Mystic Hot Springs: Utah’s Far Out Thermal Pools

Monroe, Utah is a sleepy town that most travelers skip unless they’re aware that it is the home of one of the grooviest hot springs on Earth. Mystic Hot Springs features outdoor vintage bathtubs filled with naturally heated mineral water, rustic hippie buses with names like Nature Bus which have been converted into overnight lodging, and a handful of roaming peacocks. If you’re a flower child at heart who forever mourns the passing of the 1960s—a soak in the thermal pools of Mystic Hot Springs will rejuvenate your spirit like no other place.

In 1995, artist Mike Ginsburg was driving through the desert after attending a Grateful Dead concert in Las Vegas. As soon as Ginsburg set foot in Monroe, he knew that he wanted to transform the thermal pools into a bohemian retreat for free spirited adventurers. Ginsburg purchased the springs and named them Mystic Hot Springs. Since the mid-90s, Mystic Hot Springs has featured live music, far out art installations, and festivals which celebrate the natural beauty of the desert.

Mystic Hot Springs features several thermal pools, including a shallow pool with flowing water which offers guests a natural massage. Visitors can soak for a single day, or stay overnight. The famous vintage bathtubs full of thermal water in Mystic Hot Springs are the ideal place to stargaze during a meteor shower. Southern Utah is home to one of the darkest stretches of night sky in North America. There are few things more invigorating than soaking in a thermal pool while you count shooting stars overhead.

The converted buses and authentic pioneer cabins of Mystic Hot Springs may not feature running water or individual bathrooms, but a night spent sleeping soundly in the New Moon Bus will surely renew your heart and soul in ways that only the desert can.