Eric Williams
Staff Writer
The mountains of northern Utah are gradually getting whiter, inviting skiers and snowboarders to go ahead and throw on their roof racks and put a fresh coat of wax on their preferred boards.
Alas, our world-famous snow is not here yet, leaving some confused about how to cope during the anxiety-filled month of October. To fill the gap, many outdoor adventurers head for the southern part of the state to get one last dose of mountain biking, rock climbing or hiking. Others take I-15 downhill just to relax, thaw out and enjoy the red rock scenery. Mystic Hot Springs near Richfield provides southbound travelers a place to mellow out, warm up and even enjoy some live music.
One of the state’s best kept secrets Mystic Hot Springs, located in the city of Monroe, is just three hours south of Salt Lake City in the Sevier Valley. The spring’s central location right off I-70 is right in the middle of Utah’s many outdoor attractions. Boulder Mountain, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon and rock climbing hot spot Maple Canyon are all within 80 miles, making the springs a perfect nighttime hangout for sightseers and outdoor thrill seekers.
Being right between Denver and L.A. also makes Mystic Hot Springs a convenient stop for touring jam bands such as Leftover Salmon, Dark Star Orchestra and Electric Hookah, says owner Mike Ginsburg, who has been welcoming guests from all over the country for the last 11 years.
Ginsburg fell in love with the place while having a bad day following the Grateful Dead’s last show in Las Vegas. Within a week of stumbling upon his dream home, he had a contract to buy the land. He moved in 11 months later.
Ginsburg remains the property’s sole owner, operator and employee. Before putting down roots in Monroe he traveled with the Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band designing and selling stickers for the bands as well as independently. His work, in addition to the Grateful Dead and other jam band’s memorabilia, line the walls of the facilities’ main building, which functions as an office, a concert venue, a TV studio, an Internet café and gift shop. He has also added a glass blowing studio where he designs and creates beads and other art work.
He offers visitors several soaking pools including eight bathtubs filled by a steady flow of steaming, volcanically heated water. Unlike sulfur hot pots that leave bathers with a bit of a stench, Mystic’s waters are naturally heated and odorless. “This is the best place I’ve found to just hang out and relax,” says Chuck Toscano, a communication student and kayaker from Pennsylvania, who has returned more than 10 times to enjoy Mystic’s hot waters and starry nights.
The resort is open to its many regulars, as well as any first time guests 24-hours a day 365 days a year. Travelers can choose between camping on the lawns, or staying in the cabins or tepees. Fire pits, picnic tables and 24-hour showers and bathrooms are also provided.
“This place is so chill and fun” said Shannon Finch, a road biker from Orem.
“This has been a cool adventure,” says Finch of her first visit to Mystic.
Adhering to a Japanese world-view called Wabi-sabi, Ginsburg strives to keep the area clean and functional while preserving its natural, imperfect and constantly evolving beauty.
“Here you get the effect that things are temporary because you’re seeing things dramatically change almost before your eyes,” says Ginsburg. “Here rocks are forming all the time.”
Ginsburg is now on a crusade to save 18th century log cabins from the area. He has saved 29 log cabins from being destroyed and has plans to save more. Four of the cabins are already used to house guests. He hopes to eventually restore all of them to lodge visitors.
Adding to the property’s rustic, blast-from-the-past charm is a collection of vibrantly painted school buses in varying conditions of repair. “I like to have a feeling like you’re not really sure if anybody is running the place, or if it’s abandoned,” says Ginsburg “I don’t like the man-made stuff to get in the way of what naturally happens here.”
Several of the more than 500 concerts that have been played at Mystic Hot Springs are now on YouTube, a project Ginsburg is proud to be a part of. “It’s neat to create your own scene in the middle of nowhere.”