Welcome to my article on Mystic Hot Springs. My name is Esther Guerra. I just turned thirty and I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I grew up as a military brat – so I lived in a few different places every few years.
I hated moving around when I was a kid but as I got older I realized I was given the opportunity that most people don’t get in their lifetime: travel. Germany was my favorite place that my family and I got to live. I loved everything about Europe – the history, the culture, the food and the people.
When we returned to the states, I went looking for adventures in the US. It’s fascinating how each city and state can be so different – each one gives you a new outlook and perspective. There is beauty everywhere, you just have to go searching and you will find incredible places.
Road Trippin’ to Mystic Hot Springs
When my fiance told me we would be driving to Utah to meet friends in Sand Hollow State Park, I immediately looked up the location and started planning our trip. I knew there were a ton of things I wanted to do and see in Utah, including a bucket list hot spring called Mystic Hot Springs.
We have a Toyota RAV4 and car camping is something we do often. So we figured we would rely on this for our trip and stay in a hotel when we needed it along the way. We made a bed in the back, installed a Yakima Roof Box on the top, threw in all of our essentials and hit the road!
We left from Washington State and a couple of rest areas and a Planet Fitness (to shower) later we made it to Salt Lake City. We spent the afternoon in Salt Lake City and made it to Monroe where Mystic Hot Springs is located. This is a two and a half hour drive from Salt Lake City.
The Small Old Town of Monroe
Monroe is a very small old town. It has one grocery store and a couple of gas stations but these are not open at night – so make sure you get snacks beforehand if you come later in the evening. We arrived late at night and found a nice little spot to car camp. We had a morning reservation at the springs and it was nice to wake up and already be in the town of Monroe.
Booking a Reservation in Advance
Let me backup a bit. Before taking off on this trip, I knew for sure that Mystic Hot Springs was a place we couldn’t pass up. I also knew that COVID had made a lot of changes to our world and how we operate. Firstly, I made sure the hot springs were open. Then I learned you had to make a booking.
Be sure to make a reservation in advance when planning your visit to Mystic Hot Springs because they book up fast. A couple of weeks in advance should be enough time to secure a spot. The booking gives you a two hour time slot and is only available to book for certain times of the day.
Experiencing Mystic Hot Springs
Upon arriving in the morning, there was a number at the end of the road for us to call. We called the host to let them know we were here for the booking. They directed us to a building to park our car across the road from the hot springs. The building had changing rooms, showers and restrooms.
There were also camping spots in this location where you could either camp in your own RV, pitch a tent or rent an awesome renovated camper bus from Mystic Hot Springs. We quickly got changed into our swimsuits and walked up the road to the hot springs, which wasn’t a long walk at all.
When you first walk into the springs you are greeted by the biggest pool with the red rock arch and mineral water falling from it like a waterfall. If you keep walking up you will see a few tubs in the hillside, and at the end you will see the red rock mineral wall and cast iron bathtub. There are two or three tubs like this that are built into the wall. They are so cool!
We were very pleased with our experience at Mystic Hot Springs. We had plenty of time to use each tub and pool, and we didn’t feel rushed. The time slots are perfect because there were only two or three other couples there with us. There was plenty of room and time for us to enjoy the tubs and soak in the scenery and the hot temp waters of this spring.
Why Visit this Natural Hot Spring
Mystic Hot Springs is a family owned business and I love its creativity, uniqueness and perfect imperfections. It truly is a one-of-a-kind hot spring and experience. I 100% recommend it if you are in the Utah area.
After leaving Mystic Hot Springs, we packed up the car and hit the road. We made a big loop to Sand Hollow State Park – stopping at Dead Horse State Park, Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Moab, Monument Valley, Horseshoe Bend and then finally reaching our destination – Sand Hollow State Park for some rock crawling and 4×4 fun. Safe travels!
