Crystal Hot Springs

What to expect

Crystal Hot Springs is an old-fashioned hot springs pool on Highway 38 in Honeyville, about 12 miles north of Brigham City. Think community swimming complex rather than spa: concrete pools, lifeguards, a pair of tube slides and a lot of local families on a Saturday. What sets it apart is the water.

Two springs rise on the property less than 50 feet apart. The hot one comes out at 120-134°F49-57°C and is very salty. The operator puts its mineral content at about 46,000 mg/L, mostly sodium chloride, with calcium, potassium and magnesium, and says it is the most mineral-rich hot spring on record. A cold spring at 65-75°F18-24°C sits right next to it. Staff blend the two to set each pool’s temperature, and the water flows through the pools continuously before draining to a pond and on to the Bear River. The hot tubs turn over every 30 minutes, and the smaller pools are drained, scrubbed and refilled every night.

The water is noticeably buoyant and leaves a salty film on your skin. Rinse off before you get back in the car.

The pools

Temperatures from the operator’s own chart, which it updates hourly:

• Hot Tub 1: 103-105°F39-41°C
• Hot Tub 2: 102-104°F39-40°C
• Hot Tub 3: 99-101°F37-38°C
• Soaker and cave pool: 95-101°F35-38°C
• Olympic pool: 80-90°F27-32°C in summer, 90-96°F32-36°C in spring and fall, 96-99°F36-37°C in winter
• Lap pool (chlorinated) and slide pool: 70-85°F21-29°C. The slides run on fresh water warmed by copper pipes laid through the hot spring.

The two hydro-tube slides are about 365 feet long and run year-round. Riders must be at least 42 inches tall and follow lifeguard instructions. Slide violations get no warning and no refund.

Prices and booking

Prices posted for 2026:

• General entry: $18
• Seniors, military and college students: $15
• Ages 3 and under: free
• Waterslide add-on: $2
• Family night (Wednesdays after 4 p.m.): $36 for up to six people swim only, or $42 with slides; $6 or $7 per extra person. Not offered on holidays or school breaks.
• Groups of 20 to 49: $14 per person, $16 with slides. Groups of 50 or more: $10, or $12 with slides. Book by phone or email in advance.
• Lockers: $2 at the front desk. You leave your car keys or a cash deposit of $20 or more as collateral, not an ID or card. Lockers are shared between men and women.

You do not need a reservation for a normal visit. Everyone wears a wristband, and staff will ask you to leave without one.

Hours

• Monday to Thursday: noon to 10 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday: noon to 11 p.m.
• Sunday: noon to 8 p.m.
• Olympic pool: 4 p.m. to close, and closed all day Monday and Thursday.
• Slides: 4 p.m. to close on weekdays, noon to close on weekends.

Crystal closes on Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and runs short hours (noon to 5 p.m.) on Christmas Eve, July 4 and July 24. Locker rooms close 20 minutes after the pools. Lightning within 30 miles shuts the pools temporarily.

Rules

• No outside food. None at all, and bags and coolers are checked at the door.
• No alcohol and no glass. Bring drinks in plastic or metal bottles.
• No pets in the pool area, and no barbecues in the pool area or parking lot.
• Family-friendly swimwear. Lifeguards will speak to anyone whose suit is not.
• No overnight parking. RVs, trailers and semis cannot use the lot. Cars left overnight are towed.

Getting there

From I-15, take exit 372 and head east on Utah Highway 240. After about a mile, turn left onto Highway 38 and drive north 1.7 miles. Crystal Hot Springs is on the west side of the road at 8215 N Highway 38. Signs start at the freeway exit. Parking is free.

When to go

Crystal is busiest on summer weekends and during school breaks, when the slides draw crowds of kids. For a quieter soak, come on a weekday afternoon in fall, winter or spring, when the Olympic pool is at its warmest and the hot tubs feel best against cold air. Most Monday holidays and school breaks run on regular hours.

History

The operator traces use of the springs back many generations, with the Northern Shoshone and Bannock as the last tribes to gather here. Chinese railroad workers later built cedar soaking tubs at the springs. The business opened in 1901 as Madsen Hot Springs. Its original indoor pool burned in a lightning-caused fire in 1937, and a new lodge followed in the 1940s. During World War II, wounded soldiers were bussed in for rehabilitation soaks for about three years.

The resort also publishes a page of mineral health claims. Treat those as marketing, not medicine.

Where to stay nearby

Camping at Crystal has been discontinued, even though some older listings still mention a campground. For a hotel, look in Brigham City, about 12 miles south, or Tremonton, a short drive northwest. For an RV site with its own warm water, Belmont Hot Springs is roughly 14 miles north off I-15.

Safety notes

• Heat: The hot tubs run up to 105°F41°C. Keep soaks short, drink water, and step out if you feel lightheaded.
• Salt water: The water stings cuts and eyes. Keep your head above water in the mineral pools.
• Slick decks: Mineral pools leave a film on the concrete. Walk, do not run.
• Kids: Lifeguards watch the slides and pools, but younger children still need an adult in the water.