The first stop on our road trip through Utah was at the Mystic Hot Springs. Mystic Hot Springs is located about 3 hours south of Salt Lake City in a small town of Monroe.
Mystic Hot Springs has a pretty eclectic history from Native American spiritual grounds to pioneer dance halls to the hot spring camping destination that it is today. If you’re planning to spend the night, you can stay in one of the 30 authentic pioneer cabins collected from the Sevier Valley, original structures built by Mormon pioneers from 1865 to 1890. They look a bit run down and the whole site has a campy-hippy-hostel vibe going for it with shared bathrooms. You can also stay in a revamped school bus.
Mystic Hot Springs Visit
We arrived at Mystic Hot Springs on a Tuesday morning in August. When we rolled up, we found the road blocked off preventing people from walking up to the springs. We called the number on their website and got a reservation for that time. The staff was pretty chill since no one was there. We parked a block away near some of the cabins and walked up to the hot springs.
We climbed a staircase to the top of the hill and dipped the tippiest tip of our toes into the water running along the ground. IT WAS HOT. The water comes out of the ground at 165 degrees, cascades down the hillside and hits the tubs between 99-100 degrees Fahrenheit.
As was a general theme of this entire trip, I was obsessed with how the bright orange rock contrasted with the bright white tubs and desert brush. The soaking area is spread out over maybe 50 yards and consists of two concrete pools and six vintage cast iron bathtubs. The shallow pool is 2 feet deep and features a waterfall created by the minerals spilling into the side of the pool. The deeper pool is four feet deep.
We started with some of the tubs on the higher side of the hill and then worked our way down to the concrete pools. I was having a blast taking pictures and popping in and out of the different tubs. I think two hours was plenty of time to spend at Mystic Hot Springs—there’s only so long you can spend in a hot tub without getting crazy pruney or overheating.
My Fainting Spell
When we made it to the final pool, Kyle and I were chilling in the shade of the rock. It was the “coolest” of the pools, and we were fairly comfortable. We were in the hot springs area for about an hour when I started feeling unwell and wanted to head back. I stood up and slowly walked to the edge of the pool before getting mad lightheaded. Another couple was coming into the pool, so I was trying to make way for them, but I was struggling to move.
Kyle helped me down the staircase. When I got to the bottom, I said “hold me” and then I collapsed and fainted for a few seconds. From there our hot springs adventure came to an abrupt halt as he helped me to shade and got me some water. Luckily, sulfur is not present in the Mystic Hot Spring water, so washing off after soaking isn’t necessary!
This day was the first time I ever fainted. I feel like I need to document the experience! In all my years lifeguarding, playing water polo outside, hiking up mountains, I have never fainted or overheated in the sun. I really have no idea what caused it. I don’t think the water was the culprit. The hot springs were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Overall, I’m thankful to have been stationary with Kyle by my side instead of driving on a highway. It’s pretty scary to faint!
I will say, though, in Utah summer, the air and water temperature were practically the same. I’d love to come back in the winter or at sunset and experience the hot tubs with chilly desert air. They whole ambiance was rather relaxing and perfect for stretching our tight muscles after hiking.
What to Pack
- Swimsuit
- Towel
- Water bottle (lots of it!!!)
- Sandals
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm with SPF
- Hat and sunglasses
COVID Considerations for Mystic Hot Springs
You need a reservation to visit Mystic Hot Springs. Time slots are for two-hour time spread out throughout the day. We arrived in the middle of a slot. But the staff was cool to let us in because no one was there.
Over the course of our two hour stay at Mystic Hot Springs, we saw two other couples. Quite a few pools and tubs are spread out over the hillside. We didn’t have any issues staying socially distant. We wore masks when we changed in the bathrooms.
Per their normal procedures, Mystic Hot Springs staff drain and clean the tubs a few times daily. The pools are drained and cleaned bi-weekly. With a consistent flow, the water stays clean and hygienic. Its cloudy appearance is naturally occurring due to the minerals in the water.
