There are six hot springs that people from Utah Valley drive to most, and they could hardly be more different: a hike-in creek in Diamond Fork, a limestone dome in Midway, a family pool complex near Brigham City, a fenced pool on a ranch in Millard County, a hillside of bathtubs in Sevier County and a town of pools in southeast Idaho. Here is how they compare on the things you can check before you leave Provo.
How this list is ranked: by drive time from downtown Provo, using OpenStreetMap routing estimates (OSRM, no traffic) from Center Street and University Avenue to each site. That is the one measure we can apply identically to all six. We also give cost, season and access from each operator's own website or the Forest Service, as posted in October 2026. We do not rank them by quality. Which one is "best" depends on whether you want a hike, a pool with lifeguards, a reservation you can count on, or a night under the stars.
The comparison
| Spring | Drive from Provo (est.) | Cost to soak | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Homestead Crater, Midway | 29 mi, 42 min | $30 per 1-hour session | Book ahead; life vest required |
| 2. Fifth Water, Diamond Fork | 29 mi, 48 min, then a hike | Free soak; $10+ parking | About 2.6 mi each way on foot |
| 3. Crystal Hot Springs, Honeyville | 112 mi, 2 hr 2 min | $18 ($15 college students) | Walk in; no outside food |
| 4. Meadow Hot Springs, Millard County | 114 mi, 2 hr 17 min | Donation | Private land; rough dirt road |
| 5. Mystic Hot Springs, Monroe | 132 mi, 2 hr 27 min | Reserved 2-hour pass | Book online; non-refundable |
| 6. Lava Hot Springs, Idaho | 192 mi, 3 hr 19 min | $8 to $12 (ages 12 to 59) | Walk in; open year-round |
Season, in one line each: the Crater is open daily but closes April and May 2027 for renovations; Fifth Water depends on Diamond Fork Road and the weather; Crystal is open year-round except a few holidays (including Halloween); Meadow depends on the dirt road and the landowner; Mystic and Lava are open year-round.
The closer two already have their own pages on Provo.com: our guide to hot springs near Provo covers Fifth Water, Homestead Crater, Meadow and the Saratoga springs in detail, and our Lava Hot Springs guide covers the Idaho town. This page adds the two that do not have a page yet, Crystal and Mystic, and puts all six side by side.
1. Homestead Crater, Midway
Drive: about 29 miles and 42 minutes, up Provo Canyon to the Heber Valley. Cost: $30 per one-hour session, per Homestead's Crater page in October 2026. Sessions run in 60-minute blocks with about 40 minutes in the water. Hours (October 2026): soak and swim 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. weekends. What to know: The Crater is a limestone dome that Homestead says formed over 12,000 years, with mineral water naturally heated to 96 degrees and about 65 feet deep at its deepest. Everyone in the water wears a life vest, provided in sizes from infant to 4XL. There are changing stalls, restrooms and lockers. It is also a scuba site, with separate diving hours. The catch: Homestead says time slots fill quickly, so book ahead. And mark your calendar: the Crater will be closed for renovations in April and May of 2027.
The Crater is the one on this list you can book, which makes it the safe pick for a date, a visiting relative or a birthday. Our Heber Valley and Midway guide covers the rest of the valley.
2. Fifth Water Hot Springs, Diamond Fork
Drive: about 29 miles and 48 minutes to the Three Forks Trailhead: I-15 south, US-6 up Spanish Fork Canyon, then about 11 miles up Diamond Fork Road (Forest Road 029), per the Forest Service. Cost: No admission, but the trailhead is a fee site. The Forest Service lists $10 per vehicle for three days, $20 for seven days and $60 for a season, sold as a digital pass, and honors America the Beautiful and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache passes. The hike: The Forest Service's trail description: from Three Forks, cross a footbridge and follow Sixth Water Creek 1.1 miles, cross another footbridge, then take the right fork up Fifth Water Creek. The largest hot springs are 1.5 miles up Fifth Water, "where a cold waterfall meets the hot bubbling springs." That is roughly 2.6 miles each way. The Forest Service calls Three Forks the most heavily used route and suggests the Fifth Water Trailhead on Rays Valley Road as an alternative. The water warning: The Forest Service posts that harmful bacteria may be present and that the state monitors the springs for harmful algal blooms. Its advice: dry off thoroughly, shower right after, do not hike out in wet clothes, do not drink the water or get it in your mouth, do not let pets drink, and avoid the algae on pool walls and bottoms. Check the state's bloom advisory before you go. Parking: The Forest Service says the lot is very small and that ticketing and towing are strongly enforced. There is no drinking water at the trailhead.
Season depends on the road and the trail. Our hot springs near Provo guide covers winter conditions and the gates on Diamond Fork Road.
3. Crystal Hot Springs, Honeyville
Drive: about 112 miles and two hours, north on I-15 past Brigham City to 8215 UT-38, Honeyville. Cost (October 2026, from its website):
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| All ages | $18 |
| Age 3 and under | Free |
| Seniors, military, college students | $15 |
| Waterslides | $2 extra |
| Family night (Wednesdays after 4 p.m., up to 6 people, swim only) | $36, plus $6 per extra person |
Family night is not offered on holidays or during school breaks. Lockers are $2, with car keys or a $20 cash deposit as collateral.
Hours (October 2026): Monday through Thursday noon to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 11 p.m., Sunday noon to 8 p.m. The waterslides open at 4 p.m. on weekdays. Crystal lists itself as closed on Halloween, Thanksgiving (Nov. 26) and Christmas, with short hours on Christmas Eve and on July 4 and 24.
The water: This is a developed pool complex, not a natural pool. Crystal's posted temperatures: the soaker and cave pool 95 to 101 degrees, three hot tubs between 99 and 105, the chlorinated lap and slide pools 70 to 85, and an Olympic-size pool that runs 80 to 90 in summer and 96 to 99 in winter. Staff record and adjust temperatures hourly. Crystal says its hot spring comes out of the ground at 120 to 134 degrees and claims the highest mineral content recorded in the world, about 46,000 milligrams per liter, with a cold spring less than 50 feet away. Water flows through constantly and on into the Bear River.
History, from Crystal's own page: It opened in 1901 as Madsen Hot Springs. Crystal credits Utah State University archaeologist Steve Simms with the view that Native American families used the valley for over 450 generations, with the North Shoshone-Bannock the last native people to call the springs home; Chinese railroad workers later soaked here in cedar tubs. During World War II, it says, it hosted buses of recovering servicemen for three years.
The rules that catch people: No outside food of any kind, including snacks; bags and coolers are checked. No alcohol, no glass, no pets, no barbecues. Everyone needs a wristband. And if lightning strikes within 30 miles, the pools close, with refunds only if your receipt shows you had been there less than 45 minutes. Crystal also stopped offering camping.
For a BYU or UVU student, Crystal's $15 college-student price and walk-in entry make it the cheapest walk-in admission on this list after Lava. It pairs well with a morning at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, which is about 10 miles to the south, or with Logan and Cache Valley.
4. Meadow Hot Springs, Millard County
Drive: about 114 miles and two hours 17 minutes by OSRM, south on I-15 to the Meadow area, then dirt roads. Cost: Free to enter, on private land the owners have kept open; visitor reviews on Google Maps describe a donation box. Access: Three pools of different temperatures, a short walk from parking. Reviewers on Google Maps warn that the last stretch of road is badly potholed and worse when wet, and that cattle roam the area.
Meadow is covered in depth, including the private-land rules, in our hot springs near Provo guide.
5. Mystic Hot Springs, Monroe
Drive: about 132 miles and two hours 27 minutes, south on I-15, US-50 through Salina and I-70 to 475 E. 100 N., Monroe, in Sevier County. Cost: Mystic sells soaking passes for a reserved two-hour time slot, booked online. Its site does not list the price outside the booking system. All bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable. What you get: two concrete pools about 20 by 20 feet (one 2 feet deep with a mineral "arch waterfall," one 4 feet deep) and five vintage cast-iron bathtubs that fit two adults each. You share the area with others booked in the same slot. Mystic says the soaking areas usually run 99 to 110 degrees (its history page says 100 to 111).
The water: It emerges at about 168 degrees and flows down the hill, cooling as it goes, at about 200 gallons a minute, according to Mystic. The main mineral is calcium carbonate, which builds the travertine mounds on the hillside. Mystic says there is no sulfur, so no smell and no need to shower afterward. The bathtubs are drained and cleaned a few times a day and the pools every two weeks.
History, from Mystic's page: Used first by Ute, Shoshone and Paiute bands, later a resting place on the Old Spanish Trail, homesteaded in 1886 by the Cooper family and long known as Monroe Hot Springs, with a dance hall in the early 1900s. The current owner has run it as Mystic since 1996. Overnight options include converted vintage buses, a cabin, campsites and RV sites, and the hillside doubles as a small concert venue.
What to bring: your own towel (rentals are available when the office is open, Friday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and a refillable water bottle. Dogs are allowed only in the campground and two specific overnight units; soaking-only visitors must leave dogs in the car, which is a bad idea in summer. Quiet hours are 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
Mystic itself is frank that it is rustic: "Things are imperfect." It is a two-and-a-half-hour drive each way for a two-hour soak, so most Provo visitors either stay the night or fold it into a longer trip south. It is on the way to Fish Lake and Pando and Capitol Reef.
6. Lava Hot Springs, Idaho
Drive: about 192 miles and three hours 19 minutes, I-15 north into Idaho and US-30 east from McCammon. Cost (October 2026, one-time entry to the World Famous Hot Pools):
| Age | Monday to Thursday | Friday to Sunday and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| 2 and under | $3.00 | $3.00 |
| 3 to 11 | $7.50 | $10.00 |
| 12 to 59 | $8.00 | $12.00 |
| 60 and over | $7.50 | $10.00 |
Hours: May 1 to Sept. 30, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. In winter, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Christmas Eve closes at 6 p.m. The water: The Lava Hot Springs Foundation says more than 2.5 million gallons a day flow through, at about 102 to 112 degrees, with no sulfur odor. Alcohol and glass are not allowed.
Everything else about Lava (the river tubing, the swimming complex, the town) is in our Lava Hot Springs guide.
Picking one, by what you need
- You want it booked and certain: Homestead Crater (until it closes for April and May 2027).
- You want a hike: Fifth Water, and read the water advisory first.
- You have kids who want slides, and you want a lifeguard: Crystal. Remember the no-food rule.
- You want the lowest cost per hour and do not mind three-plus hours of driving: Lava on a weekday.
- You want to soak under the stars and sleep there: Mystic, with an overnight booking.
- You want a natural pool in open country: Meadow, with a donation and a careful drive.
For more ideas in every direction, see our day trips from Provo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which hot spring is closest to Provo?
How is this list ranked?
Which of these hot springs is free?
How much does Crystal Hot Springs cost?
Do I need a reservation?
Is Fifth Water Hot Springs safe to soak in?
Is Homestead Crater open year-round?
Can I soak at Mystic Hot Springs at night?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Three Forks Trailhead (fees, water-quality warning, parking), USDA Forest Service, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Fifth Water Trail #015, USDA Forest Service, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Visit the Crater at Homestead (hours, price, FAQ, 2027 renovation closure), Homestead (Midway, Utah). Checked October 19, 2026.
- Crystal Hot Springs: Swimming Prices, Crystal Hot Springs. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Crystal Hot Springs: Hours, Crystal Hot Springs. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Crystal Hot Springs: Temperatures, Crystal Hot Springs. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Crystal Hot Springs: History and Information, Crystal Hot Springs. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Crystal Hot Springs: Rules/Policies, Crystal Hot Springs. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Mystic Hot Springs: Soaking Passes, Mystic Hot Springs. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Mystic Hot Springs: About (history, water, dogs, quiet hours), Mystic Hot Springs. Checked October 19, 2026.
- World Famous Hot Pools (admission, hours, temperatures), Lava Hot Springs Foundation. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Lava Hot Springs Foundation: Hours, Lava Hot Springs Foundation. Checked October 19, 2026.
- OSRM route service (OpenStreetMap data), driving estimates from Center St & University Ave, Provo, Project OSRM. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Google Places listings: The Crater at Homestead, Crystal Hot Springs, Meadow Hot Spring, Mystic Hot Springs, Lava Hot Springs Foundation (addresses, coordinates), Google. Checked October 19, 2026.
