Baker Hot Springs
Near Strong, Utah · Fillmore Field Office
Verified · 5 independent sources
- WATER
- hot spring
- ACCESS
- Local spot, unofficial
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Baker Hot Springs
Baker Hot Springs is a remote geothermal site on Fumarole Butte in the Sevier Desert northwest of Delta, Utah, managed as BLM land within the Fillmore Field Office area. It is less a swimming hole than a desert soaking spot: three primitive concrete soaking tubs, remnants of a defunct resort, are fed by naturally hot mineral water that visitors can temper with a diverted cold-water channel.
The springs sit on Fumarole Butte, a basaltic-andesite shield volcano in Utah's remote Sevier Desert / Black Rock Desert volcanic field, reached via a dirt/4x4 access road off Brush Wellman Rd with no services for roughly 60 miles in any direction.
Swimming at Baker Hot Springs
Soaking rather than swimming: source water emerges around 141-180°F with a strong sulfur odor, and bathers use a diversion channel to let in cold spring water and cool the three small (~5'x8') concrete tubs to a comfortable temperature. Pools are shallow, unmaintained, and often algae-covered, better suited to a hot soak than a swim.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Salt Lake City, take I-15 to UT-132 west, then Brush Wellman Rd to Baker Hot Springs Rd; a 4x4 vehicle is recommended for the final unpaved approach, which leads directly to the springs with no hiking required.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up access only: the access road (Brush Wellman Rd to Baker Hot Springs Rd) leads directly to the soaking tubs, with at most a short walk of a few dozen yards from where a vehicle is parked.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Not ideal for young kids
Source water emerges around 141-180°F and must be manually tempered with a cold-water diversion channel before it's safe to enter; the three concrete tubs are unmaintained, often algae-covered, and the site is clothing-optional with no supervision or signage, making it a poor fit for young children.
Parking
Free
Informal dirt pullout/parking area at the end of Baker Hot Springs Rd right next to the tubs; no formal lot, signage, or fee. A high-clearance/4x4 vehicle is recommended for the final unpaved approach road, especially in wet or snowy conditions.
Restrooms
None on site
No restroom facilities on site; sources note there are no services of any kind within roughly 60 miles of the springs.
Water clarity
Often murky
Multiple sources describe the tubs as unmaintained and frequently algae-covered; water is mineral-laden hot spring water with a strong sulfur smell rather than clear swimming-hole water.
Backstory
Formerly known as Crater Springs and Abraham Hot Springs; a 1976 survey documented about 40 individual spring openings, and the three surviving concrete tubs are remnants of an earlier hot springs resort that once operated on the site.
Baker Hot Springs: FAQ
Does Baker Hot Springs charge a fee?
Free to visit.
Is Baker Hot Springs kid friendly?
Source water emerges around 141-180°F and must be manually tempered with a cold-water diversion channel before it's safe to enter; the three concrete tubs are unmaintained, often algae-covered, and the site is clothing-optional with no supervision or signage, making it a poor fit for young children.
Do I need to hike to reach Baker Hot Springs?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Baker Hot Springs?
Informal dirt pullout/parking area at the end of Baker Hot Springs Rd right next to the tubs; no formal lot, signage, or fee. A high-clearance/4x4 vehicle is recommended for the final unpaved approach road, especially in wet or snowy conditions.
When is the best time to visit Baker Hot Springs?
Described as very hot in summer; the access road can become hazardous during snow and rain, so cooler, dry-weather months are more favorable for the drive.
What are the rules at Baker Hot Springs?
Site is fenced but left accessible for public use; it is clothing-optional and pet-friendly, though dogs are not allowed in the soaking tubs.
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