Inlet Park (Saratoga) Hot Springs - Hot Springs in Utah

The hot springs had such a pristine atmosphere that it was hard to believe that it was located right next to a residential area.

This was made possible by the fact that it is strictly controlled by the city.

The resort remains in the name of the place

The city of Saratoga Springs is part of the Provo-Orem metropolitan area in Utah.

Since its establishment as a municipality in 1997, it has grown rapidly.

Some may recognize it by the name “Saratoga.”

Yes, it was named after Saratoga Springs, New York, which had been world-famous for its mineral springs.

Since time immemorial, there have been hot springs in the vicinity of the Jordan River, where the waters of Utah Lake flow out of the Jordan River toward the Great Salt Lake.

In 1884, a German immigrant, John Becks, built a resort that became Becks Saratoga Springs.

The resort flourished at the beginning of the 20th century, when the hot springs culture blossomed across the U.S., but gradually fell behind the times.

In 1995, the resort was sold to an investment fund and transformed into a residential community.

The remnants of the facility, including the hot springs pools, are now in a private park available only to local residents.

This time I visited another public park adjacent to the north side of the park, where there was an undeveloped hot spring spa that anyone can use free of charge.

It was a 0.7 mile round trip hike from the parking lot to the hot springs.

I walked along the shore of Utah Lake through a peaceful landscape.

When the path makes a sharp right turn, take a side road to the left, and that is your destination.

Innovative hot springs protection

I came out to an open space surrounded by unlimited undergrowth.

In the early morning, when the temperature was cool, I could see steam rising from the pond in the center.

The scene was so pristine that it was hard to believe that I had just passed through a new residential area a few minutes earlier.

The only artifacts were a few handmade wooden benches.

The edges and bottom of the pond were mud in its natural state.

When I stepped in, my feet were buried in the mud with a feeling that was, to be honest, unpleasant.

The water temp was about 100 degrees F, and even hotter water was found boiling at gushing points at the bottom of the pond.

The water was muddy and opaque, with a slight sulfur smell.

I was surprised to see that the fragile geothermal activity was left intact and made available for soaking, without being modified as a park.

This was the result of strict management by the city.

There was a police station just around the corner, and violations of the rules, such as the 6 to 10 p.m. entry time, bringing in alcohol, and wearing swimsuits, can result in hefty fines.

Police patrols are frequent, and the order was maintained.

This would be a landmark case in the U.S., where many wild hot springs are ruined by garbage due to lack of management and high requirements for commercial use.

Capybara

It's not just a matter of visitor's conscience, but a legal and institutional issue.

You are unusually sane.

Alpaca

The warm water flowed out through a ditch and reached Utah Lake, forming two small pools.

Summary