Salt Spring

Gazing up at the majestic Wasatch Mountains, can you feel the whispers of Salt Spring echoing through time? Salt Spring, nestled at their base, has been a source of wonder and healing for centuries. Long before Brigham Young and the Mormon pioneers arrived in 1847, the Shoshone Indians understood the power of this thermal spring. They gathered here, not just for its warmth, but for its perceived ability to mend and rejuvenate. Imagine their camps dotting the landscape, the steam rising to mingle with the mountain air. The earliest written account we have of Salt Spring comes from Edwin Bryant in 1846. He described the spring’s strong sulfur smell and the mineral deposits left behind. When the Mormon pioneers arrived, they quickly recognized the spring’s value. Erastus Snow, in July 1847, described Salt Spring as offering the “greatest facilities for a steam doctor.” He even envisioned a patient’s seat upon a warm stone in the center of the spring’s flow. Just days later, Brigham Young and other pioneers visited both the Hot and Warm Springs. Some bathed, finding the waters refreshing, while others noted the strong, and perhaps less pleasant, sulfurous smell. Thomas Bullock, after bathing in Salt Spring, proclaimed it “very warm and [it] smelt very bad.” Yet, he also initiated the first improvements to the spring, clearing it out and creating a designated bathing area. The spring quickly gained a reputation for its healing properties. Robert Bliss, a Mormon Battalion veteran, found bathing in Salt Spring a welcome relief after his dusty travels. Others echoed his sentiments, praising the warm, crystal-clear water and its invigorating effects. The popularity of Salt Spring continued to grow. A bathhouse was built in 1850, complete with wooden tubs filled with water piped from the spring. It became a social hub, hosting dances, weddings, and community gatherings. The bathhouse even briefly served as a hotel and later, a tannery. Though its structure changed over the years, the lure of Salt Spring remained. Today, as you stand near this historic site, now Warm Springs Park, the original bathhouse may be gone, but the spring still flows. Though bathing is no longer permitted, the whispers of Salt Spring’s vibrant past continue to echo, a testament to its enduring legacy.