Learn more insights from Wanderboat AI.
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF THIS TRAIL!! PICK UP YOUR TRASH!! LEAVE NO TRACE BEHIND, CMON BRO 😤
ABOUT US: So we took this hike with my daughter who is 6 years old. She is not a hiker, the most I've hiked with her is 10 minutes max. So this was new for me but I however, do have experience with hiking and am somewhat athletic (I'm 29, I go to the gym but I rarely do the treadmill).
PARKING & RESTROOMS: Parking wasn't full but it was kinda getting there. Make sure you show up early OR during the weekday when its less busy. The restrooms are closed at the parking lot, I'm not sure if you're able to stop at the other bathrooms that you'll see when you get closer to the springs parking lot but be mindful, use the bathroom before you start getting closer to the mountains.
ABOUT THE HIKE: It took us 2 hours to get to the springs. Being with a 6 year old we would take frequent breaks. In total maybe 7 or 8 breaks and slow or steady walking. It's not a flat walk, there are a mix of accents and descents, but it's definitely manageable. On the way back we stopped maybe about 3 or 4 times but consistently walked and I carried my baby girl on my shoulders and I did give her a piggy back most of the way back (she was pretty tired after getting into the springs). So that cut the hike from 2 hours to 1 hour. We went on Thursday, June 19th and got there around 9am. We saw a few ppl but by no means was it full. We also saw a lot of insects, like spiders, butterflies, dragonflies and to my surprise 6 beautiful snakes in total. The trail offers amazing and aesthetic views. Most of the time you're next to the river that guides you to the hot springs. I can't say whether snakes are common here or not during this time but this was our experience on this day.
ABOUT THE SPRINGS: Bro, these are beautiful and so relaxing. When we got there, there were a lot of butterflies and dragonflies flying around which added to the overall aesthetic. It was gorgeous. About the smell.. the best way I can describe the smell even at the beginning of the trail was that of eggs. BUT, it's not a horrid smell, its very tolerable and you forget about it after a while but dont focus on the smell, focus on the beauty of it all lol. There are also so many little pools to choose from. If you go closer to the falls there is another "main" pool which is just as hot as other ones. The river connects to the hot springs so if you want to cool down you can get in the river where its a little more fresh (the water, at least when I went, is not cold like other rivers youre used to). When we got to the springs there was maybe 6 people total but most of the pools were empty. We enjoyed the springs very much and my 6 year old was just so ecstatic and jumped right in to the hot springs.
OVERALL: I would give it a 10/10. The views, the pools, the hike (not being too difficult), the vibes.. just everything about it and I guess we got lucky with the few ppl that were there but there was a few hikers that continued on with the trail but we didnt mind at all. I would recommend it for newbies but PLS PLS, carry water man, and maybe a few snacks. I made sandwiches for us that we ate at the springs and that was enough to fuel us but I would've packed more water, you be your own judge but its always better to carry more water than not. I attached some pics for reference on the hike and the beautiful scenery. That is all, hope...
Read more
My wife and I hiked the trail yesterday on March 1st. Don't be under any illusions, once you get past the big bridge up on the trail, about half a mile, it gets extremely icy and there is snow on the trail. I would highly, highly recommend you stop at Sportsman's Warehouse or Big 5 or another Sporting Goods store and invest in shoe crampons or shoe chains. There were places on that trail yesterday that were so icy and dangerous I couldn't believe we did it. I saw families up there with kids in backpacks that just made me shake my head as a former search and rescue member. You need to have the right hiking gear to do that trail in the current conditions. We saw people in Birkenstocks, sandals and hey dude shoes with literally no traction attempting the trail up to the hot pots. Take the right shoes with traction or get the crampons that I'm talking about in order to make your hike a lot more safer. There are currently places on that trail as you get way up in the draw that are nothing but sheets of ice that if you fall or slip off the edge you're going to get hurt. I can't believe I saw people with small children attempting that hike yesterday. If you go later in the evening realize that it's going to get dark up in there around 6:30 to 6:45. You need to have a windbreaker, a small first aid kit and headlamps in your backpack. I would not even attempt coming down that trail with the current icy conditions in the dark. You're almost certain to become a search and rescue story on KSL. If you are going to do the hike do it earlier in the morning which is a double-edged sword, because the trail will still be very icy but you'll have lots of daylight to work with. From the time we got to the lower Bridge all the way to the top, with the icy conditions it took us 2 hours and 20 minutes. Make sure you factor in the round trip time which will be almost 5 hours plus how much time you want to spend soaking in the pots to get out of there safely. I couldn't believe I saw people in shorts, no coats in their backpacks or any type of basic hiking preparedness items. Hiker beware! Elderly people or people with physical limiting conditions like leg braces or other asinine things I saw should not even attempt this Trail until the conditions improve later in the spring. It's not worth the risk and I used to be with search and rescue. My current difficulty rating of this trail is because of the...
Read more
Fifth Water Hot Springs is by far the most amazing hot springs that we’ve been to in the entire US. It looks a bit like Kuang Si Waterfall in Laos but with piping hot water and without all the tourists gawking. The enticing, milky blue river is truly a unique sight to behold. It’s a bit of a drive and a bit of a hike but is an absolutely must-see if you find yourself in Utah!
Getting There
From Salt Lake City take I-15 south for about 32 miles to exit 257 B-A for US 6 E toward Price. Keep left to continue on Exit 257 B and continue on US-6 E for 11 miles. Turn left onto Diamond Fork Road and follow the road until you see a sign that says Three Forks Trailhead. The trail is about 5 miles round trip. There is a sign at the trailhead of a map with a handwritten note on it saying “the trail is unmarked the whole way”. There are several trails off to the right that are well marked but you want the unmarked trail on the left. Don’t be alarmed if you don’t see any other hikers along the path (as the parking lot will probably be full of cars) – as soon as you see this beautiful area you won’t want to leave either. You’ll come to a bridge, cross it, and keep on going. After another mile or so you’ll start to see the beautiful, milky blue waters flowing along the trail. Don’t stop there, keep on heading up to the waterfall at the top.
The Hot Springs
While the main pools at the end of the hike are the most spectacular, you can opt for more privacy anywhere along the river. Keep in mind that the water cools down the further downstream you get. There are lovely waterfalls and swimming holes to explore and virtually no people other than those hiking nearby. But be sure you don’t miss the the main event! The pools at the top are more crowded, of course, but there are sectioned off private pools and the water is the hottest here. Lock down a pool early but you may need to share. Spend the day soaking in the pools which soaking in the views of the amazing surrounding canyon.
Hours & Rules
No set hours and no rules other than to “leave no trace”. Keep in mind that you have a 2.5 mile hike ahead of you when you leave the pools so bring a headlamp if you plan on...
Read more
