There’s A Hidden Hot Spring In This Thousand-Year-Old Crater
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When we talk about swimming holes, we usually don’t mean a literal swimming hole (it might be a pool at the base of a waterfall, or even a hidden lake up a mountain) but this swimming hole in Utah is just that – an actual hole in the earth that houses an amazing geothermal spring.
The Homestead Crater in Utah is a one-of-a-kind thermal hot spring that has formed below a 16 metre tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock. Formed over 10,000 years, the crater is the result of melting snow seeping deep within the earth and being heated by our planet’s warm centre. The water then percolated upward towards the surface, picking up minerals along the way and eventually forming the belly of the limestone crater we see today.
A remarkably beautiful spot, the crater is also a perfect respite from Utah’s brutally cold winters as the waters in the crater can reach up to a balmy 32 degrees – perfect for some lazy soaking and underwater exploring. The Homestead Crater is the only warm scuba diving destination in the US so it attracts many diving enthusiasts from across the country and the world.
Once upon a time, visitors had to abseil 16 metres into the crater to enjoy the warm mineral waters – luckily the Homestead Resort have since built a tunnel through the rock wall to better access the pool. Nowadays you can indulge in swimming, scuba, snorkelling or even just a therapeutic soak in the soothing waters. You can even go on a self-guided crater tour to better understand the history and geology of the natural phenomenon.
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The Homestead Crater is apart of the Homestead Resort and reservations are required. Access to the pools comes at a small fee of $11USD ($15AUD).
(Images: Homestead Resort)
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