Relax In One Of Utah's Most Beautiful, Bright-Blue Waterfall Swimming Holes

As a state with five national parks and plenty of beautiful and varied natural scenery, it makes sense why Utah is so popular amongst travelers. While one of the best ways to see the entire state is to hit all five national parks in one unforgettable road trip, you may want to also stray a little off the beaten path and check out some of the less-popular but equally-beautiful areas of the Beehive State. For example, you could head to Utah's Antelope Island for uncrowded beaches and incredible wildlife or even visit America's only pink salt lake. Furthermore, you could even head to some of Utah's gorgeous swimming holes like the one at the Fifth Water Waterfalls and Hot Spring.

Located about an hour and 15 minutes south of Salt Lake City, the Fifth Water Waterfalls and Hot Springs has three beautiful waterfalls that each have bright-blue swimming holes at the bottom. These swimming holes are particularly special because they are also natural hot springs. While the main waterfall has the largest swimming hole, the second waterfall is considered the most photogenic with a multi-tiered waterfall and multiple thermal pools to choose from. Each of the pools is fed by both the hot springs and the Fifth Water Creek meaning that you can move around in the pools or change pools to find the water temperature that is perfect for you — whether that is super hot or just a little warm.

Because the Fifth Water Waterfalls and Hot Spring is tucked away in a national forest, you do need to hike for about 45 minutes to an hour to reach the swimming holes. The hike is considered to be moderate in difficulty and does include some steeper inclines with a 700-foot elevation gain during the 2.5-mile trek. However, reviewers of the hike on AllTrails noted that the trail was "nothing too difficult but not too easy." Others recommended wearing sturdy shoes for the hike and carrying water shoes to protect your feet while walking around the various swimming holes and hot springs.

The trailhead has bathrooms and requires a fee for parking. A three-day pass costs $10 and a seven-day pass costs $20. Both passes are for general admission and allow you to park in and explore more of the national forest and other trails surrounding the hot springs. The Fifth Water Waterfalls and Hot Spring does get busy on the weekends so, if you want to avoid the crowds, you can try visiting on the weekdays. Or, as an AllTrails reviewer suggested, you can plan your visit later in the day — starting your hike around 5 p.m. and heading back at 7:30 p.m. for a visit with "no horseflies, no mosquitoes, no rattlesnakes, and no people."

However, before you plan your trip to this lesser-known Utah swimming hole, it is important to keep a few important details in mind. The first is that because the Fifth Water Waterfalls and Hot Spring is created by underground geothermal activity, it does have that characteristic sulfur-y smell that some people liken to rotten eggs. Luckily, this smell is actually a good sign because it means that certain minerals are present in the water that are believed to have health benefits.

Secondly, like many rivers and waterways in Utah, the Fifth Water Creek is at risk of containing harmful cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae). Although the cyanobacteria are not always present, it is important to check with the local forests service or look at signage at the trailhead to see if the algae is still a problem. If so, you should not enter the pools with any open wounds or cuts and avoid ingesting the water. Although leashed dogs are allowed at the hot springs, if there is cyanobacteria present, it is important not to allow your furry best friend near the water as dogs can get sick from swimming in or ingesting water with small amounts of this bacteria.