Today I am introducing a new series entitled “Why I Love the West”.

The American West is the ultimate destination for extreme budget travelers.  Besides the cost of a car and fuel, you can learn to scrape by on practically nothing with free camp spots and plenty of no cost sights to keep you entertained such as hot springs, hiking trails, super strange desert art, and loads of bizarre-o geology.  Not too mention some relatively low cost sights like national parks, small town diners that serve up a cheap yet mean breakfast, and happy hours at western bars that feature ridiculously large, cheap drinks, and a cast of eccentric regulars.

The Poolside Bar at Norris Hot Springs

I am totally obsessed with natural hot springs.  Utah, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, and Eastern California are geothermally active gold mines for naturally occurring hot water springs.  Plus the peculiarities of the west usually manifest themselves well at these springs.  Visiting any hot springs in the west comes with two warnings – make sure you test the temperature before entering the spring (temps can be too hot sometimes and boil your foot right off) and be prepared to see any number of bizarre happenings (naked old people, hippies engaged in energy work, and ancient healing rituals).

Lowers Pools at Fifth Water Springs Utah

The Upper Pool at Fifth Water Hot Springs

My favorite hot springs are those found near rivers.  The moving water keeps the springs clean and you get the option of dipping in the cool water when you get too hot. The river is usually damned off by rocks to create little pools and in some cases pools are built into the bank of the river with rocks and cement.  My absolute favorite hot spring is located about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City – Fifth Water Springs. A 2.5-mile hike takes you to a series of hot springs with a gorgeous waterfall backdrop.

Beware the stagnant pool, many springs are simply holes in the ground with water piped in from the source – such as South Canyon Hot Springs Colorado.  Conditions often times vary in these springs and are dependent on the amount of work put in by the unofficial springs caretaker.  Nevada and eastern California have a ton of these types of pools and some are amazing and some are darn right disgusting.

South Canyon Hot Springs in Colorado

I spent the last weekend in Montana and found the cutest little commercial hot spring just west of Bozeman. Norris Hot Springs was super clean, the perfect temperature for winter soaking, only $5 to enter, and had a poolside bar offering up a good selection of microbrews, local wines, and even mimosas.  The hot spring also has live folk, bluegrass, and Americana music every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night.

Enjoying Mimosas Poolside at Norris Hot Springs

Check out Soak for some information about hot springs found all over the west.  It is not the most user friendly website but it will help you locate springs all over the US and then you can scour the web for more detailed information.

Penny Hot Springs Near Carbondale, Colorado