03 Mar 03
While living in Utah, I often hunted for interesting things to check out on Google Maps. In satellite view, I would zoom in and out, dragging the map along as I simulated driving down roads. I knew there were a handful of things to see near Delta, UT, so I went about “following” the roads leading out from the town. This led my eye to a large lava rock formation near the town, which turned out to be Fumarole Butte, a shield volcano. Right up alongside Fumarole Butte was something that stood out to me. For me, water features easily stood out and were worth looking into due to the lack of water in the southwest.
I discovered this was Baker Hot Springs! When deciding to check out hot springs, my next step is determining if they are private or public and if there is a fee. It’s important to look into this because you could end up driving for hours to visit one and then find out it’s on private property or requires cash, and you have none. Which is good practice for most things you want to visit in the middle of nowhere. I highly recommend using the app GAIA to identify public vs. private lands, and some blogs (like this one) can let you know what is free vs. not based on more recent visits.
Baker Hot Springs of Utah is free and public! You can also camp overnight in the parking area for free! The roads and parking area are easily accessible for all types of vehicles; you just might want to take it a little slower on the dirt road sections if you have a less capable vehicle.
At the source of the spring, water exits at 180°F/82°C. The water is hot due to the geothermal activity of the nearby Fumarole Butte. The concrete soaking pools are left over from when the Baker Hot Springs was a resort. I imagine the term “resort” can be used loosely, given that this hot spring spot is pretty small.
Directions
While in Utah, I often used the town of Delta as a jump-off point. It was a convenient spot to grab some snacks and refuel one more time before heading out and exploring nearby areas. I highly recommend this strategy when you decide to explore places nearby. You don’t want to get low on gas out in the middle of nowhere, so always top your tank off before you start to wander!
There are a couple of ways to get to Baker Hot Springs. If you start in Delta, you can take Route 6 (AKA Grand Army of the Republic Hwy) north out of Delta. Follow along until you reach Brush Wellman Rd on your left and take it.
Aside from some industrial buildings, Brush Wellman Rd doesn’t offer a whole lot to look at. What I did enjoy about it was all the cattle bones along the way. I’m from the East Coast, so for me, it feels quintessential to see bones out in a desert landscape. I know it may sound morbid, but I find these kinds of things fascinating.
After about 19 miles on Brush Wellman Rd, turn right onto the aptly named Hot Springs Rd (AKA County Rd 77). If you find yourself driving past lava rock formations and still haven’t turned, you’ve gone too far. The turn is right before the Fumarole Butte lava rock formation, and you will drive along its lava rock cliffs on your left after turning onto Hot Springs Rd. Not too long after, the parking area for Baker Hot Springs is on your right.
In the first section of the parking area, you can park and walk right up to three bathtub-like ~5ft x 8ft soaking pools. Each one is hotter than the next as you move towards the hot spring water source snaking through the grass. Hot water enters the pools via a PVC pipe. Another PVC pipe brings in cool water from another stream source. Towels located at the pools are used to dam up the pipes and control the temperatures as needed. Desert Survivor has a post explaining the water temperature control system better.
If you head further along the parking area, you will find access to the main hot spring site through a gate in the fence. Here, you can witness the incredible colors the spring produces from its microbial community and high level of magnesium. There are no soaking pools in this area.
Please also be careful where you step for your safety and to prevent damaging the natural area!
What’s a Hot Spring you have been to?