The Homestead Crater is a 12,000-year-old geothermal hot spring in Midway, Utah.
And I got to soak in it.
Concealed inside a 55-foot-tall limestone dome – Is it a mountain? Is it a hill? – it measures 400 feet wide at the base. The water itself is 65 feet deep so when you’re in it, there is a considerable amount of spring beneath you.
It wasn’t created by a meteor or volcanic eruption. Over 12,000 years ago, snow melt from the Wasatch Mountains seeped underground. The water ran deep into the earth, was heated geothermally, and then rose back toward the surface carrying dissolved minerals. As the water reached the surface, it deposited those minerals, gradually building the 55-foot-high limestone dome around the spring.
Arriving a few minutes before our reservation time, my husband and I waited by the door, as per the instructions posted there. Eighteen people are permitted inside for an hour at a time, you are actually in the water about 40 minutes. After the previous group exited, a member of the crater staff came out and explained the rules and the process.
Mister Rain and I were the second ones to enter via a tunnel that has been blasted into the formation’s rock wall; this tunnel leads you to the spring. We had brought our own towels as directed and both wore our bathing suits under our clothes; we could have undressed right there but we would have bern in the way of everyone scrambling to get into the water. Since we were in the front of the line, we ducked into a “changing room.” Too small to accommodate two persons of any size, we went in one at a time. The far wall – “far” being relative – was the rough wall and less than my wing span from that was the room’s door. There was a small bench inside but even at only 5’ 2″, when I sat down to remove my pants my head hit the sloped limestone. It was also very dark, causing us to use the light on one of our phones.
The next stop was to sign in at the desk, then choose a mandatory life vest from where they hung on the wall. The crater employee had stressed to us that we make sure all straps were tight; my husband helped me with mine before getting into his own. There were small lockers to store your things, shelving units were also available for larger items. We placed our tote there, as well as my trekking poles (click here).
Making our way to where the spring was located, the first thing I noticed was daylight pouring in from the hole in the top of the dome – Is it a mountain? Is it a hill? When the sides grew into the dome, a small opening was left at the peak. Climbing the steps on the exterior of the dome will take you to a bridge over the hole where you can look down at the water. Unfortunately, the steps were closed when we were there.
A boardwalk of sorts created a pathway to the ladder, the only way you can enter the water. You are not permitted to jump in, splash or touch the walls.
The water temperature is 90°F to 96°F year-round. It felt warmer than a heated swimming pool but not as warm as a hot tub. Mineral rich, the spring is a vivid blue, so clear that even I could see Mister Rain’s treading feet beneath him.
You may be wondering if the spring is stagnant. No. Fresh water constantly flows through the natural limestone structure.
The Homestead Crater is the only warm-water scuba diving destination in the continental United States. You can also snorkel here. Though there is no aquatic life in the hot spring, various plastic animals and props can be found in its depths, including an alligator, turtle, crab, snake, skeleton and PVC swim-through pipes.
Even as I looked around, it was hard to believe I was inside a rock formation floating in a geothermal hot spring 12,000-years-old. I had learned how this site got here but I did wonder, How did I get here?
What I did know for sure is that I would never forget this experience.
Sister Rain Note:
Let me preface the following by stating that I am so happy I had the adventure at Homestead Crater. Would I do it again? I’m not sure and here is why.
First of all, the tunnel running from the “front door” to the water is sloped in spots with no railing for most of its length and it’s wet from everyone’s feet, making it slippery and dangerous.
The life vest I was required to wear while in the spring was not the first life vest of my life. However, I would quickly find out that the one my husband and I selected for me was too big. This discovery was made when I got into the water and did the opposite of float.
Another issue is there is no one from the Homestead Crater staff in the area where the spring is located. There is no lifeguard so if something goes wrong, you are on your own. We did sign waivers, but I do not think that a release form should mean that the crater owners shouldn’t do all that they can to keep their visitors safe.
I loved my time in the water. The coming and going, not so much.
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