Fifth Water Hot Springs is a Utah county classic. It’s been on my bucket list for ages, so when the opporutnity presented itself to hike it last minute, I jumped on it. This post is pretty cliche since just about every blogger in the area has made some sort of post about Fifth Water. But I’m here to add my thoughts, along with a tip for a little extra adventure that I’ve never seen anyone talk about in their posts. Cool it, I’m not encouraging any illegal activities with the spray paint:)
Fifth Water Hot springs
In a nutshell: the trail is dead easy. It was a last minute decision to hike it, we were literally just driving through the canyon and I knew the trailhead was close so we pulled off the road. I didn’t even have a swimsuit with me, I just went in a sports bra and running shorts. The hike is around 7 miles out and back with the road closures right now (typically only 4 miles total), but there’s hardly any elevation gain and it’s a well kept trail.
There are 6 pools, depending on if you count the really small one or not. The two big ones by the waterfall are reallllly hot, almost too hot in my opinion. There are two that are downstream from the waterfall and they’re the perfect temperature. If you hike 3 minutes past the waterfall, theres a big pool that’s also pretty perfect, and much more secluded. That’s where I spent most of my time when I went. Click here here if you want a more in depth guide of the hot springs and what to expect on the hike:)
We got to the springs around 7:30 pm. I think we timed it perfectly because as soon as we left we started passing the “dip in the dark” people on their way up. But while we were there at the hot springs there was hardly anyone else. Big win.
What to bring
I’d hike in your swimsuit because there isn’t anywhere private to change there. But I’d also pack some dry clothes to change into after you swim if you do happen to get the chance, simply because hiking in a wet swimsuit is not the most fun experience. Aside from that I don’t think there’s much else you’ll need. Just be aware that there’s no cell service up the trail, so plan accordingly.
Why spray paint?
If you just want to drive for the hot springs that’s cool. But unless you go with a really big group, it’s probably not a place you’ll spend a lot of time. The springs are hot enough that it’s hard to stay in them for too long, especially with the weather getting warmer. BUT, as I was driving through the canyon I noticed something else that may be worth your time checking out.
It’s been on my bucket list for a long time to legally graffiti something. I discovered that maybe five or ten minutes past the turnoff for the hot springs, on the lefthand side of the road, are two broken down buses. Impossible to miss if you’re looking. They’re a short walk off the road and very clearly abandoned. Broken windows, slashed tires, spray painted and full of weeds…it’s pretty clear that no one has cared about them in a very long time. If you take the time to drive to fifth water hot springs, I’d say it might be worthwhile to drive just a few minutes farther for a bit of legal vandalism:) If people get mad that it’s an eyesore, they can just move the buses, so it’s not like graffiti-ing a permanent feature.
Enjoy your day trip through Spanish Fork:)
Fifth water hot springs is worth the trip on it’s own. It’s a beautiful hike and I loved every minute. But I also wish I’d had a couple cans of spray paint on me because I would have gone to town on those buses for sure. Idk, if art isn’t your thing that’s cool. Enjoy the hot springs! Buuut If you do end up going to leave a legal mark on the roadside landscape, drop a picture in the comments so I can see what you did:)
If you like this post and want to read about more cheap weekend adventures, click here for an easy, last minute 6$ overnight camping trip to one of my favorite lakes.
Thanks for reading!
I’m glad you’re here:)
-El
