Mystic Hot Springs

What to expect

Mystic Hot Springs sits on a hill at the top of 100 North in Monroe, a small farm town in central Utah’s Sevier Valley. The setting is unusual. Hot water pours out of the hillside at about 168°F76°C and roughly 200 gallons a minute, loaded with calcium carbonate. Over a very long time that mineral has built up a broad mound of orange, cream and rust-colored travertine, and it is still growing fast enough that the owners have to clear the channels of buildup a couple of times a year.

The water runs down open channels to cool before it reaches the soaking areas. There are two main pools, each about 20 by 20 feet. The shallow pool is 2 feet deep and has a stone arch waterfall; the other is 4 feet deep. Above them, a row of old cast iron clawfoot bathtubs sits right on the travertine, each filled by its own trickle of spring water. The tubs are the reason most people come. Each one fits two adults, and the view from them runs west across the valley to the mountains.

Soaking temperatures usually range from 99 to 110°F37 to 43°C. The operator says the water has no sulfur, so there is no smell, and the cloudy look comes from dissolved minerals.

The place has a strong personality: part pioneer homestead, part 1960s counterculture. Painted buses, a stage on the hill, salvaged pioneer cabins and a lot of folk art fill the grounds. It is not a polished resort, and that is the point.

The number of bathtubs varies by source and over time. The operator’s current soaking page lists five, while older guides mention six or eight.

Getting there

Monroe is in Sevier County, south of Richfield, between I-70 and the Fishlake National Forest.

• From Salt Lake City: Take I-15 south to the Scipio exit (exit 188). Follow US-50 east about 25 miles to I-70, then go west on I-70. Leave at exit 31, turn left at the bottom of the ramp, drive about 2 miles and turn right onto State Route 118. Follow it 3 to 4 miles into Monroe.
• In Monroe: Turn left (east) on 100 North and drive up the hill about five blocks to the large white building at the end of the road. The address is 475 East 100 North.

Parking is on site. The walk from the lot up to the tubs is short but crosses uneven travertine and some steps, so the site is not suited to wheelchairs.

Monroe itself has a gas station, a couple of small food stops and a dollar store, and they close early and often stay shut on Sundays. Richfield, a short drive north, has full services.

When to go

The springs are open all year. The best soaks are on cold nights from late fall to early spring, when the hot water and cold air make the biggest contrast and the dark sky over the valley fills with stars. Snow on the travertine is a good look.

Summer days are hot in the Sevier Valley, so in June through August an evening slot is far more comfortable than midday.

Because every visitor books a 2-hour slot, the springs do not get uncontrollably crowded, but you do share the pools and tubs with everyone else booked at the same time. Weekend evening slots sell out first. Book early for holiday weekends and concert nights.

Prices and booking

• Soaking pass: $28.41 for adults and $22.73 for children 12 and under, for a reserved 2-hour slot (as listed in 2026). Older listings show $25 and $12.50, so confirm on the booking page.
• Booking: Online only, through the operator’s website. All bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Towels: Bring your own. You can also rent or buy one at the office, which is open Friday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. or by appointment.
• What to bring: A towel, a refillable water bottle and sandals for the travertine.
• Children: Welcome, with a child rate for ages 12 and under.
• Lost property: The operator is not responsible for anything left behind.

The tubs are drained and cleaned several times a day, and the two pools are drained and cleaned every two weeks. The operator does not post a clothing rule online, but this is a shared space with families, so bring a swimsuit.

Where to stay nearby

You can sleep right at the springs. The overnight options listed by the operator are:

• Campsites: Grassy tent sites with shared electricity and a short walk to a bathhouse with toilets, sinks and hot showers. Listed at $28.41 per adult and $22.73 per child per night, with an older rate of $25 and $20 also shown. Check-in is 3 to 9 p.m., check-out 11 a.m.
• RV sites on the property.
• The Old Pine Cabin and other pioneer cabins, some with electricity and heaters.
• Converted buses: Eight named buses and wagons, including Ripple and the Gypsy Wagon, which are the two units that allow dogs.

Soaking passes are not included with camping, so book a soak along with your stay. Quiet hours are 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.

If you want a motel, Richfield is the closest town with chain hotels and restaurants. National forest campgrounds in the Fishlake National Forest are within reach in summer.

Safety notes

• Heat: The tubs nearest the source run hottest. Feel the water before you get in and move to a cooler tub if needed. Keep soaks short and drink water, especially at night when the cold air hides how warm you are getting.
• Footing: Travertine is rough when dry and slick when wet or icy. Wear sandals between the tubs, and use a headlamp after dark.
• Children: Keep young kids in the shallow pool and out of the hottest tubs.
• Source water: The water at the vent is near 168°F76°C. Stay out of the upper channels.

History

Ute, Shoshone and Paiute people used the spring long before settlers arrived, and later it was a stop on the Old Spanish Trail. The Cooper family homesteaded the land in 1886, and the place was known as Monroe Hot Springs. In the early 1900s a wooden collecting pool and a dance floor were built at the foot of the hill, under the motto “the home of mirth and merriment.” The current owner, known as Mystic Mike, bought the property and has developed it as Mystic Hot Springs since 1996, adding the tubs, buses and stage. Concerts still happen on the hill; check the events page before you go.