Due to all the geothermal activity in this region, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming are loaded with natural hot springs. The most well-known of them is Diamond Fork Hot Springs (also called Fifth Water Hot Springs). You head out of Salt Lake towards Price, Utah, (Hwy 6) and turn into Diamond Fork Canyon. After about 10 miles you come to the trailhead, where you leave the car and hike 2.5 miles to the springs. The hike is easy, being relatively level, and absolutely beautiful (as you can see bel0w). The springs have that same surreal blue-ish color as the water at Havasu Falls (from mineral deposits in the water), and the contrast with the autumn colors was pretty visually overwhelming.There are three main hot pools (built by local hikers), right on the side of the trail, with a few other smaller pools, not quite as easy to get to especially when the water is high and fast moving. The main pools have nice rock walls containing them, maintained by hikers and visitors, and you can adjust the temperature by simply moving from one pool to the other (as you work your way downstream, each pool gets consecutively cooler as you move away from the hot spring source). Two of the main areas are below the big waterfall. Continue on the trail up and over the waterfall for yet another pretty big pool.
This is an area that for decades has been host to a lot of social nudity, as it's on Forest Service Land, and there is no prohibition against nudity on Forest Service Land. However, just this last year the Utahrd Police (yes, I said Utahrd) have suddenly decided to start arresting people for doing nothing and disturbing no-one. For a link to the story, see the fourth link below (apparently Utah has a little known -- and little used -- law that allows local ordinances to trump federal statutes). It's a silly thing, but then Utah is an unbelievable paternal state, and we must let our politicians decide what is best for us, musn't we?
Anyway, a great trip, and highly recommended. Just watch for rattlesnakes (especially in the summer) as the area is literally crawling with them. :)
Educational Moment: The water issuing from a hot spring is heated by geothermal heat, i.e., heat from the Earth's interior. In general, the temperature of rocks within the earth increases with depth. The rate of temperature increase with depth is known as the geothermal gradient. If water percolates deeply enough into the crust, it will be heated as it comes into contact with hot rocks. The water from hot springs in non-volcanic areas is heated in this manner.
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