5thWater Creek is a tributary to the Diamond Fork River, just off Spanish Fork Canyon in Utah. The thermal springs along the creek supply heated water that mixes with the cooler water flowing from the upper reaches of the canyon. From the trailhead, it is about a 2.5-mile hike to the springs with a 700-foot elevation gain. While visiting the springs this weekend, I took the opportunity for an extended soak along with the photography experience. I tried one pool that was so blistering hot I almost scalded my feet. That pool was definitely too hot for me. Lower down the spring water mixes with the stream water and moderates the temperature considerably. There I found a temperature to my liking and I soaked for well over an hour.

The cobalt-like blue color of the water is true to what these photographs represent. There is a mild sulphur smell to the water, a second indicator to the mineral content. Over the years, visitors to the springs have built up stone walls to capture the water. Most of the pools are about knee deep.

It had rained the day before I visited the springs and so a thick mist wafted over the stream. At times the steam was so thick that it made it difficult to make photographs. The steam added to the mysterious atmosphere of the hike. It was early November when I made the hike, and by this time most of the leaves had fallen from the trees. Still, it was a beautiful autumn setting as the fallen leaves carpeted the forest. Altogether, the hike, the warm soak in the water, and the beautiful setting for shooting photographs made for an enjoyable morning in the mountains.