I’m told that the official name for these hot, sulfury springs is “Fifth Water Creek Springs.” Some time ago I drove down south to make the hike. How did I get there?

Directions from SLC:

  • Take 1-15 south to the Price/Manti Exit (exit 258)
  • After getting off the freeway, hit the odometer and go 11 miles east
  • To the left is a road called “Diamond Fork”
  • Take Diamond Fork for 10 miles
  • The trail is marked with a sign, “Three Forks Trailhead” and the site was under construction due to flood damage when we went. Consequently, we had to park 1 mile up the road at a nearby camping ground called “Dry Canyon” and walk back to trail on the road.

spanish fork hot springs
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I’ve read that if you park alongside the narrow road you are likely to get towed. Oh, and at the very beginning of the trail is a gated side bridge. Don’t take that. The hike is about 2.5 miles, and is not particularly rigorous. In fact, we managed to speed hike it in 30 minutes. Most normal people, I’m told, take an hour or so. For 1/2 of the way, you’ll walk adjacent to a roaring stream, then you cross over a bridge (which features a sign warning hikers of the nude bathers ahead.) After the bridge, you’ll begin to follow a smaller spring-fed stream. At the end of the hike, three rock pools (of varying temperatures and colors) await you! It can get hot along the trail, so be sure to bring adequate water. You’ll need a towel and perhaps your swimsuit, of course, if you plan on joining the bathers. Caution: one of the pools is boiling hot and all of them have areas that are incredibly slippery.