Homestead Crater Hot Springs – Unique Geothermal Wonder in Utah
🏔️
Geothermal
Limestone Dome
♨️
90–96°F
🤿
Soaking & Scuba
Diving
Homestead Crater Hot Springs is a remarkable geological formation on the grounds of the historic Homestead Resort in Midway, Utah. But this is no ordinary hot spring - it lies inside a massive, hollow dome of mineral deposits.
For thousands of years, groundwater from rain and snow in the Wasatch Range slowly seeped deep into the earth, where it was heated before rising back toward the surface. As the hot water emerged, changes in its chemistry caused calcium carbonate to precipitate and build up around the spring. Layer after layer of this mineral deposit, called tufa, gradually formed the towering dome.
Today, Homestead Crater is about 200 feet wide and 55 feet high. Inside the dome is a deep pool of warm, mineral-rich water, staying around 90°F–96°F (32–36°C). Sunlight shines through the opening at the top, lighting up the blue-green water below. You can soak in the warm water, go scuba diving, try paddleboard yoga, or join a guided geology tour.
But nature is only part of the story. Human ingenuity has also changed how people enter and use the crater.
In the past, visitors had to climb the 55-foot dome to reach the natural opening at the top—the only entrance to the pool. They were then lowered into the water by rope and pulled back out when they were finished. Today, a 110-foot tunnel through the side of the dome provides a much easier entrance and exit.
The water level has also been engineered. Originally, water could escape naturally through cracks and pores in the mineral deposits.
Today, an engineered drainage system helps control the pool level.
And despite its name, Homestead Crater is not a volcanic crater. Its unusual shape was created by mineral-rich geothermal water depositing calcium carbonate around the spring over time.
At Homestead Crater, a remarkable natural formation and a little human ingenuity come together to create a truly unusual hot-spring experience.
Planning a trip to Homestead Crater? Learn more about what to see and do, visitor information, and places to stay nearby on Hot Springs Locator.
For current hours, admission, and reservations, check the official Homestead Crater website before your trip.
How to Get to Homestead Crater Hot Springs?
Homestead Crater Hot Springs is located in Midway, Utah, about 45 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, roughly a one-hour drive.
