Not many people can say they have swam in a 10,000 year old crater, but I can! The next time you travel to Utah you can add this unique hot spring activity to your itinerary!
An added bonus? It is not a hot spring that you have to hike to!
The Homestead Crater is located in Midway, Utah which is about an hour outside of Salt Lake City. In my travels I am always looking for fun day trip ideas and think that a morning soak in this hot spring followed by an afternoon spent in Park City makes for an ideal day!
Back to the crater itself. This natural phenomenon was created over 10,000 years ago when snow melted from the Wasatch Mountains and made its way to the center of the earth. The water then heated and rose back to the surface bringing along with it different minerals. Over time, these minerals collected at the surface and formed the volcano-like shaped limestone deposit that you can see today.
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The depth of the crater itself is about 65 feet and the geothermal hot spring ranges from temperatures of 90-96 degrees Fahrenheit year round! It was the perfect temperature for a chilly fall morning.
One thing to note, if you are at all nervous of deep, dark water you might be a little bit apprehensive to do this activity. There were some lights a few meters below where we were swimming to provide better visibility to the scuba divers but for the most part the water below was very dark. I get a little freaked out when I can’t see the bottom of the area that I am swimming in but I did totally fine!
While at this crater you can swim, snorkel, scuba dive and take a paddle board yoga class! I opted for the swimming option but did bring along my personal snorkel gear which I was permitted to use while swimming in the crater. One thing to note, all swimmers were required to wear a life jacket which was provided to you.
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If you get tired while swimming, there are two separate areas where you can go and stand on a platform or sit in a hot tub like area while still being in the hot spring.
The cost for a one hour adult swimming ticket was $18. There were also lockers and changing rooms within the entrance way for your use. I highly suggest going for your session first thing in the morning, but your ticket does come with a specific time for entry and they only allow 14-26 swimmers per session.
After your swim at the crater, I highly suggest stopping at Judy’s Donut Shop for a sweet treat and a coffee. However, this is a very popular place and on the weekends it can sell out by 10 am.
One last fun fact, this crater is the only warm scuba diving destination in the continental US.
Would you be brave enough to swim in this crater?