south)
A funky overnight soaking trip
Vintage cast-iron bathtubs and two concrete pools built into a mineral-stained hillside, with views over the valley. The funky old hippie buses and pioneer cabins make it a destination soak, not a quick stop. People plan whole weekends around it.
Tip: Soaking is reservation only and tends to sell out a week or two ahead, so book before you drive down.
9
Baker Hot Springs
📍 Near Delta, in the west desert (about 2.5 hours southwest)
A remote, free desert soak
Three small concrete tubs fed by a mix of scalding and cool spring water out in the high desert near Fumarole Butte. You blend the two flows to set your own temperature, and the remote, quiet setting is the whole appeal. This is a rustic, off-the-grid soak for people who like the drive as much as the destination.
Tip: The gravel road suits most cars in good weather, but bring plenty of water and supplies since there is nothing out there.
📍Local note: If you only have an afternoon, hit Inlet Park for a free soak by Utah Lake. If you can give it a whole day, point the car toward Fifth Water or the crater in Midway, and go midweek to skip the crowds.
How to pick the right one
Picking the right hot spring near the Salt Lake Valley comes down to how far you want to drive and how rugged you want it to feel. The closest options sit just south near Utah Lake and Bluffdale, so you can soak and be home for dinner. The famous ones, like Fifth Water and the crater in Midway, are an hour or more out and worth a half day. Free natural pools like Meadow and Red Hill are farther south, near Fillmore and Monroe, and reward an early start.
Think about the experience too. Developed spots like Crystal Hot Springs and the Crater at Homestead have parking, restrooms, and set hours, which makes them easy with kids or first-timers. Natural pools mean a short hike, a muddy bottom, and pack-in pack-out rules. Winter is the local favorite season for all of them, since soaking in warm mineral water with snow around you is the whole point, but check road and trail conditions before you go.
Common questions
Are there any hot springs inside Salt Lake County?
Just about one. Mountain Point Lake & Hot Springs in Bluffdale is a naturally heated mineral pond inside the county, but it is a private rental you book for a group, not a walk-up soak. The Valley does sit on a real geothermal belt along Beck Street, and the old Wasatch Warm Springs bathhouse once used that water, but there is no operating natural public soak inside the city today. For a free walk-up option, the closest is Inlet Park in Saratoga Springs, about 40 minutes south.
Which hot spring is best if I have kids?
Crystal Hot Springs in Honeyville is the easy pick. It has shallow pools, a freshwater swimming area, seasonal water slides, parking right there, and no hike. The Crater at Homestead also works well since the water is a mild warm temperature, not scalding, though it is reservation only.
Do I need a reservation to soak?
It depends on the spot. The natural springs like Fifth Water, Inlet Park, Meadow, Red Hill, and Baker are first come, first served and free. The Crater at Homestead and Mystic Hot Springs both require booking a time slot ahead, and Mountain Point in Bluffdale is rental only. The reservation spots do fill up, so plan before you drive.
What is the closest hot spring to Salt Lake City?
Mountain Point Lake & Hot Springs in Bluffdale is the closest, about 25 minutes south, but it is a private group rental. For a free walk-up soak, Inlet Park in Saratoga Springs is the nearest at roughly 40 minutes, with warm pools right on the edge of Utah Lake.
Are the free natural hot springs safe to soak in?
They are generally fine for healthy adults who use good hygiene. Do not dunk your head or get the water in your mouth, avoid algae, and skip it if you have an open cut. Check any posted water advisory for spots like Fifth Water, and remember natural pools have muddy bottoms and sudden drop-offs.
When is the best time of year to go?
Hot springs are a year-round thing here, and winter is the local favorite. Soaking in warm mineral water with snow around you is the whole point. Just know that some canyon roads and trail sections close or get icy in winter, so check conditions before heading to spots like Fifth Water or Baker.
Which natural hot springs are easiest to find on a map?
The well-known natural soaks all have clear parking areas you can pin and navigate to. Inlet Park in Saratoga Springs, Meadow near Fillmore, and Red Hill in Monroe each have a marked lot and a short walk to the pools, so they are simple to find. Fifth Water is a trailhead pin in Diamond Fork Canyon with a 2.5-mile hike in, so map the parking area, not the pools. Save the location offline before you go, since cell service drops in the canyons and the west desert.
The Salt Lake Valley