Most people visit Utah for its five national parks, world-class hiking, and otherworldly scenery. However, this state’s got WAY more up its sleeve than that, including several epic hot springs.
Fifth Water may actually be one of its most beautiful hot springs, with turquoise waters, a beautiful waterfall, and multiple pools to choose from. Here’s everything you need to know about Fifth Water Hot Springs in Utah, including where to park, what to expect on the hike to its pools, and insider tips so that you have the best time here.
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Where is Fifth Water Hot Springs?
Fifth Water Hot Springs, also known as Diamond Fork Hot Springs, is located here, along Fifth Water Creek in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest near Spanish Fork, Utah.
The trailhead to reach the hot springs is about an hour and 15 minutes south of Salt Lake City or about an hour east of Provo, Utah.
It’s the perfect pitstop if you’re already planning on doing a Mighty Five road trip from Salt Lake City. In fact, it’s less than a half hour detour if you’re driving from Salt Lake City to either Canyonlands or Arches.
Getting to Fifth Water Hot Springs
You’ll need a car to get to and from Fifth Water Hot Springs—unfortunately, there’s no public transportation that leads here.
How to get to the Fifth Water Hot Springs Trailhead in the Warmer Months
During the warmer months, it’s easy enough to get to the Fifth Water Hot Springs trailhead.
From Spanish Fork, you’ll follow US-6 and turn left on Diamond Fork Road, a narrow, but well-paved road that you can follow all the way to the trailhead parking lot.
The trailhead parking is teeny tiny, holding about twenty standard sized cars. It usually fills up by 8 AM or earlier, especially on weekends, so I’d suggest getting here bright and early if you don’t want to worry about finding parking.
The only amenity in the parking lot is two vault toilets, which were not particularly well-maintained when we visited. There aren’t any trash cans here either, so please come prepared to pack out everything you pack in!
If you’re not lucky enough to snag a spot in the lot, there are a handful of pull-offs along Diamond Fork Road that you can park, but be sure to ONLY to do so where there’s signs indicating that parking is allowed.
We got to the lot around 5 AM and were the first ones in the lot! However, by the time we left, around 11 AM, there were cars parked along Diamond Fork Road, ALL of which had parking tickets.
Cost of parking at the Fifth Water Hot Springs Trailhead
The National Forest charges a $10 day use fee, which is good for three days, to park at the trailhead. So be sure to bring along some cash!
Alternatively, you can pick up an America the Beautiful Pass, which is an annual pass, for $80, which gets you unlimited access to all of the U.S. National Parks and 2,000 other federally managed sites, including Fifth Water Hot Springs!
How to get to the Fifth Water Hot Springs Trailhead in the Cooler Months
In the cooler months (typically November through May), the portion of Diamond Fork Road that directly leads to the trailhead parking lot is gated off, due to the heavy snowfall the area receives during this timeframe.
Luckily, there’s two alternative parking lots, located here, on either side of the road. These lots are right before the road is gated off, so it’s pretty obvious where you’re supposed to park!
These lots are about 1.5 miles down the road from the hot springs trailhead, so, if you need to park here, you’ll be adding approximately three miles roundtrip to your total hike.
What to Expect On the Fifth Water Hot Springs Trail
Regardless of where you park, you’ll need to hike a bit to reach the hot springs.
Here’s what you can expect on the hike to Fifth Water Hot Springs if you’re starting from the trailhead.
- Length: 4.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 636 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trail map
If you need to park in the alternative lots in the cooler months, you’ll need to walk an additional 1.5 miles down the road to the trailhead. The road is blessedly pretty flat—however, it (and the trail!) can get a LOT of ice and snow in the wintertime.
Accordingly, I’d recommend checking recent trail reports on AllTrails to see whether you should bring along any extra gear, like microspikes or snowshoes (here‘s the pair that my husband, Justin, has and here‘s the pair that I have), to get to the hot springs safely.
From the trailhead, the hike is pretty straightforward, with a gradual uphill climb along a trail that follows along the Diamond Fork Creek.
There’s a few slightly sketchy parts along the trail—for example, areas where the pathway is quite narrow next to the creek or steep, rocky sections.
Accordingly, I’d strongly recommend wearing proper hiking boots with decent traction and support (Justin has and LOVES this pair and I have this pair). Additionally, if you’re like us and hike to the springs in the dark, bring along a headlamp. It would be SUPER easy to fall and hurt yourself here!
As you get close to the hot springs, you’ll notice the sulfur smell will get quite a bit stronger and you’ll reach a bit of a clearing in the forest, with Fifth Water Creek spilling down a fairly tall waterfall in front of you.
The most popular hot spring pools will be directly to your right, along the creekside, but you can continue climbing uphill, past the waterfall, to reach additional pools, which are typically less crowded.
Are dogs allowed on the Fifth Water Hot Springs trail?
Technically, furry best friends are allowed on the Fifth Water Hot Springs trail, so long as they’re on a leash. That being said, I’d generally recommend leaving the pups at home for this one!
It’s generally not recommended for dogs to hang out in hot springs, as they’re prone to getting burned or overheating in the water. Additionally, there really aren’t any good places close to the hot springs where you can tie up a leashed dog to keep an eye on them.
While we were trying to relax in Fifth Water Hot Springs, another visitor had their two VERY energetic dogs off-leash and was playing fetch with them in the pools. It definitely was not the *relaxing* vibe that most people are going for when soaking in warm, toasty water.
Are you allowed to camp on the Fifth Water Hot Springs trail?
Yes! There’s a handful of dispersed campsites along the Fifth Water Hot Springs trail, which are clearly signed to indicate that you’re allowed to camp there.
If you’re brand new to backcountry camping, we have a whole backpacking gear guide for beginners to help you plan for your trip. Additionally, there’s no amenities, like drinking water or vault toilets, for these campsites, so be sure you’ve brushed up on the Leave No Trace principles before hitting the trail!
It’s worth noting that dispersed camping is not allowed by the hot springs themselves.
If you’re not into backcountry camping, there’s a number of established campgrounds nearby, like the Three Forks Campground or Diamond Fork Campground. Alternatively, Justin and I actually boondocked—for free!—in our RV in the Sawmill Hollow Campground just a few miles down the road from the trailhead.
What to Expect at Fifth Water Hot Springs
When we visited, there were at least seven pools alongside the creekside, each with a slightly different color, clarity, and deepness.
The warmest of the springs is around 110 degrees—the perfect hot tub temperature! In our experience, the further upstream that we went, the warmer the pools were.
These pools are directly fed by a geothermal spring, not from the creek itself. In fact, the creek’s actually REALLY cold, at least, in the springtime when we visited. Definitely more appropriate for cold plunging than soaking in warm, toasty water!
When to Visit Fifth Water Hot Springs
The good news is that there really isn’t a bad time to visit Fifth Water Hot Springs. However, you will have a different experience, depending on when you go.
Winter
Utah in winter is absolutely beautiful, with a blanket of snow coating its otherworldly landscape—and Fifth Water Hot Springs are no exception!
In fact, they’re actually at their most beautiful in the wintertime, surrounded by snow and with a stunningly beautiful milky turquoise color. We visited in late spring and assumed that the pools were always that beautiful electric blue color you see on social media—turns out, it’s usually only in the colder months!
That being said, there’s definitely some major drawbacks to visiting in the wintertime.
For one, you’ll need to park in one of the alternate parking lots and walk an extra three miles to the trailhead. For another, the trail is usually quite icy and snowy, making this otherwise fairly easy hike much more challenging.
Spring
We visited Fifth Water Hot Springs in May and had an absolutely lovely time.
The road to the trailhead and the dispersed camping near the springs was open; the weather was still a pleasantly chilly temperature that felt awesome when soaking in the warm water; and the springs weren’t that busy.
That being said, snow and ice can last along the trail well into the springtime. So, if you’re visiting any earlier than May, be sure to check recent reports on AllTrails to see if the road is open or whether you need to bring microspikes.
Summer
Unless you go SUPER early in the morning, I wouldn’t suggest hitting the hot springs in the summertime.
This is, by far, the busiest season to visit the springs, plus it usually gets too hot by mid-morning to enjoy the pools.
Fall
I would LOVE to come back to Fifth Water Hot Springs in the fall—there’s deciduous trees in the area that have beautiful autumnal foliage and the crowds of summer have petered out.
Like springtime, though, it’s not unusual for the road to be closed or for there to be ice or snow along the trail, especially by early November.
Tips for visiting Fifth Water Hot Springs
Visit early and on a weekday
Fifth Water Hot Springs is a POPULAR destination—it’s not uncommon for there to be 100+ visitors enjoying the hot springs at once, especially on weekends.
Accordingly, if you can swing it and want to avoid the crowds, I’d recommend visiting early—like, before sunrise early—and on a weekday.
We started hiking from the trailhead around 5 AM on a Friday and actually had ALL of the hot springs totally to ourselves for over an hour!
By the time we were leaving the parking lot, though, it was totally full and there were cars lining Diamond Fork Road for almost a mile away from the trailhead!
If there happens to be other visitors during your visit, please be sure to be kind and respectful and share the pool you’re enjoying with others!
Be prepared to see naked people
Many of the undeveloped hot springs in the Western United States, including Fifth Water Hot Springs, are treated as clothing-optional by some visitors.
I’d personally recommend wearing your swimsuit here—we saw TONS of kids hiking to the springs and it’s technically a crime in Utah to be nude in public, especially in front of children.
That being said, nudity absolutely happens, so if you’re particularly sensitive to surprise genitalia, you might want to skip this one!
Check the bacteria level before you go
In the past, there’s been dangerous levels of bacteria in the water. Be sure to check the status of the water before you go!
What to bring for Fifth Water Hot Springs
- Swimsuit
- Towel
- Drybag: We always bring our drybag when we go to hot springs, to keep our electronics and keys safe and dry.
- Cash: Remember that you’ll need to purchase a $10 day pass or bring along your America the Beautiful Pass.
- Hiking boots (Justin has this pair and I have this pair)
- Trash bag: To pack out your garbage—or any other garbage you encounter along the trail!
- Headlamp, if you’re hiking in the early morning or in the evening
- Microspikes or snowshoes (Justin has this pair and I have this pair), if you’re visiting in the wintertime
There you have it—everything you need to know about visiting Fifth Water Hot Springs in Utah! Do you have any questions about visiting this unique place? Let us know in the comments below!
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