Fifth Water Hot Springs Soak
A not-so-secret hidden in plain sight Gem in Utah
Hello newsletter readers! I’m not sure what the weather is like where you are, but here on the Western Slope of Colorado it’s been in the low 50s. Last weekend we were craving a mini-adventure in the big city so we decided to book a hotel in Provo, Utah for the weekend. Saturday was to be my daughter’s day of fun, but Sunday I wanted to hike to Fifth Water Hot Springs aka Diamond Fork which is near Price, Utah and was in the direction we were to be heading home.
I talked about Fifth Water Hot Springs in this post covering some of my favorite hot springs soaks in Colorado and Utah. At the time, I had not been to Fifth Water because it was closed due to the pandemic. Since the weather has cooled off, but the gate was still to be open to reach the springs, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to squeeze in a hike and a soak.
So here’s everything you need to know should you plan a visit to these springs:
Length: 4.5 miles out and back. In my opinion, this trail is very easy and is kid and dog-friendly. There is a bathroom at the trailhead, not much elevation gain (under 800 feet) and there are fences up where the trail is washed out and a little narrow. If this trail was covered in snow or muddy, you’d definitely need traction like micro spikes or sturdy boots and poles, but under dry circumstances it was easy to navigate.
Getting here: the road is paved to the trailhead and there is a large parking area but it fills up quickly. There is alternative marked pull-outs if parking is full as well as a lot down there road where you’d have to hike from if you arrived if the spot was full. In my opinion, if the lot is full the springs are full and you should plan to come back at an alternative time. The Three Forks trailhead is off highway 6 east (from Spanish Fork it’s 11 miles and from Provo it was about 45 minutes) and you turn at the signed Diamond Fork turnoff. There is no service once you turn off this road so mark the mileage for 10 miles and you’ll come to the signed trailhead. There is a bathroom at the trailhead and you’ll see a footbridge to the right about 50 feet in. Do not take this footbridge on the right but continue the obvious trail east into the canyon. You will cross a bridge about 1.5 miles in and stay to the right instead of opening the cattle gate to the left. You’ll start to smell sulfur as you approach. Please note there is a gate that is closed from December 15th - March which will make the trail 13 miles RT rather than under 5. You’ll have to hike the road if you go when the gate is closed. You can always check with the Fifth Water hot springs facebook group or the ranger’s station for gate closures. You don’t need a special vehicle to get to the springs if there isn’t snow.
Crowds: This hot springs feels private, but it’s no secret. We arrived at 7am and there was 4 other cars in the parking lot and about 7 other people soaking at the springs when we arrived an hour later. Once we left there was more like 30 people at the springs and we passed about 20 hiking in. The parking lot was packed as well with no more spaces left. Do not park on the road or you’ll get a ticket (there are signs). So if you’re coming on a weekend you’ll want to start your hike around 6:30am or 7am. If you’re coming on a week day you might have less crowds, but be mindful that a lot of BYU students come here to soak. Summer is probably the busiest time with school being out and more people visiting the area. Late fall and spring will have less crowds, but watch for gate closures.
What to expect: There are two waterfalls you’ll encounter and the second bigger waterfall upriver is where the hottest and smaller pools are. The pools range from 101-108 depending on the river level and there are deeper and more shallow pools. Each pool can probably hold 4-6 people and there’s various spots to put your things. Although there are some large boulders to change behind, once the springs start to get crowded, you’ll have less privacy. We wore our suits on the hike and then shielded ourselves with towels to change when leaving.
What to bring: Water shoes like chaos, a towel, water to hydrate, an extra trash bag to pack out trash, a bag for wet clothing, eco-friendly sunscreen, snacks, wag bag just in case. Don’t forget your camera for photos! Dogs and kids are allowed as well.
What not to bring: A speaker for music (there’s too many people to be blasting your tunes), glass bottles, floaties or large chairs.
Camping: There are campgrounds along North Fork road. You aren’t allowed to camp in the parking lot of Three Forks Campground, but there are flat campsites across the bridge. Three Forks Campground is free and first-come, first-serve. There are no trash cans at the trailhead so be prepared to pack out what you bring in and check for local fire restrictions.
We found the springs to be a great soaking experience and everyone we met there was nice. There was only one nudist there who was digging out the pools to make them deeper, but he was closer to the hotter upstream pools and away from the bigger groups. While nudity is not allowed in Utah, there are people who choose to bathe nude here, especially earlier in the morning.
It took us about an hour to hike to the springs (we had our daughter with us) and about 45 minutes to hike out and we soaked about 2 hours. I highly recommend an early start to get the best experience and all the photos you want without having to photoshop people out!
I hope you enjoyed this month’s newsletter and it inspires you to get out and find some hot springs on your own or explore this one.
If you are looking for an adventure in Utah in 2022 I have a great retreat planned outside of the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. I have included a half-day of canyoneering and a guided hike in the park in the cost and no experience is necessary! If you have any questions please email me and I will be happy to answer them for you. I only have 5 tents left which can sleep double or single occupancy if you come solo! This will be held at the same spot I reviewed in this newsletter on Glamping.
Have a wonderful week of adventuring friends!