Mystic Hot Springs, UT: Bizarre Beautiful Baths

Driving Back from our Colorado trip Curtis and I had a slight conflict of interest: we were going to be whizzing past all these amazing national parks, yet we wanted to get home in a reasonable amount of time. Plus it was labor day weekend, meaning many of campgrounds and reasonably priced hotels were booked up. Maybe if we had spent more time investigating the camping situation we could have visted a new park… but then we definitely would have taken 3 days to get back home to Basil and Herman.

Instead I took it as a sign to do a quick search on other options in the middle of our 1000 mile journey. Using one of my new favorite websites to find local cafes, camping, and tourist traps I hit the jackpot – a little hot springs resort in the middle of Utah: Mystic Hot Springs of Monroe.

As you drive through this tiny Utah town you will begin to worry that this is a hoax. Luckily there is this reassuring sign on the corner of Main and E 100 N .

Mystic Hot Springs, Utah

Location: In the town of Monroe, UT off of Interstate 70. We were traveling between Boulder, CO and Groveland, CA. Map

Pulling into Mystic Hot Springs we is little startling, it is a very DIY establishment- first passing the converted busses people sleep in, followed by the restored pioneer village, and finally you will be greeted by abandoned old swimming pool next to the office.  Cricket, the friendliest little elderly cat, greeted us before the proprietor popped around the corner so we could sign the waiver. The gist of it: $20 per person to camp/soak, no nudity or alcohol at the pools.

We set up our tent in the yard across the way from the converted busses that others used as their overnight rooms. It was alright in the yard, but I was a little jealous of the busses I could see out of my tent window.

We set up our tent on the large yard as the sun was setting – plenty of room here, even on the holiday weekend – then hurried up to take the short walk up to the hot springs before it was completely dark. In the dusk light we were unable to properly find the smaller pools that line the ridge – no matter though because the water temperatures was running low that evening. We ended up soaking in the deeper and (at the time) hotter pool. That deep pool though was perfect, we stayed in there for a while just chatting with other soakers and watched the stars appear above us.

The next morning Curtis and I woke up early to get in a quick soak before starting the second leg on our journey home. In the daylight the tubs were even more impressive than the night before. I have never seen a hot spring tub that has mineral deposits growing into it – it is like you are have crossed the barrier at Yellowstone’s Mammoth Hot Springs, and then someone had the forethought to put a really nice big tub there. Plus the water temperatures were hotter – we could happily soak next with the view from the ridge spread out before us.

This is the large shallow pool. Sitting next to the large mineral depot is both cool and slightly alarming.

These individual tubs are big, and an have an amazing view.

I could not think of a better place to relax in the middle of our long drive. Next time I want to rent one of those converted busses though.