The '70s are alive and groovy as ever at Mystic Hot Springs in Utah
Back in the 1800s, long before hordes of VW bus owners set off on adventures of self-discovery, this geothermally rich destination was already bringing the heat. Guests from all over the valley and beyond would travel by horse and buggy to dance and soak all through the night. Earlier still, nomadic bands from the Ute, Shoshone, and Paiute tribes would make use of the warm grounds near the springs, setting up their camps here as they passed through.
The bathtubs were some of the first additions Mike made when he acquired the property in 1996—but they’re still relatively new, considering that the hot springs first formed out of geologic events dating back millennia.
The unique reddish-brown travertine mounds that can be seen throughout the hot springs, most notably around the tubs, are the results of minerals that have built up after being deposited inch by inch via the constant flow of water.
Water comes out of the ground at a piping hot 168 degrees Fahrenheit (75.5 degrees celsius) and a rate of 200 gallons per minute. The water eventually cools as it works it way through a network of channels and cascades into the pools and tubs. The minerals carried in this water—calcium carbonate, magnesium, and iron among them—are celebrated for their healing and relaxation properties, all part of the draw that’s been enticing visitors for centuries.
